Do I need a Thai Bank Account to get an Extension of Stay based on Retirement.

[Pilotman]

I am here on a Non Immigrant O visa on marriage to a Thai National.  I want to get an extension of stay based on retirement.  I have the Embassy letter proof of income and I'm clear about the rest of the documentation needed, but  I do not have a Thai bank account.  I just use money from the ATM when I need it.  Is this a show stopper on getting the extension?  

[dabhand]

I guess this can depend on which Immigration office is in play. In my case, at Jomtien, my retirement extension is based on an Embassy income letter and I have not been requested to supply copies/details of a Thai bank account. I do have local accounts but this has not been mentioned for the past 4/5 years when I have provided the Embassy letter.

 

Of course, requirements can and do differ by office / officer but this is my experience.

[elviajero]

27 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Is this a show stopper on getting the extension?  

No, as long as you can have a certified (by your embassy) income.

 

You only need a bank account if using cash in the bank to satisfy the financial requirements.

[PoorSucker]

I depends on your immigration office, here on Samui you must show a bank book too. 

[Pilotman]

24 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

I depends on your immigration office, here on Samui you must show a bank book too. 

I am living in Pattaya 

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, dabhand said:

I guess this can depend on which Immigration office is in play. In my case, at Jomtien, my retirement extension is based on an Embassy income letter and I have not been requested to supply copies/details of a Thai bank account. I do have local accounts but this has not been mentioned for the past 4/5 years when I have provided the Embassy letter.

 

Of course, requirements can and do differ by office / officer but this is my experience.

That's my local office too so that is good news. 

[bkk6060]

No

Edited May 16, 2018 by bkk6060

[watcharacters]

1 hour ago, PoorSucker said:

I depends on your immigration office, here on Samui you must show a bank book too. 

 

And that's even if an embassy letter is produced showing the financial requirements are properly met?

 

[keithcresswell]

My retirement visa is based purely on income, but a few years ago I was asked to show a Thai bank book at Jomtien even though my income was sufficient. This then became problematic because it was a joint account; so next they wanted my wife (even though this was not a marriage visa) to come to Immigration with her ID card. 

Because of that I opened an account just in my name, and have always taken it with me just in case. Since then I've never been asked to show it.

If you're asking for advice I would suggest you open a Thai bank account...... just in case.

 

 

Edited May 16, 2018 by keithcresswell

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

I depends on your immigration office, here on Samui you must show a bank book too. 

That doesn’t make any sense. How much is supposed to be in the account?

[steve73]

An alternative might be to take a few ATM receipts to show you are actually bringing money into T/L rather than working here....?

[ubonjoe]

49 minutes ago, elviajero said:

That doesn’t make any sense. How much is supposed to be in the account?

No specific amount in the account. Just funds going into the account from abroad. Same at a few other offices.

[poanoi]

the immigration i met in jomtien did not accept income letter,

i had to get it confirmed at ministry of foreign affairs in bkk,

and when i came back, it was still not good enough

and she demanded proof i brought money from abroad,

and when i came back with ATM slips, then it still wasnt good enough,

she refused to extend my marry visa.

 

i gave up on it and went with ED visa,

but in hindsight, if i had known about visa agencies at the time, it would have been better

to pay an agency to pay the extortion money,

it would have meant less visa runs

Edited May 16, 2018 by poanoi

[Pattaya46]

3 hours ago, keithcresswell said:

My retirement visa is based purely on income, but a few years ago I was asked to show a Thai bank book at Jomtien even though my income was sufficient. //

Yes, happened to me once in the same case, probably 4 years ago. No specific amount was asked and the book I had show few operations and an amount below 100'000 baht, but it was ok; I got this extension too. 

[Issangeorge]

At Sakon Nakhon, I take my book updated that day, and in ten years of extending based on an embassy income letter I have only been asked to show them it once. I never volunteer it, and there is never much more than a couple of thousand baht in it. If you have one take it, if you don't, I would try to open a bank account just incase they ask for one, but sometimes that's not that easy, although personally I've never had any trouble.

Sent from my BLL-L22 using Tapatalk

[bangkoken]

You DO NOT have to have a bank account in a Thai Bank. With the letter from the embassy you are good to go. No problems.

[onera1961]

10 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I am here on a Non Immigrant O visa on marriage to a Thai National.  I want to get an extension of stay based on retirement.  I have the Embassy letter proof of income and I'm clear about the rest of the documentation needed, but  I do not have a Thai bank account.  I just use money from the ATM when I need it.  Is this a show stopper on getting the extension?  

As many posters have posted it depends on the Immigration office. Using an ATM to draw money from an oversees bank for daily expenses for a long period of time is a very expensive proposition. My strategy is to move $2500 every month from US banks to Bangkok bank and use the money for daily expenses when I am inside Thailand. It gives me more control over my expenses (kind of my expense limits and budgeting) and provides a safe guard in case immigration ever asks to check my bank account even though I will be using embassy income letter for extension in the future. I'm on a Non O-A long stay visa now.

Edited May 16, 2018 by onera1961

[gk10002000]

I have heard similar stories where the local Thai office wanted to see regular inflow of money from out of country even if one has the income letter.  To them, regular income is a pension and they expect to see those external monies flowing in on a regular basis.  If you happen to say travel home twice a year, and maybe each time bring back $10,000 USD each time, and then once a month go to the ATM and take out 30,000 Thai Baht, some offices or officials would not like that.

