Udon Thani Immigration Office

[KHONDAHM]

By the way: this is all valid until 31.12.2009 max!! some regulations or the whole lot may or may not change soon.

Pfffft...why does this not surprise me? TIT

Thank you for your replies. I am now 110% straight about what I need to do! Cheers! =D>

[Flo]

By the way: this is all valid until 31.12.2009 max!! some regulations or the whole lot may or may not change soon.

Pfffft...why does this not surprise me? TIT

Thank you for your replies. I am now 110% straight about what I need to do! Cheers! =D>

Your welcome!! I myself have to do the whole lot next year and I really hope to be prepared for it. But as you said TiT and anything can happen.

[parrot]

kd,
Some food for thought on the PR process. The folks who applied in 2006, 2007, and 2008 are still awaiting word on their application. Last I read, some of the folks from last year still haven't been interviewed. At current retirement visa rates, you'll pay more than 50 years worth of annual visa for one PR.
When I came here, I was worried about my visa situation, from one year to the next not knowing whether it'd be approved. That was then. Now, 13 years in, absolutely no problem with annual renewal. There are several folks who have been here since the early 70's, never left the country, lived through a handful of coups, and have never had a problem obtaining their annual stamp. Of course, that could always change overnight......but even getting a PR is not guarantee that the rules won't change in midstream. If that, if fact, is your concern (which it shouldn't be IMO), you need to get citizenship......and besides being damn near impossible, you'd probably lose your US benefits in the process. Not worth it!

[KHONDAHM]

kd,
Some food for thought on the PR process. The folks who applied in 2006, 2007, and 2008 are still awaiting word on their application. Last I read, some of the folks from last year still haven't been interviewed. At current retirement visa rates, you'll pay more than 50 years worth of annual visa for one PR.
When I came here, I was worried about my visa situation, from one year to the next not knowing whether it'd be approved. That was then. Now, 13 years in, absolutely no problem with annual renewal. There are several folks who have been here since the early 70's, never left the country, lived through a handful of coups, and have never had a problem obtaining their annual stamp. Of course, that could always change overnight......but even getting a PR is not guarantee that the rules won't change in midstream. If that, if fact, is your concern (which it shouldn't be IMO), you need to get citizenship......and besides being damn near impossible, you'd probably lose your US benefits in the process. Not worth it!

Nope, not going for Thai citizenship. Wait time for PR is no problem. I have considered all my needs, which I am sure are not the same as others, and PR is the path I want to take. Retirement O is not even an option because I would have the PR before I would even qualify to apply. In addition, projecting out and crunching the numbers over the long term (using loose and conservative assumptions for inflation, exchange rates, likelihood of policy changes based on precedent, etc., etc.), the time and hassle of doing the visa thing year after year and plain and simple peace of mind makes it worth it to me.

[Khun Paul]

PR is the way to go, if youreally want to to, however with the inreasing problems facing not only Thailand but other countries, I would feel inclined to keep my citizenship linked to my home country, I appreciate that having a Thai ID card, able to get loans etc and all the other stuff sounds great, hopwever the down side is every 5-10 years to have to change ID card, be alert to any or all Govt edicts regarding life here, as a farang you can politely ignore most if not all edicts and just pay all the fees when required, the only drawback with a visa here is the 90 day reporting which by all accounts even the Imm dept are becoming distinctly unhappy with.

But you pay your money and takes ypour choice, me I would rather keep my UK passport with all the access that gives me to many contries. Dual citizenship is not an option for me at all.

[KHONDAHM]

The earliest [you can apply for permission to stay] is the last month of the 90 day time period that you get when you enter Thailand, never mind how long your visa is still valid. :-"

Ok, here I go over-analyzing stuff as I oft do. So, assuming I apply "the last month of the 90 day time period that you get when you enter Thailand", and assuming it is granted the same month, does the 3 year clock start ticking that month?

I think the answer is academic, but just checking.

[rickfarang]

Permanent residency has noting to do with citizenship. If you obtain a permanent residence permit, you are only permitted to reside permanently*, you would not be able to vote, hold public office, or enjoy many of the rights, privileges, and obligations due to a Thai citizen.

*Its referred to as a "Permanent Residence Permit," but though it does not automatically expire, you can loose it by leaving the country without permission or remaining outside the country for more than one year. There may be other ways to loos it.

[Khun Paul]

OK it has nothing to do with Citizenship I stand corrected but they do not refund the sizable fee if not succesful, and if you divide that by 1900 baht that is a lot of years, I should live that long...............lol

[SanukJoe]

Permanent residency has noting to do with citizenship. If you obtain a permanent residence permit, you are only permitted to reside permanently*, you would not be able to vote, hold public office, or enjoy many of the rights, privileges, and obligations due to a Thai citizen.

*Its referred to as a "Permanent Residence Permit," but though it does not automatically expire, you can loose it by leaving the country without permission or remaining outside the country for more than one year. There may be other ways to loos it.

I agree 100%. Also to become a Permanent Resident one has to go a rather long and expensive way and the permits are limited per country.
What I have in my memory (but maybe incorrect then I apologize) is the following:
In order to apply for a PR permit one has to have a record of 3 consecutive years of retirement visa, has to speak (and write?) Thai language, undergo police checks in both countries, need a certified proof of foreign income and have to pay the 190.000 baht (when married).

