If you plan on staying in Thailand for an extended period of time, one of the most commonly sought after document by the government officials to enable you to stay longer will be a Yellow House Registration Book, also called Tabien Baan or Tor Ror 13.
For people planning to apply for Permanent Residency and eventually Thai Citizenship, this is a must-have document.
It is relatively easier to acquire without the need of an external agency and the following content explains the requirement and the process of acquiring the yellow book.
What is a Yellow House Registration Book?
Normally, Thai people are familiar with the blue house registration book or Tor Ror 14. However, there is another type of house registration, which is Tor Ror 13 or the yellow house registration book.
The Yellow House Registration Book (Tabien Baan) is a booklet provided by the Thai Government (usually district office) that lists foreigners or Non-Thai individuals residing in a particular house.
The difference is that the blue book is for Thai nationals, while the yellow book is for foreigners.
In majority of the cases, it is relatively easy to acquire the Yellow Book (Tabein Baan) for Foreigners/Non-Thais as long as the list of required documents are presented to the government officials.
Why is Yellow House Registration Book important?
Why is the yellow house registration book or Tor Ror 13 necessary?
Foreigners who have their name in a Thai house registration will have rights to do legal transactions in Thailand, such as getting a driver’s license, making various contracts, applying for Permanent Residency (PR) or Thai Citizenship, and confirming their residence in Thailand.
Moreover, it also facilitates the process of obtaining a foreigner identification card or a pink card.
What qualifications are required for foreigners to obtain a Tor Ror 13?
Even if a foreigner enters the country legally, not everyone can apply for Tor Ror 13.
The main qualifications are as follows:
- Being married to a Thai national.
- Purchasing real estate and having one’s name as the property owner.
Apart from these two cases, if you want to apply for a yellow house registration or Tor Ror 13, the house owner must express the intention to proceed with the district or sub-district office.
An interview with the officials is required to justify the need for this document.
In cases where the house owner or landlord wants to obtain this document for a foreign tenant, friend, or business partner, it is also possible.
They can contact the district or sub-district office where the house registration is registered to get details and a list of necessary documents.
Documents Required for Applying for Tor Ror 13
The documents required depends on the two primary qualifications mentioned earlier –
1. Married to Thai National
For foreigners married to Thai nationals, both the house owner and the foreigner should prepare the following documents:
- Original passport.
- Copy of the passport certified by the embassy, translated into Thai, and certified by the Thai consulate.
- Work permit in Thailand (if any).
- Marriage certificate.
- Birth certificate of children (if any).
- Two 1.5-inch photographs.
- Original ID card of the house owner.
- Original ID card of the Thai spouse.
- Original house registration book of the house owner.
- Copy of the house registration book.
** The Thai spouse must be registered in the same house registration.
** Additionally, two witnesses are required, and don’t forget to have the witnesses prepare their original ID cards (in the case of marriage, the two witnesses can be the house owner and the spouse).”
2. Purchasing Real Estate
For foreigners who purchase real estate and have their name as the property owner, the following documents should be prepared:
- Original passport.
- Copy of the passport certified by the embassy, translated into Thai, and certified by the Thai consulate.
- Work permit in Thailand (if any).
- Thai version of Tor Ror 14 (house registration book).
- Real estate purchase contract or land title deed.
- Two 1.5-inch photographs.
** Additionally, two witnesses are required, and don’t forget to have the witnesses prepare their ID cards.
Note: The documents required for applying for the yellow house registration book may vary in different districts and sub-districts. Some sub-districts may ask for additional documents, so it is advisable to call and inquire with the district office or the sub-district office where you intend to add your name to the house registration before submitting the documents
Tor Ror 13 application process
For house registrations in Bangkok, it is recommended to contact the district office.
On the other hand, for house registrations in other provinces, it is recommended to contact the sub-district office.
Most importantly, it is always a good idea to call ahead and ask about the necessary documents to avoid wasting time.
Following is the typical application process for Tor Ror 13:
1. Submit all the documents to the official.
2. The official will check the completeness of the documents. Then, an interview will be scheduled for the house owner, the foreigner who wants to be added as a resident, and the witnesses (in some areas, the interview may be conducted on the same day if all documents and witnesses are prepared).
3. After the interview, if the documents are correct and there are no issues, the official will inform about the timeline for issuing the yellow house registration book and will set a date to collect the Tor Ror 13 book. They may also ask for a contact number to notify when the book is ready to be picked up.
Usually, the entire process takes at least 7 working days, depending on the area.
In Bangkok, the process is usually quicker as the officials are more familiar with handling these documents. In sub-district offices in other provinces, the process may take 2-4 weeks.
