A question for those who may have been down this route.

 

On an O-A visa applying for an extension, an amount of 800,000 baht is required in a Thai bank.

 

If husband and wife both have O-A visas, can they have a joint account with 1,600,000 baht in it or do they have to have separate accounts?

 

Sounds simple enough, but when dealing with bureaucracy, who knows what strange requirements exist.

If both husband and wife have O-A visas and want to apply for extension separately, the money must be in separate accounts.  Alternately, one can apply for normal extension using 800,000 THB in the bank and the other can piggy back as spouse without money in the bank for the extension.

Thanks,

 

My UK logic thought that a husband and wife, with a joint account and a sum equal to 2 x 800,000 baht would be OK then I thought, "Murphy's Law". Having two accounts rather than one seems over the top but what the heck? 

 

In the UK we work on joint everything. In Singapore, what's hers is hers and what's mine is hers. less what I can hide from her. Everyone is treated as an individual and not a couple.

 

I guess Thailand has the same mentality.

TIT, don't overthink.  Know the rules and operate within the requirement.

If joint account 1.600.000 baht.

if one spouse has 800.000 in only their name, other partner can piggy back as dependent.

You only need 800,000 in the bank unless you really do want to apply separately.

As for the joint account question? Ask the immigration office as some will accept and some will not.

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does piggy backing  only apply to spouse ONLY. can this be a partner? 

 

7 minutes ago, docspinoff said:

•  

does piggy backing  only apply to spouse ONLY. can this be a partner? 

 

It can only be for a spouse. You have to present a marriage certificate when the application is done.

On 1/24/2017 at 8:25 AM, ubonjoe said:

It can only be for a spouse. You have to present a marriage certificate when the application is done.

In this connection the OP should be aware that Immigration might require his marriage certificate to be legalised in some way - which, as a Brit, would involve a horrendously complex and bureaucratic process for him, as described in gory detail on the GOV.UK website at https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised

And after due consideration, it makes complete sense to go for separate O-A visas. Once in Thailand, open separate deposit accounts (that carry personal accident insurance) and leave the money there.

 

Although our Singaporean marriage certificate is full recognised by the UK, I can imagine the hoops we would be required to jump through. Like electrons, take the path of least resistance.

 

The only real hassle we are having, is our Thai "sister" in Phuket is throwing a hissy fit as to why we do not want to settle there. We told her that there are simply too many farangs in Phuket and it's no longer like it was in the 1980s (and it's closer to my wife's family).

 

Now it's months of studying tax issues and money transfer schemes.

 

Thanks to all who helped.

 

Tony

3 minutes ago, Flustered said:

Although our Singaporean marriage certificate is full recognised by the UK, I can imagine the hoops we would be required to jump through. Like electrons, take the path of least resistance.

Thailand recognizes all marriage certificates. Not sure why you are concerned about the Singapore one.

Check to find out what will be required to have it legalized. That is a one time thing that would need to be done no need to to have it done every time you do something at immigration.

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Thailand recognizes all marriage certificates. Not sure why you are concerned about the Singapore one.

Check to find out what will be required to have it legalized. That is a one time thing that would need to be done no need to to have it done every time you do something at immigration.

Indeed, you would only need to go through the horrendous procedure which I outlined in post #9 if yours was a British marriage certificate.

 

But, since your certificate is a Singaporean one, it would appear that you could get it legalised through executing an affidavit at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok: https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/bangkok/consular_services/marriage-registration-procedure-in-thailand0.html/

26 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Indeed, you would only need to go through the horrendous procedure which I outlined in post #9 if yours was a British marriage certificate.

 

But, since your certificate is a Singaporean one, it would appear that you could get it legalised through executing an affidavit at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok: https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/bangkok/consular_services/marriage-registration-procedure-in-thailand0.html/

That is to register a marriage here at an Amphoe not to have his marriage certificate legalized.

He needs to check with embassy to find what needs to be done.

As I said, least path of resistance.

 

I appreciate all of the advice and the separate visa seems the obvious way to go. Why have the hassle of having an "educated" Singaporean wife asking why she is treated as an addendum to her husband.