The amount of money is the same as paying for retirement visa for 100 years and I haven't heard of any expat having lived 100 years AFTER retirement

Joe

[KHONDAHM]

What I have in my memory (but maybe incorrect then I apologize) is the following:
In order to apply for a PR permit one has to have a record of 3 consecutive years of retirement visa, has to speak (and write?) Thai language, undergo police checks in both countries, need a certified proof of foreign income and have to pay the 190.000 baht (when married).

There is a lot here that is incorrect info. The link I posted previously has the correct info.

[SanukJoe]

KD it's time you start to learn to read! From YOUR link: (quote Thaivisa)

Remember this is a privilege that the Thai government offers to only 100 people of each nationality each year. The qualifications are not easy, and include the following.

You must have completed 3 continuous years of non-immigrant 1 year extensions.

You must be able to show 3 years of Thai Tax Certificates (even if you are not working).

You will be allotted qualifying points accordingly if you:-

Invest in Thailand.

Have a business in Thailand.

Work in Thailand & qualify as an 'expert'.

Support a legal Thai spouse & family members.

Have a good Immigration history in Thailand.

Have spent a long time in Thailand.

Speak some Thai language - enough for a little simple conversation.

Have a clean criminal record both in and outside Thailand.

The application is around 7,600 baht (non refundable). If you are finally offered PRP there is a one-time fee of 191,400 baht (92,400 if legally married to a Thai). These are subject to confirmation.

The top 100 people (of each nationality) on the qualifying list will be considered.

You will still need to use an 'exit re-entry permit' when traveling outside Thailand - otherwise the PRP will be cancelled, but you will not need to renew the permit each year. You will still need to report to an Immigration Office each 90 days to confirm your address, but the days of the 'visa-run' will be over for you.

It's not or this or that, it's this AND that. Most things are exactly as I stated

Joe

[Paul]

The earliest [you can apply for permission to stay] is the last month of the 90 day time period that you get when you enter Thailand, never mind how long your visa is still valid. :-"

Ok, here I go over-analyzing stuff as I oft do. So, assuming I apply "the last month of the 90 day time period that you get when you enter Thailand", and assuming it is granted the same month, does the 3 year clock start ticking that month?

I think the answer is academic, but just checking.

When you apply for an extension of stay to your (original) visa, extensions based on marriage are processed in Bangkok and after being stamped signed and ready to be despatched to Bkk - the immigration officer will give you a 1 month stamp in your passport as 'extension under review' (or something like that) and you go back on the exact date they stamp in your passport to see if it has come back from Bkk yet. It won't have, especially as a first application. (My first took 6 months), but you get consecutive stamps for one month 'mini' extensions whilst you are waiting.
When it comes it will only be valid for the time left up to the date you applied (six months ago) so the second one will need to be submitted six months later (assuming the approval took six months of course).

Extensions of stay based on retirement are processed locally and usually faster and easier (but need more proof of income (and being 50 years old of course)

Extensions of stay based on employment are a pain in the butt and best left to someone in your company to process !!

Thats the typical 3 categories. There are several other minor categories (education, specialist, volunteer etc but its best to leave alone as they affect so few people)

Lets try to keep the terminology clear. Visas are obtained outside Thailand, extensions to visas are obtained inside Thailand.

90 day 'border-runs' are needed for visa holders as the maximum stay is 90 days (and you can fit as many 90 day periods (or part periods) into your 1 year validity

Those with extensions to their visa only have to report to the local immigration office every 90 days - to let them know your current address.

PR requires 3 consecutive 1 year extensions to your visa

hope this clears a few points up

[KHONDAHM]

KD it's time you start to learn to read! From YOUR link:

A little testy aren't we?

What I have in my memory (but maybe incorrect then I apologize) is the following:
In order to apply for a PR permit one has to have a record of 3 consecutive years of retirement visa [stays on Retirement visas do not count toward the 3 years], has to speak (and write?) Thai language [according to those who went through the process, speaking is what they look for - reading and writing are bonuses], undergo police checks in both countries, need a certified proof of foreign income [or 400,000 in a Thai bank] and have to pay the 190.000 baht (when married) [it's 92,400 if married].

My previous post where I quoted you was about this incorrect info.

My follow up post about my previous post was simply asking this single question:

Does the 3 year stay requirement begin [on the date] when the permission to stay is granted IF granted "the last month of the 90 day time period that you get when you enter Thailand"? This question was based on the response:

The earliest [you can apply for permission to stay] is the last month of the 90 day time period that you get when you enter Thailand, never mind how long your visa is still valid.

I appreciate your effort, SanukJoe, but you really need to make an effort to try to understand the question before going off on a tirade.

Cheers!

[jgm005]

We live in Nongbulamphu and spend half our time here and the other half in the States. I had the opportunity to get my tourist visa extended by 30 days this past week at the UTH Immigration office. We got there at 8:40am and they where still setting up. It was a pure breeze to get it extended here versus in BKK. Kudos to this office.

[rickfarang]

Dropped in today at about 13:30, filled out the 90 day report form, handed the form and passport only through the window, no request was made for any other document, and was handed my passport back in a few minutes by a smiling young lady.

[pienmash]

Just done my 90 days report and was in and out so quick could of left the car running . smiley happy people as well .

[lepidoptra]

Has anyone heard when the immigration office will be returning to the airport?

[Khun Paul]

Has anyone heard when the immigration office will be returning to the airport?

That is a very very good question could people please advise when they know, the situation, it is the constant to-ing and fro-ing that gets the stress levels up.
Thanks

[Brian Davis]

I went to airport today and Immigration was operating as normal.

[lepidoptra]

Thankyou Brian