Residency Address Possible Without Living In Thailand?

[Swiss1960]

Thanks in advance for helping me. I would like to have an official registered address in Thailand, even though I am not yet living here. My GF (soon wife) would be willing to let me register at her house (which she jointly owns with a relative).

Reason is that I would like to "legalize" my bank account address, be able to apply for a Thai driver licence, open new accounts (i.e. for the retirement and investment funds needed later), get a permanent Thai phone number, buy a car / motorcycle on my name etc. etc.

Question: Is it possible to get myself registered at my GF place (probably getting a yellow tambien baan?) while I am here on a tourist visa only? Would it be easier after the marriage at the Amphur? If yes, would I then be subject to 90-day address notification with immigration, even though I would only stay here from time to time on a tourist Visa?

Sidenote: I am planning my final move to Thailand in few years, but would like to "prepare the soil" for my coming

[ubonjoe]

You cannot do much of anything on a tourist visa.

To get a drivers license (or register a bike) you need a certificate of residence. Immigration issues these but normally not for those on tourist visas. You can get one from your embassy but it will need to be translated to Thai.

You can open a bank account on any visa. You just have to try several different banks. If your GF has a bank account she should be able to be a reference for you which will make it easier to open the account at same ban as her's.

Once you get married you can get a non immigrant O visa which will make things easier.

But you will need to be on an extension of stay to get a yellow house book.

Edited February 26, 2013 by ubonjoe

[beechguy]

I think some of that depends on the Amphur location. As to 90 day reports, what is it you guy don't understand? The 90 day report is an address report for those remaining for 90 days or more, without leaving the country, if you are not here, why would you think you would need to report.

[Lite Beer]

Yes. It is quite astonishing the amount of people who do not understand the 90 day address reporting.

The requirement is to report your address once you spend 90 consecutive days in Thailand.

If you do not stay here for 90 days there is no need to report.

It really is that simple , but so many get it wrong.

[Swiss1960]

I think some of that depends on the Amphur location. As to 90 day reports, what is it you guy don't understand? The 90 day report is an address report for those remaining for 90 days or more, without leaving the country, if you are not here, why would you think you would need to report.

Yes. It is quite astonishing the amount of people who do not understand the 90 day address reporting.

The requirement is to report your address once you spend 90 consecutive days in Thailand.

If you do not stay here for 90 days there is no need to report.

It really is that simple , but so many get it wrong.

But is it not great to have such nice and well-informed people like you, who - besides telling me how stupid my question was - give me the information I need??'

[beano2274]

If you do not report your presence in Thailand every 90 days then how can you have a legal address here?

Easy answer to your question.

Get married get an extension, do your 90 days reporting then have a legal address.

[ubonjoe]

Any questions for me or did I give you enough info.

I skipped the 90 day question because I told you that yellow house book is not possible until on an extension of stay.

[wayned]

If you do not report your presence in Thailand every 90 days then how can you have a legal address here?

Easy answer to your question.

Get married get an extension, do your 90 days reporting then have a legal address.

Getting married is far from an "EASY" answer!!! Been there, done it, now on my third and DEFINATELY the last!!!!

Edited February 26, 2013 by wayned

[beano2274]

If you do not report your presence in Thailand every 90 days then how can you have a legal address here?

Easy answer to your question.

Get married get an extension, do your 90 days reporting then have a legal address.

Getting married is far from an "EASY" answer!!! Been there, done it, now on my third and DEFINATELY the last!!!!

True, but the OP used the phrase GF soon to be wife

[Sophon]

Any questions for me or did I give you enough info.

I skipped the 90 day question because I told you that yellow house book is not possible until on an extension of stay.

What makes you think that? I received my yellow tabien bahn in Bangkok while on a Non Immigrant O visa entry.

Sophon

[Lite Beer]

.But is it not great to have such nice and well-informed people like you, who - besides telling me how stupid my question was - give me the information I need??'

Not saying your question was stupid.

I was just remarking on how many people seem to not understand the 90 day report rule.

Don't worry. You are not alone.

[TommoPhysicist]

It only depends on your local Thai immigration office®.

Pattaya immigration will give a letter of residency for a tourist.

ChiangMai immigration won't ........... unless you slip them a bit of 'you know what'

Nothing to do with 90 day reporting.

[Swiss1960]

thanks all for your answers.

to ubonjoe: yes, your answer helped. however, Swiss Embassy can not give me a residence certification for Thailand as long as I don't leave Switzerland. So I will have to go down another route and maybe skip my ideas to later.

I do have my bank account already, but registered years ago on my (then) hotel address... so I am afraid with the recent tighter restrictions, my current bank might have issues if I go there and want to change the address without having a legally registered address. So I might just open a second account at my GF's current bank using her address.

Marriage? Yes, I am planning to get married and I am aware of all the risks etc... also not my first marriage

Tommo: Thanks for that hint... will try and take my GF to Si Racha immigration and see what they ask for say

With regards to Non-O Visa: Will later decide whether I do it on retirement 800K Basis or on Marriage 400K basis... in theory, can do both right now (after marriage of course), but still, even after marriage I will not yet move to Thailand, as I have not yet reached the financial goals that I planned for.

[beano2274]

Sorry but any Embassy would not and could not give you a residence certificate for a country if you were not living in that country, so the Swiss Embassy is like every other one.

[Swiss1960]

Sorry but any Embassy would not and could not give you a residence certificate for a country if you were not living in that country, so the Swiss Embassy is like every other one.

