Joint Bank Account

[oswaldcassidy]

Hi

hope somebody out there can offer some advice both myself and partner came over from the uk on multi entry o visas we are both over 50 years of age and having spent the last 9 months living the dream wish to either extend our current visa s for 1 year extensions or better still apply for retirement visas.

I have had a thai bank account for 9 months but silly me did not open one for my partner it is my intention to open one up for her this coming week however I was wondering if I was to add her name on to my account would immigration except a joint bank account for visa extension or retirement this would possibly get around the K800 that she should have in a bank account of her own

[lopburi3]

A joint account will require 1,600,000 baht for a period of 3 months be on deposit to use for a retirement extension of stay if bank account is the method you are using. You can also apply using 65k monthly pension/income (each).

[pwllgrgn]

Hi

Would this apply if one person was applying for the retirement extension and the other for the dependants?

[Maestro]

Oswaldcassidy, if with “parnter” you mean your wife keep the account in your name only. When you have had minimum 800,000 Baht in the account for at least three months, go to the Immigration office and apply for an annual extension of stay for yourself for the reason of retirement. Then your wife can apply for an annual extension as your dependent and she does not need to show proof of money in an account or monthly income.

In other words, with 800k in your account, both of you can get annual extensions.

If your “partner” is not your spouse then each of you need 800k for the retirement extension

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

A joint account with only 800k in it will not be accepted for a retirement extension of stay.

[niggle]

Read this link which explains it reasonable well

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

By reading 7.21, then 7.19 it shows that 'double deposit' is not needed.

Unless someone else knows different ?

[niggle]

Jus as an addendum to my previous post, the implication is that the 'partner' must be a legal partner as in spouse.

I take this from the following parts - 'In the case of a spouse, the marital relationship shall be de jure (legitimate) and de facto' and 'Proof of family relationship, e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate, registration of legitimate child, household registration certificate, proof of child adoption, or any other evidence issued by the authority or agency concerned'.

[Sophon]

Read this link which explains it reasonable well

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

By reading 7.21, then 7.19 it shows that 'double deposit' is not needed.

Unless someone else knows different ?

But as Maestro has already pointed out in post #4 this is only the case if the OP is married, which is not clear from his post. If not 7.19 will not aply and "double deposit" will be needed.

Sophon

[astral]

Common Law relationships are not recognised in Thailand for immigration purposes.

Which is really strange as they are common enough in the society.

[Maestro]

...'partner'...

It amazes me time and again that some people – apparently including the OP – seem to think that words like “wife”, “husband” and “spouse” are dirty words or politically incorrect and for this reason use the ambiguous term “partner”.

--

Maestro

[oswaldcassidy]

A joint account will require 1,600,000 baht for a period of 3 months be on deposit to use for a retirement extension of stay if bank account is the method you are using. You can also apply using 65k monthly pension/income (each).

Thanks for that I am lucky enough to have a pension from the uk so I have to go to the uk embassy to get a letter to state that which is no problem they told me it would cost 1700 Baht as long as I can show proof fortunatly my pension is sufficient to cover me for retirement with this in mind would you only need K800 in your joint bank account in the uk my partner would be classed as common law wife somehow I dont think this means nothing in Thailand so I am concerned that immigration will treat her as an individual and will want to see a bank account in her own name

[lopburi3]

That is correct. If not a legal marriage the 800k will not be accepted unless in that persons name only.

[oswaldcassidy]

...'partner'...

It amazes me time and again that some people – apparently including the OP – seem to think that words like “wife”, “husband” and “spouse” are dirty words or politically incorrect and for this reason use the ambiguous term “partner”.

--

Maestro

I am not married but have co-habited for more than 15 years in the uk we were she would have been classed either as partner or more to the point common law wife if i can show Thai house registration book which is in both our names would that be acceptable to immigration

[lopburi3]

NO

[oswaldcassidy]

NO

it looks like the only solution is to go and open a bank account in her name with a transfer of k800 from my account will this mean that she cannot apply for a retirement visa or 1 year extension until this account is over 3 months with k800 in it

[lopburi3]

Normally that would be the case but if you are going to do the 65k method you could give it a try at the same time and explain what/why you had to change things. If not she would have to wait 3 months.

