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[writeshack]

I was informed today that the esteemed interior minister has approved five applications for permanent residence from 2006 and three from 2007. The hundreds of other applications which have already been approved over the years by the strict immigration vetting  committee and forwarded for formal signing are still gathering dust, even though the applicants have satisfied the entire, demanding process. I guess playing politics is more important. TIT      

[apetley]

Hey, eight signatures is exhausting work you know.

[Jonathanpattaya]

Sometimes, it amazes me that anything gets done here because of red tape.

[aaoaahq]

Thanks for the somewhat depressing news. Did you get this information directly from someone in the Ministry of Interior and are the 8 approvals recent or spread over the past 3+ years?

[Ralf61]

Who is the Interior Minister at the moment (14:33 Thai-time)?

[tombkk]

Ralf61, on 2010-04-07 14:34:41, said:

Who is the Interior Minister at the moment (14:33 Thai-time)?

That would be HE Chaovarat Chanvirakul (ชวรัตน์ ชาญวีรกุล)

http://www.moi.go.th
http://siamreport.bl...thai-party.html

I would like to know where the OP got his information, and whether this is true or just a rumour.

[writeshack]

The information came from a Thai lawyer who is very much involved in efforts to streamline the laws relating to immigration and residency issues. Sorry, I can't name him. The committee involved  has made submissions to the prime minister, but little seems to be happening     

Edited by writeshack, 2010-04-08 16:16:37.

[aaoaahq]

writeshack, on 2010-04-08 16:12:20, said:

The information came from a Thai lawyer who is very much involved in efforts to streamline the laws relating to immigration and residency issues. Sorry, I can't name him. The committee involved  has made submissions to the prime minister, but little seems to be happening     

Thanks for that! By chance do you know of any of the recommendations the lawyer has made to the PM re streamlining residency, as that might be one of the reasons for the delay in approvals?

[gotlost]

Jonathanpattaya, on 2010-04-07 11:17:47, said:

Sometimes, it amazes me that anything gets done here because of red tape.

Is that red tape or red shirts? Because until that issue is settled you can forget about residency.

[writeshack]

aaoaahq,

I think most of the committee's recommendations are procedural. Ways of speeding up the process and issuing of the residence book after an applicant is approved. But if you're applying for PR don't get your hopes up. Slow though the Thai bureaucracy may be, if you jump through all the right hoops and sign all the right forms, they do their job well. The years-long delay is caused by politicians. I can't help but wonder just why Mr Chavarat chose to sign just those eight routine forms. I suspect some 'influence' was involved. TIT.
Just for the record. One of the proposals put to the committee was that people with PR should not need a re-entry visa to travel abroad and return. I don't know what was in the final report.   

[WormFarmer]

writeshack, on 2010-04-08 21:59:23, said:

aaoaahq,

One of the proposals put to the committee was that people with PR should not need a re-entry visa to travel abroad and return. I don't know what was in the final report.   

Now that would be a great idea    - also no need for them to get a work permit would be a sensible plan too, but that has to come from Labour Dept, not immigration, so will need another committee.

[aaoaahq]

Thanks for the clarification writeshack. I am one of the many waiting for PR approval having applied in 2006.

Doing away with the re-entry permit and work permit (as WormFarmer mentioned) would certainly make PR much more attractive for all those contemplating going the through the rather lengthy process!

[Arkady]

If they scrap the need for a re-entry permit, there isn't much need for a Certificate of Residence to collect all the re-entry visas.  There is not much point in duplicating entry and exit stamps in it as well as in your passport in the way they do.  The Alien Book is also a rather cumbersome and old fashioned document.  One can see why police had to register aliens in their district decades ago when they didn't have much in the way of immigration restrictions and Chinese immigrants could pour in but there is not much point now.  In fact Immigration now registers the aliens and sends the information to your local police station to fill in the book.  With computerisation, you would think they could replace both books with a PR ID card and save all the photocopying of these multi page documents.  It would nice if they could do away with the need for work permits too but, pigs will probably fly first.  