[PoorSucker]

7 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

And that's even if an embassy letter is produced showing the financial requirements are properly met?

 

Yes, you still need to provide a bank book, it's on their check list. 

BTW Samui immigration wants a health declaration for retirement extension, only office in Thailand as far as I know. 

[PoorSucker]

6 hours ago, elviajero said:

That doesn’t make any sense. How much is supposed to be in the account?

I was told 5000 baht, samui immigration also wants a health declaration for retirement extension, but not for marriage extension. 

Local offices and rouge IO make own rules, it's always going to be up to the immigration officer. 

[poanoi]

3 hours ago, onera1961 said:

As many posters have posted it depends on the Immigration office. Using an ATM to draw money from an oversees bank for daily expenses for a long period of time is a very expensive proposition. My strategy is to move $2500 every month from US banks to Bangkok bank and use the money for daily expenses when I am inside Thailand. It gives me more control over my expenses (kind of my expense limits and budgeting) and provides a safe guard in case immigration ever asks to check my bank account even though I will be using embassy income letter for extension in the future. I'm on a Non O-A long stay visa now.

how do you transfer the money if you arent using ATM ?

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, poanoi said:

how do you transfer the money if you arent using ATM ?

Easy to do if you have an account at a Thai bank. Just do a SWIFT transfer from your account outside of Thailand to the one here.

[Thailand J]

 

I have used an embassy letter for extension for years, nobody ever cared where my money was from nor did I have a Thai bank account. ..but  why not have a Thai bank account  anyway.. while you are staying here, it's very convenient with a Thai bank ATM.

 

 

[Thailand J]

9 hours ago, onera1961 said:

As many posters have posted it depends on the Immigration office. Using an ATM to draw money from an oversees bank for daily expenses for a long period of time is a very expensive proposition. My strategy is to move $2500 every month from US banks to Bangkok bank and use the money for daily expenses when I am inside Thailand. It gives me more control over my expenses (kind of my expense limits and budgeting) and provides a safe guard in case immigration ever asks to check my bank account even though I will be using embassy income letter for extension in the future. I'm on a Non O-A long stay visa now.

Some ATM issuer, for example Charles Schwab reimburses ATM fees so it'll cost nothing. Some ATM machines ( Bank of China?) do not charge a fee. So Using ATM can be expensive or it can be free.

 

To move $2500 as the way you do will generate a fee of 500B+ every month: US$10 for NY Bangkok Bank plus 200B here . You may have other reasons to do so, but it is expensive and unnecessary for others.

 

 

[merijn]

Phuket Immigration also requires a Thai bank account when using the income letter.

No limit or seasoning is required but they want to see that you have a Thai bank account and therefore using using a Thai bank for your finances.

 

[ubonjoe]

55 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

 

I have used an embassy letter for extension for years, nobody ever cared where my money was from nor did I have a Thai bank account. ..but  why not have a Thai bank account  anyway.. while you are staying here, it's very convenient with a Thai bank ATM.

 

It has other advantages than having a ATM/debit card for a Thai bank. Easy online banking to do transfers and pay bills is one.

I pay my rent by doing a transfer to the owner (she loves to see the SMS's informing her it is done).

[Wanderer555]

16 hours ago, elviajero said:

That doesn’t make any sense. How much is supposed to be in the account?

If using the 'Income Verification' method no funds are required to be placed in a Thai Bank account.

Just a guess, but some IO's may ask for proof Thai bank account to verify you have the ability to transfer your foreign income to Thailand on a regular basis. I have an 'Extension of Stay based on Retirement', both the Sakon Nakhon and Udon Thani offices have never inquired about having a bank account.

For me, the Thai bank account makes life here a bit easier. Depending on where your income originates, it is often cheaper to have a bank account here and do an electronic transfer from your home bank account. I use my Thailand Bangkok Bank account number and transfer to it directly from my US bank. 
The transfer routes through the New York Bangkok Bank branch and directly into my account here in Thailand. Takes 3 day and costs 3 USD. 
Cheers!

Edited May 17, 2018 by Wanderer555

[poanoi]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Easy to do if you have an account at a Thai bank. Just do a SWIFT transfer from your account outside of Thailand to the one here.

i requested swift and anything else that may be needed,

but i'm really worried about doing it for the first time.

is there any online transfer money 101 guide ?

[Thailand J]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It has other advantages than having a ATM/debit card for a Thai bank. Easy online banking to do transfers and pay bills is one.

I pay my rent by doing a transfer to the owner (she loves to see the SMS's informing her it is done).

You can also set up auto debit for monthly charges such as electric, water and internet service.

[steve73]

2 minutes ago, poanoi said:

i requested swift and anything else that may be needed,

but i'm really worried about doing it for the first time.

is there any online transfer money 101 guide ?

Try using Transferwise.com to move funds.  It's much cheaper than using swift, you get a much better rate, and it's quicker.. typically 1 day.  But the big advantage is that you can see what Fx rate you'll get before making the transfer.. rather than what it happens to be when your funds finally arrive.

The only disadvantage is that it shows as an internal transfer (so you can't use it if you want to get a FET), or if your Immigration officer wants to see money coming in from overseas (although you could print out the transfer receipts if required).

It's really easy to use...