Marriage visa problems

[SteveK]

Hi again.

 

I hope someone can help me.

 

I am aware that I need to transfer 400000 baht into a THAI bank account to show the authorities when applying for the marriage visa or extension of stay based on marriage. I have the money ready to transfer sitting in my UK bank account.

 

Went into five banks yesterday in Ubon. Took my fiance with me, tabien baan for where I am staying, bank statements, passport, visa photocopy, driving license, laptop with internet banking to prove I have the funds.

 

What we were told varied from "we don't open bank accounts for foreigners at all" to "we can't do it without a work permit". 2 banks had to call other branches because they didn't seem to know. I am not working in Thailand so do not have a work permit.

 

Am I missing something here, or is this being done to stop people from getting marriage visas? The banks agreed that I needed the money in a Thai bank account in my name for the marriage visa, but the closest I got was being told to go and get a work permit to be able to open the bank account. I was intending to transfer a large chunk from the sale of property in the UK but this didn't get them to help me either. And I followed all the advice, dressed smart, was polite and clean shaven etc.

 

What can I do?

[glegolo]

Marry her, get a yellow tabien (falang house book) and then you will be able to get a bank-account at Khrung Thai Bank, and Bangkok Bank, amongst others.

 

If this fails, check your girlfriends relatives if there are any teachers or gouvermently employed people, THEY will and can help you in a hurry to get a bankaccount.

 

glegolo

[PoorSucker]

Do you have a non-immigrant visa? 

[elviajero]

You just have to keep trying other branches/banks.

 

Bangkok bank is usually a good option, especially if you know an existing account holder that can provide a reference.

Edited May 28, 2018 by elviajero

[SteveK]

Fiance has a Kasikorn account, but this didn't help at all in the branch. 

 

Fiance also knows a friend who works at the pink bank, and she said no way can I get an account without a work permit.

 

The head of the village was going to come with us today to help but someone told him that if I get myself into trouble it could blow back on him so he changed his mind.

 

My appointment with Embassy in Bangkok is 18th June to get my affidavit so will be probably 23rd before we could register at the amphur, and apparently even then it is no guarantee as the banks all said that they would still want a work permit.

 

Another issue is that I am on a 60 day tourist visa, so by the time I have gotten married, applied for and got the yellow tabien baan, my visa will have expired and would need to exit Thailand to get yet another visa which could well be refused. 

 

It's a complete nightmare.

 

None of the bank staff seemed particular bothered or interested to help. I got the distinct impression this was them saving face rather than admitting that they didn't know how to proceed.

 

So I either need to find someone important who trusts me or get a work permit, there is no other option.

[ubonjoe]

Try the Bangkok Bank branch on Sappasit road beside the government hospital. I have opened two accounts there without a problem.

After you get married you could make a trip to Savannakhet and get single entry non-o visa based upon marriage with no financial proof without problem. Only a short trip to Mukdahan and then cross the bridge to Savannakhet.

[drjden]

Go to this Bangkok Bank website:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/Account.aspx

 

Print out the requirements to open an account as a foreigner, make sure you have all relevant documents and take it all to the bank..

 

Good luck ?

[MaeJoMTB]

If you're in Ubon, just go over to Suvannakhet and get a married non o multi for 5kbht. (90 days x5)

No need for any proof of finances or money in the bank.

 

Exchange rates aren't great at the moment, I certainly wouldn't transfer 'a large chunk'.

I have bank accounts at SCB, Bangkok and TMB, never had a work permit.

 

Edited May 28, 2018 by MaeJoMTB

[glegolo]

18 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

If you're in Ubon, just go over to Suvannakhet and get a married non o multi for 5kbht. (90 days x5)

No need for any proof of finances or money in the bank.

 

Exchange rates aren't great at the moment, I certainly wouldn't transfer 'a large chunk'.

I have bank accounts at SCB, Bangkok and TMB, never had a work permit.

 

Why do you feel the need to repeat a recent post done by Ugonjoe for an hour ago.... Too much..

 

glegolo

[arfandy]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Try the Bangkok Bank branch on Sappasit road beside the government hospital. I have opened two accounts there without a problem.

After you get married you could make a trip to Savannakhet and get single entry non-o visa based upon marriage with no financial proof without problem. Only a short trip to Mukdahan and then cross the bridge to Savannakhet.

