SailingHome

I really don't remember the process that was available in lieu of firect deposit from SSA. REmember: we used to need 2 accounts. One for SSA to deposit to and one to spend from. We used to have to go to the branch in person to prove we are alive then they would put the money in our spending account. I was planning to be out of the country but needed atm and debit access to my money as well as to pay rent, mobile, etc. The second option was have the US Govt send on behalf of SSA direct to the spending account and fill out the "No, I am not dead" form once per year. Highly preferable to going to the bank every month. They are still doing that method. To do it, the money goes from SSA to the fed to Citibank via FTT. Citibank then uses Bahtnet to give to BKB. Another beauty of this is you get the current exchange rate not one a week old and save the 150+ baht for BKB in NYC doing the conversion and transfer. The fed is still doing this. I need to change back to direct deposit NOW so I have 12 months next year and the letter is easy. Immigration MAY accept what I have now (12 copies of what I sent above - one for each deposit) and my normal statement plus the account status certified letter. If not, I am in need of a visa service.

Thanks RocketDog... my account book is not up to date and being a more "official" branch they will not sign anything the rulebook does not allow. I emailed the sample of 12 to immigration to ask if they will accept them.

As Su drives off the track for a much needed hour break, I have in my posession only 10 of the 12 deposits unstamped and needing to go to citbank. Steeping in to gas things up another tellef provided the customary letter of accout status, Immigration version, dor the normal 100 baht. Now I wait an hour for Su to change her oil, so she make an account statement of only the bahtnet deposits so I can go to citbank. With the dead srewn abojt the track, fires ablaze, I would rather PAY to have this done... my Thai wife died. She made thing so much easier.

And now she's on the phone to put out the fire... a call to Citibank to reauest proof. Sounds like a whitle blowing... YES, penaly for lack of interference! 5 days back from the original line of scrimmage. No account, no print crom Citibank. warning to all: ONLY uze direct deposit methods 😉 Now if I can get a certified letter "Confirming the status of your account." I may be able to salvage this with my statement shoing the high deposit and 10 months of them always being the same (maybe not, as one poster said herein, a friend was reject for not having a print of just one payment because it came after a Thai holiday putimg it in the wrong month

I changed deposit methods back in the days when we needed 2 accounts and had to go to the branch each month to get our payments (proof of life.) Thus the bank that got the TT was Citibank, not BKB. I will cahnge my SSA to use normal direct deposit again.

And now the tires ars running thin in her patience as the computer does not match reality... in the end she says I must go to Citibank to get fhe report... obvious flag on the on the infield, "I do not have an account at Citibank. How will they actually find the information?" "I am not sure." I guess I am paying 28,000 and a buch of overstay by the time a visa company can file. All for doing my best. Life tax, right? 😆

Oh! And a another car hits the slick and we have 2 fires abaze on the track! 2 deposits in the staement are are not in the computer!

AND... now another oil slick on the track as the yellow car ezplodes on the wall! Despite the account statement sent by the app to my email showing all the deposits, last April can ot be found in the computer! Yes, that is world-class banking databese tech for ya 😄

We are back live from BKB Paragon! The race is on and OH! That had to hurt! SSA is not doing direct deposits to BKB, they are using Citibank as an intermediary so it shows as Bahtnet deposit not TT. She is making the 12 copies that say it is from SSA, but advises I must get the actual immigration report from Citibank. Seems I need to talk to SSA about this! It is likely because I changed deposit types as mentioned in my last post. I will still try to use these at immigration if she will certify them. I can politely point out it clearly says from USA Social Security and politely refuse to leave the chair, I suppose.

Live from BKB Siam Paragon, it's Fiaso at zero hour! The race is on... Su is the expert! Uh, oh! Fatal flaw! Statement says Bahtnet not TT or FT? Ok... well, he did print one deposit last night that showed it is from SSA not a local bank (says Citbank Bangkok, brobably the intermediary.) As she works I reflect on the past and how there used to be 2 ways to transfer SSA to BKB. One was where 2 accounts at BKB were needed and the recipenr must go in to the branch to prove they are alive, and the other was deposited some other way and no need to prove a corps we are not. I chose to swith to the latter option- wasn't sure of I would be traveling to Philippines for a couple of months. Waiting... waiting... sweat and concern upon her brow, truly I owe her lunch or something for the assistance.

