Thomas J

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

A new method of questionable actual real life acceptance at this point in time.

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That is just crap.  Numbers are numbers.  If they require the bank statement be translated, then make that a requirement.  Different languages.  Do you suppose the Thai Embassy in Washington who approves OA visas doesn't get applicants from multiple countries.  There are currently 350 languages spoken in the USA and 20% of the population speaks a language other than English.  Somehow the Thai Embassy in Washington is able to work through that.  Certainly that means that those in Thailand could too.  Particularly given it is A THAI I REPEAT A THAI REQUIREMENT. That does not mean it should be up to the Embassy staffs at the USA, UK, AUS, or Denmark embassy to solve what is a Thai problem. 

5 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

SCB at BIG C, Pattaya South will open an account if you have an extension of stay on a Non O visa, no other requirements, bar something showing your address.  I used my Thai Driving Licence for that. 

i have attempted to open an account at that office.  They told me and one a different date my fiance who is Thai.  No account openings except for a 1 year retirement Visa.  They said nothing about residency verification or a thai drivers license.  Perhaps that is how you were able to open the account.  I can tell you without it, the only thing they would accept was a 1 year Visa.   I went a second time with my first 0 visa which was for 90 days and again told, 1 year visa not just an 0 visa was required. 

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Perceptions can vary. I expected the Thai authorities always wanted some form of verification, verification of pension or income claims they have absolutely no access to. At one time Embassy involvement was not required, IO were expected to review a plethora of multi language documents to ascertain they proved a person had income. Along came the Embassy idea, I suspect Immigration loved getting rid of an onerous task and passing it off to another body, more able to do the job. But they actually didn't do the job required.

Now guess what, the person applying has to get the proof, I doubt immigration will go get it as you infer. 

Immigration acted quickly to offer a solution to the 4 country's nationals whose Embassies had yanked a carpet from under them at short notice. 

You say that the 4 embassies yanked a carpet.  No the way I read it, Thailand changed the rules.  They no longer wanted just the affidavit, they demanded the embassies verify the income and the four countries chose not to get involved in a process for another country's requirement that put them in a position as an auditor.  The process for an O non immigrant visa requires a 65K baht monthly income.  If the person is just arriving in Thailand, and Thailand refuses to view his bank statement from his native country, that is an impossibility.  As I see it, and I still have even one person address this, HOW IS A PERSON SUPPOSED TO OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT IN THAILAND WITHOUT A 1 YEAR VISA.  i have been to five banks including two branches of SCB, and Krungsri banks ALL OF THEM REFUSED TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT WITHOUT A 1 YEAR VISA and that was even with my Fiance who is Thai having an account at SCB.  Further, the $800 baht has to be aged for 3 months. The bank told me this as did the immigration office in Jomtien.  The first 0 visa is only for 90 days.  So even if a person was able to secure an account as the same day they received their O Visa and deposit the same day it would not be aged.  IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE ONLY THING THAT THAILAND DID WAS TO PUT PEOPLE IN A CATCH 22.  They can no longer get an income verification at the 4 embassies, they can not open a bank account in Thailand without a Visa and they can't get a Visa without a bank account.  Perhaps those posting opened accounts some years ago when the banks were less restrictive.  The answer find a friendly branch does not cut it.  As stated, I went to 5 banks and 7 branches and all were the same. NO 1 YEAR VISA, NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT. 

1 hour ago, BigStar said:

Big Star, 

Yes they do but not to verify income.  That is what the post referenced.  Perhaps you should read the post first before responding incorrectly.  DUH

1 hour ago, BigStar said:

And so they do. Applicants submit a certified bank statement of the required income.

 

 

But they already have such desk. And there you will bring your bankbook, copies, and a letter from the bank. Not tax returns. Efficient enough and certainly sensible. It would probably be more efficient and sensible for you to read and understand the system and new requirements before posting.  

44 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

Apart from the Deep South I would struggle to find any area in Thailand that doesn't have prostitution and its fair share of drunks .

I am residing outside of Pattaya which has of course a bad reputation.  However there are many areas here that don't have a prostitution or alcohol problem.  I am sure you could go to almost any area in the world and if you searched you can find alcohol and prostitutes. 

