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Is it normal to receive only 30-day residence certificates for various purposes in Thailand?

certificate of residenceThai immigrationresidency requirementsLONG-STAY visasimmigration proceduresdriving licenseThai lease agreements
Mar 18, 2025
16 days ago
Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
When l applied for a certificate of residence at Division 1 in Bangkok the form asked what it was for giving 4 options driving license for a car or motorbike and to buy or sell a car or a motorbike. I ticked all 4 as l want both licences and to buy a car and a motorbike. I had such a carry on at immigration they went through my 1 year lease contract with a fine toothcombe and after 4 revisits to the desk with corrections l finally got 4 seperate letters of residence but only valid for 30 days each and l was charged 800 thb 200 for each one. My question is: is this normal and is there a certificate of residence that covers your address for the period of the lease that l can get instead of having to apply every 30 days for new ones to cover other purposes?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The experience described is common when applying for a Certificate of Residence (COR) in Thailand, which is typically valid for a specific purpose (e.g., obtaining a driver's license or buying a vehicle) and only for a limited period, such as 30 days. There is no option for a universal COR that covers the entire length of a lease and expats often face the need to renew their certificates frequently, usually at an additional cost. The comments confirm that a COR must be applied for each specific purpose and cannot be combined into a single document for multiple uses.
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Phil ******
@Tony ********
 its normal

Update your address on both licenses

Tony is your lease renewable monthly as that's weird?. Leases normally run yearly.
16 days ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Phil *****
 took a years lease on it to cheap not to
16 days ago
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Phil ******
@Tony ********
 ok. If your address changes you update both your licenses at the same cost as you paid first
16 days ago
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Phil ******
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Bob **********
No but you only needed one for your license as they’ll accept a copy and copy of medical certificate
16 days ago
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Stephen ********
I thought normal was 300฿ each. I think you got a bargain 😁
16 days ago
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John *********
Lucky for me, my Thai wife does all the work.
16 days ago
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Dave ************
Maybe, You forgot to put "tea money" in the aplication form.
16 days ago
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Dave **********
Easy solution get a Yellow Book
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16 days ago
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John **********
@Dave *********
 if you can. Many can't
16 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Dave *********
 not so easy. Every amphurs has different requirements and there are hundreds of amphurs. Some are easy and some are actually impossible, as in they just won't do it at all.
16 days ago
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Dave **********
@Brandon ***********
 they shluld at least try to get a Yellow Book. I got mine more then a couple decades ago when it wasn't so common and that effort saved me a lot of hassel over the years.
16 days ago
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Chris *******
@Dave *********
 they only have a 1 year lease.
16 days ago
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Dave **********
@Chris ******
 I revise my remarks to get a Yellow Book if you can and if you plan on staying.
16 days ago
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Peter ****************
Well, before I got 5 years extension of my drivers license showing my yellow book. Now only 2 years. With Certificate of Residence you get the normal 5 years. Korat DLT.
16 days ago
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Peter ****************
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Peter ****************
I saw a Certificate of Residence from a friend and it clearly stated as a reason 'for opening a bank account'. So apparently such a Certificate is not only for getting a driver's license or for buying a car. He could wait for some days then getting it free and they charged 500฿ for taking it immediately. This was Korat imm.
16 days ago
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Stuart *********
A COR is valid for a specific purpose and for 30 days or however long your stamp is valid for whichever is the shorter.

So yes your experience was quite normal. There is no option to get a “universal” one for longer.
16 days ago
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Brandon ************
There is no "other purposes." A residence certificate is issued for a specific reason and can only be used for that reason, and is only valid for as long as they issue it for at your immigration office. There's no office that will issue a residence certificate for as long as your lease.
16 days ago
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Matthew *********
@Brandon ***********
 sure because because Tony idea is more logical and meaningful. Imagine that a farang had a better solution, welcome to 2025
16 days ago
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Matthew *********
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