That's what I did say...

[beechguy]

I think some of that depends on the Amphur location. As to 90 day reports, what is it you guy don't understand? The 90 day report is an address report for those remaining for 90 days or more, without leaving the country, if you are not here, why would you think you would need to report.

Y

es. It is quite astonishing the amount of people who do not understand the 90 day address reporting.

The requirement is to report your address once you spend 90 consecutive days in Thailand.

If you do not stay here for 90 days there is no need to report.

It really is that simple , but so many get it wrong.

But is it not great to have such nice and well-informed people like you, who - besides telling me how stupid my question was - give me the information I need??'

How about bothering to read the posts made on a daily basis, asking the same thing, you may would have learned something.

[beano2274]

Sorry but any Embassy would not and could not give you a residence certificate for a country if you were not living in that country, so the Swiss Embassy is like every other one.

That's what I did say...

The way you said it implied you thought you could get one.

[beano2274]

To Beechguy - Reading of posts is too difficult for some people it is easier for them to open a new one and get the same answers, and also easier to bookmark and check their answers.

[Swiss1960]

To Beechguy - Reading of posts is too difficult for some people it is easier for them to open a new one and get the same answers, and also easier to bookmark and check their answers.

Well, I could of course say now that some people don't even read the post they are answering to...

To Beechguy: My main question was about registering an address and the 90-day question was then on top of that main question. However, I did read loads of threads both here and in the housing forum... and seeing how many other posters either don't even know about 90-day reporting (and live in Thailand on extension-to-stay) or how many posters - like me - did not really understand the 90-day issue, this thread (for that issue) might help some others.

[beechguy]

To Beechguy - Reading of posts is too difficult for some people it is easier for them to open a new one and get the same answers, and also easier to bookmark and check their answers.

Well, I could of course say now that some people don't even read the post they are answering to...

To Beechguy: My main question was about registering an address and the 90-day question was then on top of that main question. However, I did read loads of threads both here and in the housing forum... and seeing how many other posters either don't even know about 90-day reporting (and live in Thailand on extension-to-stay) or how many posters - like me - did not really understand the 90-day issue, this thread (for that issue) might help some others.

And I could also say some people don't read the response they receive, i.e. my comment on which Amphur. Some people have taken documents to police stations, etc and gotten them signed that served their purpose.

I also see some can't be bothered to use the search function, or read the very useful information in the pinned topics section.

Edited February 26, 2013 by beechguy

[beechguy]

beano2274, on 26 Feb 2013 - 03:36, said:

To Beechguy - Reading of posts is too difficult for some people it is easier for them to open a new one and get the same answers, and also easier to bookmark and check their answers.

Yes, I suppose it's a real chore to look in the pinned topics, or use the search function to look for common information.

[PattayaPhom]

2nd that yellow book can be issued on non o also as with extension

[NancyL]

let's go back to something Swiss1960 shared in post #13. He said he could qualify for a retirement visa/extension right now. Isn't that a good route -- he could get a retirement visa and then it's fairly easy to do all the things he wants to do to pave the way for his move to Thailand.

I know people who have retirement extensions who are here for just a few months every year. The "trick" is to be sure to time the extension so it expires during a time of year when you know you'll be available to go to the local Immigration office to obtain a new extension. Some of the people I know with retirement extensions really aren't retired -- they work overseas in a job where they work for a few weeks or months and then are off for a few weeks or months. Most own homes or condos here.

Edited February 27, 2013 by NancyL

[lopburi3]

Yes he did hide that nugget near the end of one post but he also mentions only short visits so unlikely he could be here long enough (60 days) to extend in Thailand. He could apply for long stay (non immigrant O-A) visa in home country - this does not require you remain in Thailand for any period of time - and would provide the non immigrant visa entry he desires and if multi entry provide one year of entry/exit without need for re-entry permits.

[Swiss1960]

NancyL / lopburi3: Thanks for your hints.

All: Thanks for the mostly valuable advices, information and hints... for me, I have got what I need to decide about my next steps... so will not come back to this thread, could be closed.

[NancyL]

Yes he did hide that nugget near the end of one post but he also mentions only short visits so unlikely he could be here long enough (60 days) to extend in Thailand. He could apply for long stay (non immigrant O-A) visa in home country - this does not require you remain in Thailand for any period of time - and would provide the non immigrant visa entry he desires and if multi entry provide one year of entry/exit without need for re-entry permits.

I don't understand the restriction about needing to remain in Thailand for 60 days to get a 12-month retirement extension. Couldn't he come on a single-entry 90-day O visa obtained for the purpose of investigating retirement and if he has to leave during that the first 60 days of that visa, couldn't he get a re-entry permit (and be sure to be back in country during the final 30 days to obtain a 12-month extension due to retirement)?

I thought the "60-day rule" was for 800,000 baht accounts, not actual physical presence in Thailand.

Or do they just grant re-entry permits for extensions and not for visas?

[Mario2008]

You can only get an extension during the last 30 days of your permission to stay. So a person coming to Thailand on a non-immirgant visa cannot get an extension till after he has been in Thailand for 60 days, s he gets a stay of 90 days.

[lopburi3]

If he could make the timing yes you could use a re-entry permit to keep stay alive and if able to be here during last 30 days make the extension - but my point was it does have to be done during the last 30 days at most places and that may be a problem meeting - a non immigrant O-A however would avoid this issue and if multi entry allow free travel without issues each year until he is ready to stay full time.