Révisé par ThaiLawOnline, un cabinet d'avocats thaïlandais agréé exerçant en Thaïlande depuis 2006. Avocate thaïlandaise en charge du dossier : Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., licence du barreau thaïlandais 3149/2556.
Dernière mise à jour le 5 septembre 2026
Permanent residency (ถิ่นที่อยู่ถาวร, evidenced by the certificat de résidence, form Tor Mor 16, also called the residence permit ou PR) is permission under the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) for a foreigner to live in Thailand indefinitely without a visa or yearly extension. It is granted by the Minister of Interior on the recommendation of the Immigration Commission, within a quota of 100 persons per nationality each year. It is the only immigration status short of citizenship that survives a change of job, divorce or retirement, and it is the normal stepping stone to naturalisation.
Table des matières
How the residence permit is granted
The Immigration Act lets the Immigration Commission approve residence within the annual quota announced by the Minister, capped at 100 per nationality. The Bureau de l'immigration receives the applications, usually in a window opened each December, and decides which of the five categories the applicant falls into: investment of at least 10,000,000 baht, employment, expert or academic, support of a Thai family member, or humanitarian grounds (spouse, parent or child of a Thai national or of a resident).
The threshold condition for all categories is three consecutive years of one-year extensions of stay on the same non-immigrant visa type at the date of filing. Employment applicants must show a salary of at least 80,000 baht a month for two years or personal income tax of 100,000 baht a year; the spouse of a Thai needs 40,000 baht a month averaged over two years. Applicants sit a Thai-language interview. A decision takes 12 to 18 months, and the extension of stay is kept alive by an under-consideration stamp meanwhile.
Fees, documents and the books issued
The application fee is 7,600 baht, payable whether or not the permit is granted. On approval the certificate of residence costs 191,400 baht, or 95,700 baht for the spouse or child of a Thai national. Documents include the passport with the three years of extensions, tax returns and withholding certificates, a certificat de police from the home country and from Thailand, a medical certificate, and for the family route the marriage or birth certificates.
Two books follow. The blue certificate of residence from immigration is the permit itself. The alien registration book (red book) is issued by the local police station and renewed every one or five years for 400 baht a year; the resident’s name is then entered in the blue house registration book (tabien baan) rather than the yellow one for non-residents. The common mistake is to leave Thailand without the endorsement described below; the permit lapses.
What residency gives and how it is lost
| Point | Extension of stay | Permanent residency |
|---|---|---|
| Renouvellement | Every year, form TM7 | Aucun |
| rapport de 90 jours | Requis | Non requis |
| Travel | Re-entry permit each time | Section 50 endorsement, valid one year |
| Achat d'un condominium | Foreign funds transferred in | Domestic funds allowed |
| Citizenship | Pas disponible | Available after five years as a resident |
A resident who leaves Thailand must first obtain the endorsement under Section 50 of the Act and return within one year, otherwise the residence is deemed abandoned. Residence can also be revoked for a criminal conviction, danger to public order or false statements in the application. It does not allow work by itself; a work permit is still needed, though the usual ratio of four Thai employees per permit is generally not applied. After five years a resident may apply for Thai citizenship by naturalisation.
Foire aux questions
How long do I have to live in Thailand before applying for permanent residency?
Three consecutive years holding one-year extensions of stay on the same non-immigrant visa type, counted at the date of filing. Time on visa exemptions, tourist visas, the DTV or the LTR visa does not count, and a break in the chain of extensions restarts the three years.
How much does permanent residency in Thailand cost?
The application fee is 7,600 baht and is not refunded if the application fails. On approval the certificate of residence costs 191,400 baht, reduced to 95,700 baht for the spouse or child of a Thai national. The alien registration book from the police costs 400 baht a year on top.
Can a permanent resident of Thailand work without a work permit?
No. Residence removes the need for a visa and extensions but not the need for a work permit, which the resident still obtains from the Department of Employment. The advantage is that the usual ratio of four Thai employees per foreign work permit is generally not applied to a resident.
Voir aussi : Thai citizenship, extension of stay, tabien baan, permis de travail, and the guides to résidence permanente en Thaïlande et le 2025 residency round.
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