It would make sense, if a review were in process, as there is much that can be modernised using technology already avaiable in district offices.  However, that would not appear to be a reason to freeze new approvals.  If they make PR more attractive, you can be sure they will raise the bar but Thailand rarely makes regulations retroactive, so those who have already applied should expect to remain under the old rules.

[Siamfan]

writeshack, on 2010-04-08 16:12:20, said:

The information came from a Thai lawyer who is very much involved in efforts to streamline the laws relating to immigration and residency issues. Sorry, I can't name him. The committee involved  has made submissions to the prime minister, but little seems to be happening     

Hi Writeshack!

Any chance to get this lawyers name ? I would love to speed up my application..... Cheers

[aaoaahq]

Arkady, on 2010-04-22 00:03:48, said:

If they scrap the need for a re-entry permit, there isn't much need for a Certificate of Residence to collect all the re-entry visas.  There is not much point in duplicating entry and exit stamps in it as well as in your passport in the way they do.  The Alien Book is also a rather cumbersome and old fashioned document.  One can see why police had to register aliens in their district decades ago when they didn't have much in the way of immigration restrictions and Chinese immigrants could pour in but there is not much point now.  In fact Immigration now registers the aliens and sends the information to your local police station to fill in the book.  With computerisation, you would think they could replace both books with a PR ID card and save all the photocopying of these multi page documents.  It would nice if they could do away with the need for work permits too but, pigs will probably fly first.  

It would make sense, if a review were in process, as there is much that can be modernised using technology already avaiable in district offices.  However, that would not appear to be a reason to freeze new approvals.  If they make PR more attractive, you can be sure they will raise the bar but Thailand rarely makes regulations retroactive, so those who have already applied should expect to remain under the old rules.

Yes, it would make a lot of sense to have a PR ID card and do away with all the redundant books etc. However, I doubt that they would introduce a 2 tier system for PR as I honestly do not think there are enough existing PR's or applicants to make it worthwhile. I have understood from the PR section at immigration that the total applications for PR per year are now around 350 persons including the Chinese and Indians, so it seems they have already risen the bar to such an extent that most people can't be bothered to apply.

Apparently the MoI convened a meeting about 2 months ago to solicit inputs from the expat community (chamber's of commerce, MNC's, International Organizations etc.) on issues relating to visas, PR and Thai Citizenship etc. In regards to PR, apparently issues related to the delay in approval of applications since 2006, the need to do away with the re-entry permit and work permit were brought up and maybe this is part of the overall process that writeshack was referring to.

On my last visit to immigration to get an extension of stay for my PR application, I brought up the issue that many applicants have now been waiting 3+ years for approval. The response was that unless you know the Minister then you should be prepared for another 2 years (total 5 years) as nothing is moving in the MoI. She didn't seem to be joking and was genuinely upset that they are receiving the brunt of the complaints from PR applicants regarding the delay when the bottleneck is with the MoI.

Given the current political climate, I think her prediction of 5 years is probably spot on.

[writeshack]

Aaooahq,
You're spot on. We must also have been talking to the same Pol Lt Col recently. Samui and Phuket, forget it. I received a couple of PMs from people asking to be put in touch with the lawyer I mentioned. I'm sure he'd be happy to take your money guys, but once you've completed the acceptance process he can't help you any more. I would just be raising your hopes for no good purpose, and depleting your wallets. I'm told you need someone of the rank of general to help speed things up these days, even a Mom doesn't seem to be good enough. I'd guess really good contacts in the interior minister's Bhumjaithai Party could help, but they are all too busy with their silly games to even consider doing the jobs they are elected and paid to do. And  foreigners seeking  PR are way down the bottom of the list. It really is dishonest and rude to make people pay the money, jump through all those hoops, suffer all that indignity, and then just ignore them. So instead of a year-long  non-immigrant visa  you now have a 6 months visa and still have to report every 90 days.  TIT      If I hear any good news I'll be letting everyone know immediately, including the lawyer's phone number if he can really help.