OK "Su" at the Western Union counter at Siam Paragon just called and apologized for last night. She is the person I talked to last month. No problem the full report will be done today 😉

OK "Su" at the Western Union counter at Siam Paragon just called and apologized for last night. She is the person I talked to last month. No problem the full repor will be done today 😉

If I had 10 million baht I _might_ be willing to park that much. On SSA fixed income due to diability at age 20? I think 800k is doable in about n years.

How is the annual statement different than the statement that the app emails to me? Doesn't the statement need to say who sent it, or can I get away with a statement that just says TT for the code of each deposit. Reminder I want to Siam Paragon branch and spent 3 hours they said it can't even be done, but if the remote possibility it will take 3-5 days as they must order anything over 6 months. Also note I went in a month ago to that very same branch and was assured it is quick to do.

On the phone with BKB @ Immigration CW basement. 02-143-9614. They too seem confused, I said "Certificate of deposits from overseas 12 months". They said the can order it but it often doesn't come back what immigration wants - a branch can only do 6 months. Directed me to headquarters (as stated above by a poster) and warned it will likely still take 5 business days. Phone:02-230-1022, 02-230-1016, 02-230-2519, 02-230-1940, 02-230-2085 Sigh... 2500 in overstay is cheaper then 28k for a visa company lies about what province I live in and upsets Immigration for me. Oh! NOW he says I must do it at the branch I opened my account. After reminding him again that I spent 3 hours at that branch yesterday and even had immigration call them only to turn me away... he too my phone number and said will back. Let's kick some tires and light some fires... someone has to be able to do this. Geez... even in the remote provinces it can be done. 😃 After 13 years I have learned to laugh along with such things, not overly stress.

On the phone with BKB @ Immigration CW basement. 02-143-9614. They too seem confused, I said "Certificate of deposits from overseas 12 months". They said the can order it but it often doesn't come back what immigration wants - a branch can only do 6 months. Directed me to headquarters (as stated above by a poster) and warned it will likely still take 5 business days. Phone:02-230-1022, 02-230-1016, 02-230-2519, 02-230-1940, 02-230-2085 Sigh... 2500 in overstay is cheaper then 28k for a visa company lies about what province I live in and upsets Immigration for me. Oh! NOW he says I must do it at the branch I opened my account. After reminding him again that I spent 3 hours at that branch yesterday and even had immigration call them only to turn me away... he too my phone number and said will back. Let's kick some tires and light some fires... someone has to be able to do this. Geez... even in the remote provinces it can be done. 😃 After 13 years I have learned to laugh along with such things, not overly stress.

Easy,shhh...don't spread this aroung or it will get bottled up 🙂 Dial <gasp> 1111 (found it by accident) and there is zero wait time, open 24 hours. I _think_ it has something to do with the tourist police. 😉

To all, I feel really honored at the emotional support. More so than facts, this means more. I practice productive worry. Yup, I stress at the unknown and that drives me to sak, What CAN I do and ow will I best do it?". What I reach that understanding and know eveything i can do, I quite with ease. Any more worry is jjust stress. (pardon the typing... this lare the Parks medicine is worn off. "I believe hop is informed optimism" - Michal J. Fox. Well, i have the name of what I need now thanks to this thread. I have the number to BKN at Immigration who must, obviously, know what is needed. Watever they say is the time frame I pay overstay fees. That is surely cheaper then 28k to use an agencies that near permanently ever keeps me from being able to file myself due to their automated TM.30 process.

I am finding how we speak to authorities has a lot to do with it. Some time use ChatGPT and tell it you want to convert you statement to the way a Thai person would say it. There is never accusation, it is very polite, it with humility recognizes their option to help you or not and a compassioned plea. It actually totally changes a Thai person's attitude even if they work exclusively with us "intruders " on the kingdom.

