How to Get a Thai Residence Certificate

A residence certificate is an official one-page document that states you are living in Thailand. It formally recognizes your current home address (permanently or semi-permanently), whether it be a house, apartment, or long-term stay at guesthouse or hotel. It’s a necessary document if you want to buy a vehicle in Thailand, get a Thai driver’s license, and sign up for a Thai bank account. Here’s how to apply for one:

MARCH 2019 UPDATE: Residence Certificates can be applied for at NEW Immigration Office near the Chiang Mai International Airport (see map below). This document is FREE and takes two to three weeks to process. Office hours are 8 am to 10 am for applications and 1 pm to 4:30 pm for certificate pickup, excluding weekends and Thai holidays. The alternative is to apply for a residence certificate at your home country’s embassy or consulate within Thailand for a fee.

Residence Certificate Requirements

Chiang Mai Immigration Services

One way to get a residence certificate in Chiang Mai is to go to the Provincial Immigration Office, which is in the new grey and white building just before the Chiang Mai Internation Airport. It is no longer on the third floor of Building A in the Promenada Mall.

Bring the following items to apply for a residence certificate between 8 am and 10 am, Monday through Friday (excluding Thai holidays because the office is closed):

  • Photocopy of lease agreement, blue/yellow house book, letter from the landlord
  • NEW REQUIREMENT: Photocopy of TM.30 form signed by your landlord
  • NEW REQUIREMENT: Two 4 cm x 6 cm passport photos (NOT 2 inch x 2 inch)
  • Actual passport (to confirm authenticity)
  • Photocopy of the following passport pages: main photo page, visa page, TM.6 departure card (all pages must be signed)
  • Completed application form of Residence Certificate in Thailand. Blank copies are provided at the office.

If you do not have photos (or do not have the correct photos) you can obtain them from the nearby Photo & Copy office that issues residence certificates provide six passport photos for 200 baht and photocopies for 2 baht per page. 

Once you’ve dropped off the photocopies, filled out the application form, and submitted your passport photos, you will be given a receipt. The processing time takes two to three weeks (ten to fifteen business days). 

Bring this receipt with you to pick up the residence certificate between 1 pm and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Here’s what one of our residence certificates looked like:

Thai Residence Certificate Sample

Official Thai Residence Certificate

NOTE: Be mindful of Thai holidays because the Chiang Mai Immigration Service Center is closed on these days.

Chiang Mai Residence Certificate Office Information

Application Drop Off Times: 8:00 am to 10:00 am
Residence Certificate Pick Up Times: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Phone: (053) 142-788
Cost: FREE
Processing Time: Two to three weeks (ten to fifteen business days) **There are no longer expedited services for 500 THB
Validity: 1 month from the issued date

The office that processes Thai residence certificates is in a grey and white building on Mahidol Road on your way to the Chiang Mai International Airport. It is across the street from an LPG gas station.

Why We Needed a Thai Residence Certificate

When we first arrived in Chiang Mai, one of our priorities was to buy a motorbike. We had our eyes on a bike at the Honda dealership, but before we were able to make any final purchases, the dealership required a residence certificate from us.

We also later applied for a Thai license, first a one-year temporary license and then a five-year Thai license when that expired. Both times we were required to give a residence certificate.

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