 

Sorry about the educated in quotes. You have to understand the Singaporean pecking order to fully get the joke. (see the Noose, Mdm Nancy Goh"...my wife to a T).

 

Really looking forward to moving even if it is a few years away. I just want a smooth operation with as little hassle as possible (if that is possible in Thailand).

 

thanks again.

 

tony

2 hours ago, Flustered said:

Although our Singaporean marriage certificate is full recognised by the UK, I can imagine the hoops we would be required to jump through

 

 

We also had a SIN marriage certificate, and it was a breeze to get it notarized here in Thailand. Well, a breeze compared to other things.

We went to an agent in Chiang Mai, she did the necessary official translations, took it to Bangkok for some more rubber-stamping, and a few weeks and a few thousands baht later we had our nice official thai marriage certificate.

 

I wouldn't throw the towel in so quickly.

 

 

45 minutes ago, Flustered said:

As I said, least path of resistance.

 

I appreciate all of the advice and the separate visa seems the obvious way to go. Why have the hassle of having an "educated" Singaporean wife asking why she is treated as an addendum to her husband.

 

Sorry about the educated in quotes. You have to understand the Singaporean pecking order to fully get the joke. (see the Noose, Mdm Nancy Goh"...my wife to a T).

 

Really looking forward to moving even if it is a few years away. I just want a smooth operation with as little hassle as possible (if that is possible in Thailand).

 

thanks again.

 

tony

 

Certainly the OA visa would appear to be the route to least resistance and hassle, based on my experience since moving out here 8 years ago (also with an OA visa). However, the telling time in your and your wife's cases will undoubtedly come once you need to start interacting with your local immigration office, firstly on 90-day reports and, eventually, on annual extensions of stay.

 

Have you yet given any thought as to where in Thailand you plan to settle in due course? In this connection I note that you have already ruled out Phuket on the grounds of the preponderance of foreigners there - and I also gather from reports on here that the local immigration office there can be iffy. But even they pale into insignificance when compared to their Chiang Mai counterparts - of which horror stories abound on both this and the local Chiang Mai forum.

 

For a relatively smooth ride on the immigration front it would appear, from various reports on here, that you can't beat Jomtien (Pattaya) among the major offices.

Quote

For a relatively smooth ride on the immigration front it would appear, from various reports on here, that you can't beat Jomtien (Pattaya) among the major offices.

Come back and tell us that in a year or two, when you are sick and tired of Pattaya and Jomtien.

 

Chiang Rai is our starting point, we love the place.

 

We have made some very good friends here (Lana) and love the more simple and less rushed attitude. However, I am sure that eventually it will become another Chiang Mai.

 

Reporting etc. not an issue as we intend to be as hassle free as we can and use an agent, Thai Longstay Company perhaps or local lawyer. I know that provided you have  your ducks in a row, it should be simple to do it yourself, but all we want is a stress free existence so it's easier to pay someone to do the work for us.

 

Funnily enough, Phuket would be easier as our "sisters" family are well connected  and could arrange anything we want. Being used to Phuket in the 80s and 90s has kind of ruined it for us. I remember Patong when it only had a handful of hotels and no red light district as such. Karon only had one sort of hotel and Surin beach was a tourist free area that only locals went to.                                                                              

It's the more temperate north for us and take it one day at a time.

 

Tony

20 hours ago, Flustered said:

As I said, least path of resistance.

 

I appreciate all of the advice and the separate visa seems the obvious way to go. Why have the hassle of having an "educated" Singaporean wife asking why she is treated as an addendum to her husband.

 

Sorry about the educated in quotes. You have to understand the Singaporean pecking order to fully get the joke. (see the Noose, Mdm Nancy Goh"...my wife to a T).

 

Really looking forward to moving even if it is a few years away. I just want a smooth operation with as little hassle as possible (if that is possible in Thailand).

 

thanks again.

 

tony

 

Well, the process works both ways:  She could apply for the extension/visa and you could be the dependent.