You will need to get a Certificate of Residency to
- Open a bank account
- Obtain a driver’s license
- Purchase a scooter/motorcycle/car
- Marry, etc.
Where To Get The Certificate of Residency
A Certificate of Residency may be obtained at the Chiang Mai Immigration Office next to the airport. Apply between 8 am and 12 pm Monday through Friday (excluding Thai holidays, which you definitely want to check for before you go).
⚠️ NOTE: there need to be at least 30 days left on your current visa to apply for the certificate of residency.
Documents Needed To Get The Certificate of Residency
You will need to bring the following documents to the Immigration office:
- Copy of your rental contract/lease agreement from your landlord (If you’re staying for 2 or more months at The Social Club coliving & coworking, we can print this out for you, as well as making all the needed photocopies of your passport)
- Photocopy of TM.30 form signed by your landlord. You can search TM.30 and download the form here. Alternatively, your landlord can just print a screenshot of the TM.30 registration confirmation.
- A photocopy of your passport main page
- A photocopy of your visa stamp in your passport
- Two passport photos
- Your actual passport to present as ID
If you do not have passport photos or need to photocopy your passport, you can do both at the Photo & Copy office located behind the main immigration building (as you’re facing the main building, the photo and copy office is to your left).
They take your picture there and issue six passport photos for 200 baht and make photocopies for 2 baht per page.
⚠️ NOTE: all photocopies that you submit with the application must be signed at the bottom by you.
Location at The Chiang Main Immigration Office
The desk to drop off your completed application is in the main building on the second floor. As you’re facing the building, go into the side door on the right-hand side of the main building and go up the stairs to the second floor. You will see a desk where people are standing in line. There are usually two lines, the right hand line is to drop off, the left hand line is to pick up rush applications.
Processing Fees
Currently, there are two application processing options:
- Pay around 50 THB and they will mail your Certificate of Residence in about a month.
- Pay 500 THB for rush processing and pick up your Certificate of Residence the next day.
Once you’ve dropped off your application and all the forms, you will be given a receipt. If you opted for rush, you will bring the receipt back to the same desk the following business day to pick up your Certificate of Residence. If you opted for normal processing, your certificate of residence will arrive via mail in about a month.