 

Hi, if i live in Nan province, do you think there is a bus going to Savanakhet? or must i take it from Bangkok bus station to reach Savannakhet? I usually get my visa in Vientiane and this Savannakhet consular is pretty new thing to me. I contacted my previous visarun service that always meet up at BTS Ong Nut for visa border run and they wouldnt do the trip to Savannakhet.

 

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

37 minutes ago, arfandy said:

Hi, if i live in Nan province, do you think there is a bus going to Savanakhet? or must i take it from Bangkok bus station to reach Savannakhet? I usually get my visa in Vientiane and this Savannakhet consular is pretty new thing to me. I contacted my previous visarun service that always meet up at BTS Ong Nut for visa border run and they wouldnt do the trip to Savannakhet.

There are buses to Mukdahan but not direct to Savannakhet. You take a bus from there to across the bridge to Savannakhet.

Probably no direct buses from Nan to Mukdahan. You likely would be able to get one to Udon Thani or Koen Khen and then one to Mukdahan.

There are buses to Mukdahan from Bangkok.

[SteveK]

I was already aware of what the banks say on their own websites, but it seems the bank staff are not. And they didn't want to check either.

[Tanoshi]

4 hours ago, pr9spk said:

Fiance has a Kasikorn account, but this didn't help at all in the branch. 

Your fiancé might be trying to open a current account for you, which are only available to Thais and foreigners with PR or work permits.

 

You need to specify a Savings account.

Bangkok Bank Accounts
A savings account is your first step to banking in Thailand. Provided you meet a few basic eligibility requirements, all you need is an initial deposit of 500Bt.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/default.aspx

Edited May 28, 2018 by Tanoshi

[SteveK]

Unfortunately we were asking for a savings account.

[Tanoshi]

3 hours ago, pr9spk said:

Unfortunately we were asking for a savings account.

Your experience is becoming a common problem.

 

A friend had the same experience at my own branch of BKK, that I'd recommended, which he visited with his Thai girlfriend.

We revisited the branch, without Thai girlfriend, the difference being they often won't stand their ground, accuse the staff of being wrong, or insist on speaking to the manager or head office, for fear of someone losing face.

 

At first we were met with the same resistance, but we firmly insisted they check their own website. They conceded he could open a Savings account, but insisted he had to be referred by a Thai account holder.

Again I asked specifically where on the website it specified a Thai as giving a reference.

 

At that point I insisted on seeing the assistant manager, a lady I know well, who speaks good English.

There were a few words between her and the staff members, who then duly opened him an account without further argument.

 

4 things I would recommend is;

Go with a print out of their requirements from their website.

Ensure you have all documents available.

Have someone who already holds an account with them accompany you.

Pick a main branch where there is a much higher chance of them speaking English.

 

The training these front staff receive when dealing with foreigners appears not to be aligned with their website information.

Sometimes you have to be firm but polite and stand on your own feet without relying on a Thai, who will not be familiar with the different procedures and accounts available to foreigners.

 

 

[Tanoshi]

19 hours ago, glegolo said:

Marry her, get a yellow tabien (falang house book) and then you will be able to get a bank-account at Khrung Thai Bank, and Bangkok Bank, amongst others.

No requirement in the Act to be married to obtain a Yellow house book.

No evidence having a Tabien Baan allows you to get a bank account.

[NanLaew]

The Bangkok Bank information is always contentious and even on their own website, the advice can seem contradictory or request something that the British Embassy (and others) cannot do.

 

See the attached from Bangkok Bank's website that infers that the simple affirmation of British ID as issued by the British Embassy is all that is required. Unfortunately, they suggest that the British Consul sign the Bangkok Bank form but the British Consul cannot be signatory to a third-party's forms, ie. they will issue their own affirmation as to your ID and claimed address but they won't sign the one from the bank.

 

However, if one wants to also get the SWIFT 'letter of recommendation', they even include a suggested SWIFT letter content.

 

If you scroll down through the list of requested items a, b, c and d, you will see that they are all separated by "or" so it would appear that d, a copy of your driving license is all that is required? If you don't have one already, the Thai DL is quite easy to get if you already have a British one.

 

This form and two others that may be of use in opening an account can be found here.

