Hi, my name is Ahmet. I am a legal executive working for a multinational corporation with headquarters in Los Angeles, in charge of our legal matters in the Asia Pacific region, as in house counsel based in Bangkok. I am a German national and I have been living and working in Thailand since November 2004. I have worked for different law firms in Thailand throughout my career, and have now been in this current in house position since early 2016. Khun Ing, one of the partners at Baan Thai Immigration Solutions, has been handling all my visa and work permit matters since 2012. And most recently, she has successfully worked on my application for permanent residency in Thailand.
What challenges were you facing before working with Baan Thai?
Before I first started using Khun Ing’s services, dealing with tight immigration authorities was always somewhat stressful and time-consuming. Spending almost a whole working day at the immigration office at each visit, waiting for my number to be called often, only to be told to get another document or photo and come back another day. All that made visa renewals a dreaded annual ordeal. Back then, as much as I wished for obtaining permanent residence, which will put an end to all the recurring visa hassles and give me lasting inner peace about my long-term future in Thailand, I had heard so many stories from other experts who had been waiting to hear back about their applications for years and years, that I just did not feel that taking this path would make sense for me.
How did Baan Thai help you overcome these challenges?
In early 2020, the topic of permanent residence came up again. And I asked Khun Ing if maybe I should give it a try. She clearly laid out all the requirements, the procedure, the costs and fees involved. And having analyzed my situation and background, she recommended that I should go for it. So I did. And she provided excellent guidance, and accompanied me every single step of the process. I can honestly say that without her support, I doubt that I would have completed the application documents by myself. Fortunately, all forms were prepared for me by Khun Ing and all I had to do was to quickly check whether the data was correct, and then just sign the forms. Another concern I had was the required Thai language test. But Khun Ing provided me with a very helpful info on how to prepare for it. And as a result, I pass the test without any problems. Every single time I had to visit immigration, for example, for taking fingerprints for submitting documents, and doing the personal interview. I was always prepared and accompanied by Khun Ing personally. And I always felt like I was receiving VIP treatment. I never had to wait long for any appointment with immigration officials. And I could tell that they all personally knew and trusted Khun Ing. Another very important aspect for me as a legal executive of a New York Stock Exchange listed corporation was, of course, transparency, and full compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK anti Bribery Act.
What was the outcome? How do you feel now?
Finally, in late 2021, I received the message from Khun Ing, my application for permanent residence had been approved and then Khun Ing and her team accompanied me to immigration again, and also to other government offices to facilitate and complete the issuance of the documents. And here I am all done. It feels amazing after all these years of living here to finally know that I can stay in Thailand for the rest of my life now without ever having to apply for a Thai visa again, never having to do a 90 day report again, never having to send in the endless immigration line with tourists at Bangkok airport because I can now use the much faster lines for Thai nationals. And even the path to obtaining Thai citizenship is open to me now. If you have ever thought about applying for permanent residents in Thailand, I strongly and wholeheartedly recommend that you contact Khun Ing and her team at Baan Thai Immigration Solutions and let them advise and support you.
