Do I Need A 2Nd Bank Account For Retiring Mother?

[NotJoeMama]

Hello,

My family will be moving to Thailand permanently before the end of this year. I am American over 50, my wife and son are Thai. I plan to do a retirement visa. We also plan to bring my mother, who is 81. She is no longer able to manage her daily affairs, so I do that.

I have about 1.8M Baht in a Thai bank that's been there for many years. I will use that to satisfy the 800K requirement for my visa. I am wondering about my mother. I handle all her finances and she has no significant money in her name. My wife and I will take full responsibility for her and do have legal authority (in America) to handle all her personal and financial needs. Do I need to open a Thai account in HER name, putting a separate 800K into it and then wait the 3 month (I think) waiting period for her to get a visa or can I link her visa to my account? I simply don't want to go through the hassle of opening another bank account in Thailand.

I would rather do the visa using funds in a Thai bank account rather than the monthly/yearly income proof. I think it would be easier.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Jingthing]

I think she needs her own account in her own name to get her own independent retirement extensions. The money needs to be seasoned only TWO months for the first extension but three months for subsequent extensions. Good luck.

[Maestro]

NotJoeMama, you will travel to Thailand with a non-immigrant visa category O and then get a one-year extension of stay for the reason of retirement under clause 2.22 of Thai Police Order 777/2551

2.22 In the case of retirement:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must be 50 years of age or over.

(3) Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month; or

(4) On the filing date, the applicant must have funds deposited in a bank in Thailand of no less than Baht 800,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no less than 60 days prior to the filing date; or

(5) Must have an annual earning and funds deposited with a bank totaling no less than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date.

Your mother can get a one-year extension of stay as your dependent under clause 2.20(5) of the same Police Order:

2.20 In the case of being a family member of an alien permitted a temporary stay in the Kingdom under Clauses 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.10, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.21, 2.22, 2.26, or 2.29 hereof or Section 34(7) (applicable only to parents, spouse, children, adopted children, or spouse’s children):

Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

(1) The alien must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must have proof of relationship.

(3) In the case of spouse, the relationship must be de jure and de facto; or

(4) In the case of children, adopted children, or spouse’s children, said children, adopted children, or spouse’s children must not be married, must live with the alien as part of the family, and must not be over 20 years of age; or

(5) In the case of parents a parent, the father or mother that parent must be 50 years of age or over.

– Translation correction, in red colour, added by Maestro

[Jingthing]

I think she needs her own account in her own name to get her own independent retirement extensions. The money needs to be seasoned only TWO months for the first extension but three months for subsequent extensions. Good luck.

Learn something everyday. I wasn't aware a foreigner's PARENT could stay as a dependent in the same way a wife could. Apologies for the incorrect info as above ... please ignore.

[NotJoeMama]

Thank you Maestro and Jingthing for the responses. This is very helpful.

NotJoeMama

[Pormax]

NotJoeMama, you will travel to Thailand with a non-immigrant visa category O and then get a one-year extension of stay for the reason of retirement under clause 2.22 of Thai Police Order 777/2551

2.22 In the case of retirement:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must be 50 years of age or over.

(3) Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month; or

(4) On the filing date, the applicant must have funds deposited in a bank in Thailand of no less than Baht 800,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no less than 60 days prior to the filing date; or

(5) Must have an annual earning and funds deposited with a bank totaling no less than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date.

Your mother can get a one-year extension of stay as your dependent under clause 2.20(5) of the same Police Order:

2.20 In the case of being a family member of an alien permitted a temporary stay in the Kingdom under Clauses 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.10, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.21, 2.22, 2.26, or 2.29 hereof or Section 34(7) (applicable only to parents, spouse, children, adopted children, or spouse’s children):

Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

(1) The alien must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must have proof of relationship.

(3) In the case of spouse, the relationship must be de jure and de facto; or

(4) In the case of children, adopted children, or spouse’s children, said children, adopted children, or spouse’s children must not be married, must live with the alien as part of the family, and must not be over 20 years of age; or

(5) In the case of parents a parent, the father or mother that parent must be 50 years of age or over.

– Translation correction, in red colour, added by Maestro

Good on you ' Maestro'. I too didn't know that.

Just what the forum is about.

Giving good knowledgable advice