 

Good luck!

[glegolo]

53 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

No requirement in the Act to be married to obtain a Yellow house book.

No evidence having a Tabien Baan allows you to get a bank account.

You are of couse right about marriage and yellow book, but you seems to be quite unaware of the fact that here in Chaiyaphum consequently most banks ask for a yellow book in order to be able to open a bank account. You always learn something new every day, yeah....?

 

glegolo

[SteveK]

I'm not really willing to be pushy, I just want a basic savings account without too much hassle, so that I can get the visa after we are married.

 

Considering that you need a bank account to apply for an extension of stay based on marriage, surely this is just a covert way of trying to keep more foreigners from being able to live here? Is that me being paranoid?

 

Even the Thai bank employees don't seem to understand the rules. I have been told different things by loads of different people. The only sure fire way of getting an account seems to be getting a work permit, and seeing as I am not allowed to work here, it becomes even more ridiculous.

 

It's a shame that Stephen Hawking is dead, I am sure he could have come up with a solution.

 

I'm desperately trying not to get annoyed, but am now certain various Thai people have either lied to me or don't know what they are talking about. I'm not trying to get a permit to buy uranium, I am trying to set up a basic savings account like the ones kids get back in the UK.

Edited May 30, 2018 by pr9spk

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

I'm not really willing to be pushy, I just want a basic savings account without too much hassle, so that I can get the visa after we are married.

Get married.

Then get the single entry non-o visa in Savannakhet I suggested in a earlier post.

Then try to open a bank account.

Did you you try at the bank branch I suggested earlier in post #6.

[SteveK]

Hi Ubon Joe. Thanks for all your advice.

 

I will try the branch when I go to Bangkok to get my papers from the Embassy next month, if that doesn't work I will get the non-o in Savannakhet.

 

I am a bit concerned, because all of the banks either said point blank "no", or "do you have a work permit" (which turned into a no when they realised I wasn't working). Nobody cared about which type of visa I had, or if I was married. We wore our wedding rings into the banks as well. I am starting to think the banks may have had some new instructions from the government.

 

A Swiss colleague of mine opened a bank account a few years ago with a few hundred baht, no papers other than a passport, and gave a Pattaya guest house as his address. Something is definitely up.

[observer90210]

Went through similar issues some time back, no bank accepted to open me an account.

 

Went over to a bank with a friend who had an account in the bank and knew the manager....issue solved, account opened, total time 30 minutes with the ATM card and passBook.

[observer90210]

Had similar issue some time back. No bank accepted to open me an account, despite my ostentatious boot licking, dressing up in dark clothing well pressed shirt, pants despite the heat outside, tempting them with a nice bundle of $ $ $  ...not way....go away !

 

Went back later,  but with a friend who had an chunky business account in the bank, knew the manager...and there I was, with my faded shorts, Chang T shirt, flip flops being treated as a VIP !!!....account opened in 30 minutes, with passBook, ATM card and hopefully soon a date with one of the hotties at the other counter who got hot and wet when she saw...not me !!!...but my bunch of $$$ !!! .... So it's all relative, nothing is granted or constant...if you accept it, you live it happy. Good Luck.

[SteveK]

Tried several more banks included the Bangkok Bank branch you recommended in Sappasit Road, as well as the one in Big C Ubon.

 

All said no.

 

I was well dressed, had all my documents, photocopies, copies of my Master's degree, my Thai fiance with tabien baan, the absolute works. Even wore a nice pair of shoes. Not a single bank even looked at any of my documents. Not even one. Nobody asked if we were married and nobody asked about my visa status.

 

I have now been to 14 bank branches in and around the Ubon area.

 

We always made it clear that we only wanted a savings account. Despite being courteous and polite we have gotten nowhere.

 

At the branch recommended in Ubon by UbonJoe (appreciated anyway), I made it expressly clear that I was not working, had no work permit, and only wanted a savings account. After the girl stared at me blankly for a few seconds, she asked for my work permit. She then spoke with my fiance for about 10 minutes, about god knows what, and apparently without a work permit they will only open accounts for Westerners with a signed guarantee by a senior member of either the government, the army, or the police.

 

As we don't know anybody of that stature (not sure who does), I am not able to open an account, and therefore not able to get a marriage visa.