23 hours ago, JLCrab said:

Marriage 

Pro - you can work (with a work permit)

Con - You have to be married.

That is the funniest thing I have heard in months.  I literally broke out laughing when I read it.  Thumbs Up. 

Consider, if you are from the USA and I would guess it is the same with other countries if you want an OA visa you apply at the Thai Embassy in that country.  It is then the responsibility of the Thai Embassy in that country to verify that you meet the income requirements before issuing the visa.  Why should it be any different in Thailand?  If it is a Thai immigration requirement, the responsibility rightfully belongs to the Thai government who imposes the requirement.  Why should the governments of other countries be responsible for auditing  and verifying the income requirement?   To say that the Embassies of the USA, Australia, U.K. etc. should gear up to verify is ludicrous.  The Thai immigration offices should have an area where you bring in your bank statements, or tax returns to verify your income.  That is the simplest and most efficient solution.  But this is government.  That says all it needs to about making sense or being efficient. 

7 minutes ago, steve73 said:

I qualified my statement as I was not sure, but it would make sense to ask the same of every embassy.

I take it you know for a fact that not every embassy was asked.  Please provide a link..

Apparently the post was correct.  This article references the British Embassy in Bankok statement that they are stopping the verification letters because of 'THE THAI REQUIREMENTS THAT THAI REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY VERIFY INCOME"   


Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/income-statement-letters-from-embassies-no-longer-required-confirms-phuket-immigration-69438.php#oTCFQXrpqDdY60Sq.99

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I can only speak about AU embassy. The stat dec was simply the embassy affirming they witnessed you signing S.D. You didn't even need show any income statements. Nothing. As I understand it Thai imm wanted embassies to VERIFY the income. Completely different ballgame. They were not prepared to VERIFY. 

So in effect it was the Thai government mandated that the embassies act as auditors to verify income when they previously were not required to do so.  To me, the whole idea of verification of income should lie with Thailand.  They are the ones who establish the rules for the Visa.  Why should then embassies and not the immigration bureau not be the party responsible for getting 12 months worth of bank statements and establishing that the person has a $65K baht minimum income.  Seems pretty simple to me. 

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Embassies. Keep in mind only 4 stopped "letter"

I was not aware of that.  I thought perhaps the Thai government was trying to lob the blame on the foreign embassies.  Seems to make no sense that the embassies would refuse to do them either.  The US embassy got $50 for just stamping a piece of paper that obligated them to nothing. 

3 hours ago, onera1961 said:

There are many ways to do it.

I opened an account with Bangkok bank using a Tourist visa and documents listed in their web site, including an embassy letter.

You can get an O/A visa from your home country eliminating any requirement for an extension for the next two years and take you time to open an account. If you at all desire. 

You can get a Thai (not a bar girl but with a a respected job like a teacher or a government job) to accompany you to open a bank account. 
You can walk around randomly to visit many branches and someone will open an account (most often quoted method in TVF but least practical way to guarantee any success)

You can pay an agent. 

If you're from an Asian country, you can buy an insurance to open an account. Very difficult for Americans due to FATCA

Remember the saying - where there is a will, there is way.

I don't know how long ago you and others attempted to open an account here.  I have done so over the past 4 months.  The only bank that would open an account was Bangkok bank and that was because I was a US citizen.  Even then I had to buy an insurance policy and have an authorization letter from Jomtien immigration.  I even had my 0 Visa 90 day Visa and despite that they all said it had to be a 1 year Visa in order to open.  I was not told about a certificate of residence.  None of the five banks I went to said anything about that.  They all stated they needed a 1 year non resident O visa to open.  So again, how does a person who next year wants to come to Thailand to live and no longer can get an embassy letter even start the process to get his/her 0 visa.  The banks will not open an account. Even if they did, immigration says the money must be seasoned for 3 months and the most a person can get as a tourist is a 90 day visa.  I am now fine.  I went to the US embassy and got my income verification letters.  However without those, I would have been in exactly what I think people are going to face going forward.  They can't open a bank account without a bank account and $800K baht and they can't get started on the Visa process without the bank account. 

12 hours ago, Jingthing said:

To applicants that have the proper documents. That has included embassy letters for income methods. Hopefully they will get with the new programs, but I'm not surprised if any office at this time says we don't do that, it's your problem, your embassy cut off the letters, not our fault, it's not on us, come back with an 800K bank seasoned application or ba-bye. Not surprised at all. 

