
Thailand Permanent Residency: Qualifications & How to Apply
By: Nahla ElKazak / Sarah Stone
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If you’re ready to make the lifelong move to Thailand, then Permanent Residency is an option! This opens you to a lot more options and freedoms within Thailand that you wouldn’t have as a non-immigrant visa holder. For example, you don’t have to get a visa extension, you can buy property and get work permits more easily, you can get a high-level position with a Thailand-based company, and more.
It can take about a year from application to approval, and only 100 Thailand Permanent Residence offers are given per year to each nationality—so the process can be very competitive.
Important: Applications are only accepted during a specific window each year, typically from October 14 to December 27.
Thailand Permanent Residency Qualifications
Your basic qualifications for Thailand Permanent Residency are that you must:
- Have spent three consecutive years in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa
- Have a valid work permit spanning three years’ minimum from the date of your application
- Demonstrate the ability to speak and understand the Thai language
- Have a clean criminal record
- Earn 30,000 Baht per month (about $825) if married to a Thai spouse for at least five years, or 80,000 Baht per month (about $2,200) if single
Thailand Permanent Residency Categories
Thailand Permanent Residency Guide
If you’re ready to make the lifelong move to Thailand, then Permanent Residency is an option! This opens you to a lot more options and freedoms within Thailand that you wouldn’t have as a non-immigrant visa holder. For example, you don’t have to get a visa extension, you can buy property and get work permits more easily, you can get a high-level position with a Thailand-based company, and more.
It can take about a year from application to approval, and only 100 Thailand Permanent Residence offers are given per year to each nationality—so the process can be very competitive.
Important: Applications are only accepted during a specific window each year, typically from October 14 to December 27.
Thailand Permanent Residency Qualifications
Your basic qualifications for Thailand Permanent Residency are that you must:
- Have spent three consecutive years in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa
- Have a valid work permit spanning three years’ minimum from the date of your application
- Demonstrate the ability to speak and understand the Thai language
- Have a clean criminal record
- Earn 30,000 Baht per month (about $825) if married to a Thai spouse for at least five years, or 80,000 Baht per month (about $2,200) if single
Thailand Permanent Residency Categories
You can apply for permanent residency under four categories:
Investment
- To qualify for Permanent Residency through investment, you must invest at least 10 million Baht (about $275,000) into a Thai company
- The investment must have been transferred from abroad with evidence from a Thai commercial bank
- You must provide proof of investment to immigration annually for 3 consecutive years after obtaining PR
Business or Work
- You must have had a Thailand Work Visa and Work Permit for at least three years
- Have worked for your current company for at least one year
- Can show that you have an Extension of Stay based on your employment
- Must have a monthly salary of at least 80,000 Baht (about $2,200), which equals an annual income of 960,000 Baht
Family Member of a Thai Citizen
- You must be an immediate family member (parent, child, or spouse) of a Thai citizen
- Must demonstrate relationship with proper documentation
Expert or Academic
- To qualify for this option, you must hold a Bachelor’s degree AND be employed in your current position for the past three years
Other Categories Defined by Thailand Immigration
- As determined by Thai immigration authorities
After Approval
Once your PR application is approved:
- You’ll receive a Blue Book (residence book)
- You must register at the local Amphur (district office) to obtain a House Card
- Apply for a Red Book (alien book) at the local police station – this is equivalent to a Thai ID card
- The Red Book must be renewed every 5 years (costs about 800 Baht)
- PR status never expires unless revoked
- You still need a re-entry permit if you want to leave Thailand and return
Path to Citizenship
If you’re interested in citizenship, you’re eligible to apply after having lived as a Permanent Resident in Thailand for 10 consecutive years (not 5 as sometimes reported).
Thailand visa rules are constantly changing, so make sure to check with the Embassy of Thailand to understand the most current application requirements, costs, and eligibility rules.
For further reading, click here.
Other Thailand Visa Options
- Comprehensive Guide to Thailand Tourist & Resident Visas: Digital Nomads, Semi-Retired, Investors & More
- Thailand Tourist Visa: How to Apply and How to Extend Your Stay
- Thailand SMART Visa: Requirements & How to Apply
- Thailand Elite Visa: Cost, Requirements & Benefits
- Thailand Long Term Resident Visa (Digital Nomad Visa): Live and Work Remotely in Thailand
- Thailand Retirement Visa: Requirements & How to Apply
Featured image via Unsplash.
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