Retirement Visa Question For You

[sendbaht]

I have my "O" 3 month visa. Now living in Thailand and want to work on my retirement visa. I am married to a Thai citizen. When I open this bank account do I put it in both my wife and my name or just mine? We have been married for decades so both is fine with me just want to get it right. Also I believe it is B400K, correct? Any bank recommendations? Thanks guys.

Ps.I first posed this in the wrong form, sorry.

[monty]

The amount required for a retirement extension currently is 800,000 Baht.

More importantly for you, this amount needs to be in the bank for the 3 months PRIOR to applying for your extension.

Being married to a Thai citizen does not have any influence on the 800,000 Baht, so the account can be in your name only.

Another alternative is that if you can prove 40,000 Baht/month income (e.g. pension), then you can get an extension based on being married to a Thai citizen.

Only the income is accepted, there used to be the option of putting 400,000 Baht in the bank to enable to get a married man extension, but this option does not exist anymore for quite a while now.

The process for the extension based on marriage is quite a bit more complicated and takes longer to get approved, hence most people over 50 years old opt for the 800,000 Baht retirement extension, as this is very straight forward to apply for and can be approved immediately at the local immigration offices.

[doctormann]

I have my "O" 3 month visa. Now living in Thailand and want to work on my retirement visa. I am married to a Thai citizen. When I open this bank account do I put it in both my wife and my name or just mine? We have been married for decades so both is fine with me just want to get it right. Also I believe it is B400K, correct? Any bank recommendations? Thanks guys.

Ps.I first posed this in the wrong form, sorry.

Not sure that I totally understand your question. Is it a marriage extension or a retirement extension that you are wanting?

The marriage extension requires you to show an income - can be a joint income - of 40,000 Baht per month. If the income comes from within Thailand you need to show that you have paid income tax on the money. If the money comes from outside of Thailand then you need a letter from your embassy certifying the amount. I think that the 400,000 Baht 'in the bank' route is no longer available to new applicants - if you are 'grandfathered then probably OK but different immigration offices seem to have their own rules, as usual.

The retirement extension requires you to have 800,000 Baht in the bank - and must be there for at least 3 months prior to application - OR an income of at least 65,000 baht per month, certified by your embassy - OR a combination of both, in which case the 3-month rule does not apply.

I don't think that immigration are particularly keen on joint accounts - they might want to see double the amount in there. Not sure about this but someone on this forum will no doubt advise you.

Hope this is of some help and hasn't confused you further.

DM

[stgrhe]

You are married to a Thai and already hold a three months Non-immigrant visa type "O". This visa can be changed in Thailand to a one year visa type "O" based on your marrige. For that I am not sure whether you actually need to provide any bank statement. You will, however, need to verify a family income of at least 40,000 baht per month when you later apply for an extension of stay, but that is then.

You will need:

1) Your passport plus signed photocopies of its main page, visa page and the page that shows the last entry stamp;

2) Signed copy of your Thai marrige certificate. If you have not registred you marrige in Thailand you need a notarised dockument from your embassy plus a Thai translation (not sure if the translation is needed but I would bring one to be on the safe side);

3) The blue house book and a signed photocopy;

4) Your wife's id card plus a signed photocopy;

5) Passport sized photo of you (I think two is needed);

6) Some document that shows your address in Thailand. I would go to the police station in the amphur where you live to register my address first, which by the way the holder of the blue house book is required to do within 24 hours from when you starts staying there. This would provided you with an official document of your current address but letters from your Thai bank or a credit card company might work too.

As far a bank is concerned i would recommed Bangkok Bank, a bank that has been very helpful to me and giving excellent service. I would recommend you get a blue book (transaction account) in your own name and a yellow book (term deposit) as a joint account for the saving. I believe you have a choice of 3, 6 or 12 months terms with better interest for the longer terms.

You may have to check whether to 400,000 baht in the bank still is possible when one applies for extension of stay with a non "O". I have heard that the immigration only accepts the proof of incomme alternative.

[sendbaht]

Thanks guys for all the answers. dam_n lot to do. Not sure if my wife has her ID anylonger but has her Thai passport. We are looking for a place to live and now in a serviced apartment so no sercure address. Also our "stuff" is on the way over form California and will be in Bangkok at the end of this month. Need to have it shipped to CM. I thought retirement would be a little less rushed.

Thanks again.

[Lite Beer]

You may have to check whether to 400,000 baht in the bank still is possible when one applies for extension of stay with a non "O". I have heard that the immigration only accepts the proof of incomme alternative.

It is 40,000 Baht a month income. This can be his or his wife's or both.

He will need to get a letter from his Embassy verifying this.

However if the Income is earned in Thailand he will need receipts of Income Tax payments.