Does anyone know if it was the Embassies who cut off the income verification letters or if it was the Thai government who requested that they do so. I would guess the latter since it forces expatriates to send money to Thai banks which they desperately want. 

I am new to Thailand.  Is there a cable or satellite TV service that provides U.S. channels including the golf channel and ESPN.  I want to make sure I am ready prior to April and the Masters. 

2 minutes ago, Lemonltr said:

My 'retirement' extension ends 22nd November. As normally I bring in around 160 - 200.000 baht quarterly I brought no money in during December as I was unaware of any changes then. Although I will have about 300.000 baht in an account seasoned by November and assume to be allowed the combination method I have started to bring in 65.000 monthly as from January. My concern is that I will only have transfers for 11 months in November. Am I likely to have problems as if so I need to plan in advance. Thanks. 

I have read that immigration was instructed to be "lenient" during the transition period. However like most things at the Immigration office the rules vary from office to office and from person to person.  

10 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

I dont understand. The "form" you get from Immigration is a certificate of residence. It does not mention any particular bank by name. You use the certificate as proof of address when opening an account with the bank of your choosing.

 

I think that many people on here understand completely what you mean.

For your first extension the money only needs to be deposited for two months, not three.

 

So you could (just about) arrive with 90 days stay, open an account, deposit the cash, wait two months and still have time to apply for an extension within the 90 day window. Failing which you could just do a border run within the 90 days and carry on from there.

 

 

Wrong,  at Jomtien right from the immigration officer money needs to be on deposit for 3 months not two.  Also to get the 90 day 0 Visa the first time you need to provide income verification which you can't because you can't open a bank account. 

7 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

I suggest that you go back to Immigration and explain the problem slowly and politely. Get the Immigration officer's phone number and go back to the bank, and have the bank call him. He should be able to explain that they should open an account for you. Other people have done this.

 

Otherwise, call the bank's head office whilst you are in the branch and get the head office to explain. Other people have done this also.

I tried that.  They gave me the form for Bangkok bank.  No forms for any other banks.  No one on this post seems to comprehend the original question.  The banks refuse to open accounts.  Even if they did open an account the most you can get on your first long term Visa is 90 days.  That means even if you got a Visa, went to a bank and deposited the same day $800K baht, it would not meet the 3 month requirement.  Now consider, I have been here 4 months now and have some knowledge of the local banking and immigration requirements.  What is a brand new person from another country to do when they go to several branches in 2019 all of which refuse to open an account and the person can no longer get an income verification affidavit from their Embassy.  I got my 1 year visa now but only because I made two trips to Bangkok to get two different income verification.  Now that that option is gone, I am thinking that new people will be put in an impossible position. No Visa - no Account.  No Account, No Visa. 

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Yep, right of course, but what business have you ever heard of, where you have to persevere to give them your money? I don't know about persevere, it certainly is perverse. How the economy ever operates in this country is beyond me. However, it is what it is.   

Well that is not much of an answer.  I went to five different banks. Some more than one branch.  How does a foreigner coming here even know what the "right branch" to go to is? 

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

Just opened an account with SCB yesterday, all they asked for was my passport,  which shows an extension of stay, No C of R  was required and they were happy to accept the address printed on the back of my Thai Driving License, plus the 90 day paper stapled into the passport.  

Yes but you got a Thai drivers license which I assume required some sort of documentation to obtain?  I can assure you that the banks here were all requiring a 1 year visa to open an account.  They offered nothing other as an option.  Immigration would only accept deposits in a thai bank to obtain even the first 90 day 

O visa.  So even if you could get a bank account based on that, it would not have the required three months aging.  The Bangkok bank said if I used an agency that immigration would only require 2 months.  Sounds like a partnership to me. 

Your experience is like mine.  Every time I went to the immigration office I got a different answer.  It does not matter what is on their papers or on the government web site.  I think the real answer is that they want you to use an agency and make it as difficult as possible to do on your own. 

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes that would meet the 800k baht in bank for 3 months requirement for that option to apply for the extension of stay.