 

So I will either be getting married and getting repeated non-o visas until they decide to not let me in anymore, or I can take my money to the Philippines and have much less hassle.

 

Forgive me if that sounds negative, but am definitely starting to feel like my money is not wanted here.

Edited June 3, 2018 by pr9spk

[colinneil]

8 hours ago, pr9spk said:

Tried several more banks included the Bangkok Bank branch you recommended in Sappasit Road, as well as the one in Big C Ubon.

 

All said no.

 

I was well dressed, had all my documents, photocopies, copies of my Master's degree, my Thai fiance with tabien baan, the absolute works. Even wore a nice pair of shoes. Not a single bank even looked at any of my documents. Not even one. Nobody asked if we were married and nobody asked about my visa status.

 

I have now been to 14 bank branches in and around the Ubon area.

 

We always made it clear that we only wanted a savings account. Despite being courteous and polite we have gotten nowhere.

 

At the branch recommended in Ubon by UbonJoe (appreciated anyway), I made it expressly clear that I was not working, had no work permit, and only wanted a savings account. After the girl stared at me blankly for a few seconds, she asked for my work permit. She then spoke with my fiance for about 10 minutes, about god knows what, and apparently without a work permit they will only open accounts for Westerners with a signed guarantee by a senior member of either the government, the army, or the police.

 

As we don't know anybody of that stature (not sure who does), I am not able to open an account, and therefore not able to get a marriage visa.

 

 

4

 Well mate i will try to help you but first you need to change your attitude, get off your high horse.

Many banks will open accounts for farangs without a work permit.

I think your biggest problem is your GF, leave her behind, go alone.

You say you dont know anybody senior enough, surely somebody close to you knows an older teacher, school director, policeman captain or above.

 

Now you and some others will attack what i have posted, but it is correct, and helpful to you.

 

Krung Thai will open an account for you, just follow what i posted.

 

 

Edited June 4, 2018 by colinneil

[Tanoshi]

23 minutes ago, colinneil said:

I think your biggest problem is your GF, leave her behind, go alone.

I can only emphasise that point from my own experience.

To many think their wife/gf can help, when in fact they have no idea of the different procedures and documents a foreigner has to provide and why should they! They rarely need no more than their ID card and Tabien Baan.

 

9 hours ago, pr9spk said:

At the branch recommended in Ubon by UbonJoe (appreciated anyway), I made it expressly clear that I was not working, had no work permit, and only wanted a savings account. After the girl stared at me blankly for a few seconds, she asked for my work permit. She then spoke with my fiance for about 10 minutes, about god knows what,

There you go!

You were stared at blankly because the member of staff didn't understand you.

The 'god knows what' conversation you didn't understand and probably complicated the issue.

 

I sympathise with your situation, but go alone, be firm but polite about what it states on their website for foreigners to open a Savings account, and if the front line 'juniors' don't know, insist on speaking to a higher official.

 

I've had a Savings account and Fixed term account with BKK for several years, but very recently decided to open a new account with another bank when BKK stopped issuing Visa debit cards. I walked into a local Kasikorn branch I'd never been in before and they immediately opened a Savings account. No mention of 'work permits'. Only my ID and proof of address were required.

After 14 attempts I believe your doing something wrong. 

[sirocco]

Hello,

If you do not work, where does the money come from in Thailand?
Banks may be afraid of money laundered.
If it's an inheritance, you can prove it, with your bank in your home country, just with the interest it pays, every month.
If it's a retirement, it's the same.
Although it may sound a bit unfair, I prefer their draconian vigilance than that of my country where even a paperless - migrant can open an account / accounts.
 

[gandalf12]

You say you took your Fiance with you but are applying for a visa based on marriage. How does that work as you are not yet, according to your post, actually married?

[transam]

Did you go to the BKK Bank just along from Sappasit Hospital...?

 

 (ask your bird).

 

Many of us bank there, they are very friendly. I had no ploblem opening an account but I was married..There was no questions about working, I just said I have loads of wonga for your bank...(I lied)...

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

You say you took your Fiance with you but are applying for a visa based on marriage. How does that work as you are not yet, according to your post, actually married?

If you read a little more in the topic you will find he wants to open the account in preparation for a visa/extension of stay and is preparing to register his marriage.