How to get a Certificate of residence in Thailand

Q: What is a Certificate of Residence (TM. 16)?

A: a Certificate of  Residence (TM.16) is a commonly asked document that you need to submit for certain things and is official proof of address in Thailand. Your residence can be a house, an apartment, a guest house, or a hotel.

Q: Who needs a Certificate of Residence?

  • To open a bank account
  • To apply for a driving license
  • Labour Department for work permits
  • To apply For a Thailand house registration book for foreigners (Yellow tabien baan or Yellow House Book)
  • Buying a vehicle
  • To apply for permanent residency in Thailand
  • Other legal processes
These certificates must be either from a Thai Immigration office (your local office preferably) or your home country’s Embassy.

Q: Where to get a Certificate of Residence?

  • A: If you live in Bangkok, you will need to apply for your Residence Certificate at the main Immigration Bureau at Chaeng Wattana. If you are based outside of Bangkok you should be able to get it from your local immigration office. (TM. 18 Application form) or we recommended you get it from The Embassy of your home country.

    In this article, we will only provide information if applying to Immigration Bureau

Q: What are the lists of required documents for a Certificate of Residence?

A: The documents you will need: 
  • Your passport plus a copy of the photo page
  • Copy of your Visa
  • Copy of your TM 6 Departure Card
  •  2 x passport-sized photos
  • Copy of your lease agreement/house registration book (yellow Tabien baan)
  • Copy of receipt of address notification 

Q: How to get a Residence Certificate in Thailand

A: Regardless of where you apply for your certificate of residence in Thailand, you will need to provide the following documentation as above, take the completed application form and documents and provide your passport photos to the immigration officer, the immigration officer will check your documents and collect a fee, you will receive a receipt. It takes 10-15 business days to obtain your residence certificate.

If you have a Work permit or a Yellow House Book with your name in it, you don’t need a Residence Certificate anymore, these documents can serve as proof of address as well.

Q: How much a Certificate of Residence does it cost?

A: The price payable to immigration for a certificate of residence at the time of writing is 200 baht – this price should be the same at other immigration offices in the country as well.

Q: How long does it take to get a certificate of residence in Thailand?

A: After completely submitting the application and document, in most cases, they will issue a receipt and they will either mail it to you or you will need to collect it at a future date or within 2 weeks. Generally, a certificate of residence is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Remark:

We would recommend that you make more than the stipulated copy of all docs – regulations, and requirements can change from immigration office to immigration office. To prevent your signature from being erased or the documents being used inappropriately, all documents must be signed in BLUE ink across the actual image rather than at a spot outside of the image. Additional documents may be required depending on your reason for needing the certificate of residence for Thailand. 

Although this checklist may seem a little complicated, the process itself is quite straightforward provided you have the stipulated documents and copies. The vast majority of immigration officers are extremely helpful and polite and will be happy to provide you with assistance if you require it. 

If you’re based in Bangkok and thinking of enrolling on an ALA course with an ED Visa in Thailand we can help you get the required paperwork together. Residency in Thailand and the certificate to prove it is an essential prerequisite for non-tourists staying for an extended period in the country.