[oswaldcassidy]

A joint account will require 1,600,000 baht for a period of 3 months be on deposit to use for a retirement extension of stay if bank account is the method you are using. You can also apply using 65k monthly pension/income (each).

I have just seen an attachment stating that monthly pension requirement is k50 not k65 1 question is with over k800 k in joint account and proof of pension that is required would this be accepted by the immigration dept

[Lite Beer]

The monthly pension requirement is 65,000 Baht a month.

[lopburi3]

If you will not obtain a legal marriage you must each qualify on your own merits. The requirement is 800k/65k or combination so each of you have to meet that requirement. A joint account with 800k is not likely be accepted for more than 400k total for either party unless you are very lucky.

[oswaldcassidy]

If you will not obtain a legal marriage you must each qualify on your own merits. The requirement is 800k/65k or combination so each of you have to meet that requirement. A joint account with 800k is not likely be accepted for more than 400k total for either party unless you are very lucky.

Today we have visited the following banks to open an account in my common law wifes name

siam comercial

bangkok bank

krung bank

tmb

all of them stated that new regulations state that unless an individual has a valid work permit they cannot open a bank account I tried to explain that we needed this bank account in order that my partner could deposit k800 in order to apply for a retirement visa and unless she had a thai account we could not transfer funds from the uk any ideas

[Mahout Angrit]

As I understand it, for immigration purposes, a joint account is considered to contain both peoples money, half of which belongs to one person and half of which belongs to another. So for two people they would need to have B1,600,000 in the account to be able to show B800,000 each. If the account only had B800,000 immigration would consider you had B400,000 each which is insufficient for either to apply for a retirement extension.

So if one person wanted to apply with the B65,000 pm and the other with B800,000 then the account would still have to have B1,600,000.

[oswaldcassidy]

As I understand it, for immigration purposes, a joint account is considered to contain both peoples money, half of which belongs to one person and half of which belongs to another. So for two people they would need to have B1,600,000 in the account to be able to show B800,000 each. If the account only had B800,000 immigration would consider you had B400,000 each which is insufficient for either to apply for a retirement extension.

So if one person wanted to apply with the B65,000 pm and the other with B800,000 then the account would still have to have B1,600,000.

Thanks for that however I tried to get my other half on to my bank account earlier today i am with siam comercial for the last 2 years they told me that this was not possible and that i would have to close the account solely in my name and open a joint one however to do this we both needed work permits to do this we are both over 50 have no intention of working we just want to enjoy our retirement how can you have a work prmit if you are retired it seems to me the only way out is to keep my account open and go to the uk embassey and get married to the gal that would seem less hassle then we enjoy living out our dream !!!

[Lite Beer]

Plenty of banks will give you a savings account or a fixed income account without a work permit. Just keep trying. Different branches, even different officials in the same branch.

[Mahout Angrit]

to do this we both needed work permits to do this we are both over 50 have no intention of working we just want to enjoy our retirement how can you have a work prmit if you are retired it seems to me the only way out is to keep my account open and go to the uk embassey and get married to the gal that would seem less hassle then we enjoy living out our dream !!!

Yes it's crazy as if you are on a retirement visa you are not allowed to work (except in exceptional circumstances). Don't give up, keep trying different banks.

Well getting married would also save you having an extra B800,000 stashed away... you could have a romantic Thai wedding

[naka]

If you will not obtain a legal marriage you must each qualify on your own merits. The requirement is 800k/65k or combination so each of you have to meet that requirement. A joint account with 800k is not likely be accepted for more than 400k total for either party unless you are very lucky.

Today we have visited the following banks to open an account in my common law wifes name

siam comercial

bangkok bank

krung bank

tmb

all of them stated that new regulations state that unless an individual has a valid work permit they cannot open a bank account I tried to explain that we needed this bank account in order that my partner could deposit k800 in order to apply for a retirement visa and unless she had a thai account we could not transfer funds from the uk any ideas

Try Kasikorn Bank, by the way which city/town are you in ?

Naka.