Not sure whether to laugh in lunacy at that or cry... It seems so unformidable, yet just like the landlord not being able to figure out how to file a TM.30 and i did it in 4 minutes... Whatever, man. At least my valentines day was ruined by the 6 hours it took of travel and waiting at the bank. ROFUL.

Yes, that is what she called it! Credit advices. And surely the main branch would know how to certify it. As an easier alternative, why not the branch in the basement of CW Immigration in Bangkok. Surely they know wat is needed, yes? Beyond the credited advices certified, i believe there is another certification (perhaps the current balance and that the account is actually held by me, I think?) Any exact details? My passbook is a mess - do I need to photocopy more than than the info page?

Believe it or not the exact papers to show at Immigration that 12 monthly direct deposits have been made by Social Security Administration in order to qualify for a Retirement visa is not standardized or clear. I actually had immigration on the phone with Bangkok Bank at Siam Paragon, the one branch almost dedicated to foreigners needs and seem to always have the answers. Immigration themselves described in general what is needed to the bank officers and told them it had to be certified. General. Nothing specific. We all know here it IS rather specific, but no matter how I ask I get nothing. When I went in BKB last month to ensure I knew what to get, one helpful woman at the Western Union desk came over, knew exactly what it was, went in the back, printed 2 of my deposits and showed how it actually says it is from Social Security (not the generic code in the bank book or on an emailed statement) and said it takes about 10 minutes and to come the day before I go to immigration as Immigration is picky about the date it done. She even had a name for it that, sadly, I did lose the slip I wrote it down on. I am not going to use an agency again. It is 28k baht. I did in the past because of illness. My visa expires Friday, I tried to renew it 1 month early as is allowed. I live in Bangkok. The visa agency did the TM.30 as me living in Trat at their business address. I could not file because according to Immigration I do not live in Bangkok. Think my landlord cares about 24 hors law to report I live here? Not in any way whatsoever. Took them until Monday this week and they were still confused what to do, so I grabbed the blue book photo, the owners ID card, and my passport page photo and went on the Web site and did it in 4 minutes. Their fine for not reporting within 24 hours and it has been 3 years? A whopping 800 baht. My fine? Very angry landlord AND her children all screaming at me and threating me in a very non-Thai-like manner saying it is too complicated but please don't move out, Immigration threatening me with fines for lying about living in Trat, and the looming possibility of 500 baht PER DAY fines for overstay. For those that have been through this need for the paperwork showing the 12 deposits, please accurately tell me what I need the bank to do. Immigration is not going to just accept a letter from the bank certifying that the account is mine and copies of my passbook (that I never update) or copies of my full statement. They want proof the monthly deposits are from SSA, they want them "certified" and apparently they want more. Surely there is a name for these reports? Can someone please tell me what it is I ask for exactly? BKB tonight said they don't even certify forms! The story changes constantly in the saving face variety of not saying "I don't know". I have tomorrow and Friday to get this right. If it take a few days to get printed then it does. I can't get anything printed without knowing what to ask for and nothing of the threads here were any help to the bank. My passbook is not highly up to date, but I have 13 months of bank statement emailed to me and highlighted the deposits for the bank workers. Thoughts, frustrations, angst accepted with condolences for your equal pains. Desire for facts the goal, please - if possible a pic of what you got and black out your personal details will be treated to lunch at least! I can't just hop to the border in my health condition. Signed, sealed, a spat upon (joking, I am actually not too stressed,) Sir FRUSTRATED IN BANGKOK ( no man should be frustrated in Bangkok! )

Yup. That works. Thanks. I do know all the forms for 1yr extension. I guess trying the unknown is better than nothing, but it is not the report they want... seems like a bounce is in my future. Morning I will call BKB main branch. Surely they know what immigration needs... this not an uncommon request.

My apologies. I have a Retirement visa. I was under the impression I can get a 30 day extension on it to sort this mess out. No?

Yes, CW. There is a BKB in the basement. I am fine doing a 30 day extension to sort this all out, but can not find online how to do that except tourist and VOA.