To really beat a dead horse, no one has responded to how you deposit any money in a Thai bank if the Thai banks are refusing to open an account without the proper Visa and you can't obtain the Visa without the bank account. 

46 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

 

I tried two branches of Krungsri.  One was in the Big C shopping plaza and the other was on beach road  Jomtien beach.  I tried two SCB branches as well.  The Bangkok branch in the Big C plaza would open the account without the immigration authorization  but I had to purchase an $7,000 baht insurance policy.  The one on Jomtien beach would only open the account with the authorization letter from the immigration office and it was a $2,000 baht insurance policy required. 

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The rules state if has to be in the bank for 60 days for the first extension application. I have heard of the non immigrant visa section at Jomtien saying it had to be in the bank for 3 months.  If you ask the section that does the extension they should tell you 60 days.

The bank officer said it had to be 3 months.  Before accepting her at face value, I went to the immigration office at Jomtien.  The officers there  at station 8 who handle the 1 year retirement visas ( non-O) Visas confirmed, it had to be either a letter from the USA embassy to verify income or 3 months $800k deposit into a Thai bank.  Irrespective of whether it is 1 month, 2 months, or 3 months, isn't the system placing people in a catch 22 situation.  They can't open any bank account without a 1 year visa but are required to have a bank account to establish either the $65K baht per month pension or $800k baht deposit.  Unless the immigration department starts to accept statements from overseas or instructs the banks to change their account opening practices it seems like foreigners will not be able to establish the income requirements. 

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

This is for renewals, for an initial one year extension based on retirement, 800k on deposit for minimum of 2 months.

This is to accommodate those on single Non-Imm-O entries.

Not what I was told when I went into the immigration office in Jomtien.  The bank manager said it had to be on deposit for 3 months, so did the immigration office. Irrespective of that.  How does a person open up any sort of bank account without a 90 day visa even at Bangkok bank when you need to have an income verification letter no longer available or a bank account you can't open. 

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

My experiences with Pattaya bank account are very old (2009).

Kasikorn Bank Royal Garden. At the time as a tourist(! 30 day exempt) with hotel(!) address. Savings account with internet access.

Can't tell whether it is still that easy.

At the same year I tried Bangkok Bank opposite(!) Soi 6 and they wanted a proof of residence from immigration.

 

A friend opened an account in 2011.

Kasikorn Bank at Jomtien beach rd. Soi 2.

He was staying on his Non O-A visa at the time.

Don't know what they expected to see.

 

I opened savings accounts here in upcountry in 2011 being on Non O-A visa at the time. Bangkok Bank and SCB.

As far as I remember both wanted proof of address.

But can not even remember the exact details.

I should mention that this was with my wife in company.

 

I went to about 5 different banks.  None of them would open an account even after I got my O non-immigrant 90 day Visa.  All said it had to be a 1 year Visa to open an account.  The only exception was Bangkok  bank where if you got a letter from immigration they would open an account for you if you bought an insurance policy as well.  Even then, they would not open prior to getting the 90 day O visa and Jomtien immigration said money had to be on deposit for at least 3 months.  Two months if you used an agency according to the bank person.  Again, isn't that a catch 22.  You can't open a bank account but you must show evidence of your pension or $800K baht on deposit. 

I just got my one year visa yesterday, in Jomtien.  I traveled in December to the U.S. consulate and got the verification of income affidavit before they stopped issuing them.  With that said, what are the requirements now when it comes due?  I know that previously you had to have at least a $65,000 Baht monthly income or $800,000 baht on deposit in a Thai bank or a combination of the two.   What would a person need to verify the $65,000 monthly pension.  Second, this will not apply to me, but prior to getting the Embassy letter I tried to open a bank account.  None of the banks would open an account until I had the 1 year retirement Visa and Jomtien Immigration told me you had to have funds on deposit for at least three months.  Isn't that a catch 22?  You can't open a bank account but you need to have a Thai bank establish your income or funds on deposit?  Is this just a push to have everyone go through an agency?  I can tell you I probably made 15 trips altogether to immigration and each time I got different answers.  Even when I finally got my Visa the checklist that they gave me had items on it, that they did not require and they required things that were not on the checklist.  Finally, I see a reference by some to FLUID funds.  What exactly are FLUID funds?