SCB bank require a confirmation showing at least 1 years residency from immigration

[norbra]

Has any member obtained such a confirmation ? If so does it include length of time (years) living in Thailand?

My first ever TM 30 (apart from what hotels may have provided in the distant past)was submitted January this year.

Thanks in advance for any info

[Vacuum]

Never heard of this, change Bank.

[BritManToo]

You just walked into a branch that's anti-foreigner.

Every bank branch has it's own rules, just like every immigration office.

Try another one.

[roobaa01]

the 12 months extension stamp in your passport.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[norbra]

1 minute ago, roobaa01 said:

the 12 months extension stamp in your passport.

 

wbr

roobaa01

I showed them every extension (5)in my current Passport but they still want imm letter

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, norbra said:

I showed them every extension (5)in my current Passport but they still want imm letter

How many SCB branches did you try?

[scubascuba3]

Try different branches and banks. It took me 3 to find a friendly bank

[KhunBENQ]

2 hours ago, norbra said:

My first ever TM 30 (apart from what hotels may have provided in the distant past)was submitted January this year.

And where/which area do you live?

Might help to get specific hints where to look.

 

[phuketrichard]

I bank with scb ( 2 accounts) both online as well

Never been asked for anything from immigration

[CharlieH]

Dont put up with it, go to another bank/branch, they are all like franchises and operate differently.

You could go in there tomorrow and see someone else and get a totally different response. Happens more than you would think.

[norbra]

Thanks for your responses. I returned today armed with receipts issued by immigration for my last several renewals.

Different teller who could not speak english,pulled my application ,which had been processed by  HO with the "immigration letter required" notation,teller did not know the meaning of immigration,so I produced the Immigration Police receipts and all was well.

BigC Branch Minburi

[KhunBENQ]

Good to read that it was sorted out.

 

2 hours ago, norbra said:

BigC Branch Minburi 

One hint would have been: don't go to the "micro branches" in shopping centers but to regular/major branches

 

[dotpoom]

One would think your passport would supply them with that information in most cases.

[bkk6060]

26 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

One would think your passport would supply them with that information in most cases.

How is that?

A passport does not document your residency....

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

How is that?

A passport does not document your residency....

I think a passport would have stamps, visas and etc that shows how long you have stayed in the country.

I know mine does that go back for several years now.

[nightfox]

Avoid SCB and Kasikorn bank. I was told to go to Kgrunsri bank to try to open an account by the staff of Kasikorn in Central Pattaya after being rejected because my visa was a Non O and not Non OA as their policy. Wend next door to Krunsri showed them my passport with my Non O visa, they asked for my Thai drivers license and 20 minutes later I had a savings account with online banking and was out the door. Pretty easy.

[connda]

20 hours ago, norbra said:

I showed them every extension (5)in my current Passport but they still want imm letter

Find a different branch or a different bank.  They are cluing you in on their future service and attitude toward you.

It's pretty amazing to watch Thai xenophobia out-trump banker greed.  The hassle they put you through is in direct correlation to management's hate toward foreigners.  So, get a clue.  Go elsewhere and don't look back.

 

Edited February 28, 2019 by connda

[OzMan]

I cam here two months ago on a retirement visa. Walked into SCB in Terminal 21 and asked to open an account. Filled in some forms, and the lady said she would need to ask head office if I could open account and get back to me. Next morning I had an SMS saying head office had approved my account and I opened it that afternoon.

[Jim7777]

22 hours ago, norbra said:

I showed them every extension (5)in my current Passport but they still want imm letter

That’s interesting because my local Bangkok Bank Branch wanted similar information from me as well the thing from immigration that they asked you for, a letter from the embassy, and my Social Security Card.  So ironically that’s exactly why I opened an account at my local SCB branch instead of Bangkok Bank and I’ve had nothing but great experiences with my local SCB branch.  

 

So I guess it’s true each Thai bank branch do make their own rules but then again it’s not that much different back home in the States.  Just try a different bank or a different SCB branch until you find the right one.

 

When I opened my account at SCB they were able to get my immigration information off of my passport and my proof of residency off of my wife’s Tambien Baan and my lease agreement, my wife was with me and they asked to see her Thai ID Card as well.  But the account is still in my name only which I have heard is an immigration requirement and that it can’t be a joint account that’s another reason why I opened my own account at SCB in my name only.  We still have our joint account at Bangkok Bank but I use my SCB account in my name only for my monthly international wire transfers.  SCB did require me to fill out a lot of paperwork and provide copies of a lot of paperwork but at least it was paperwork that I had readily available and I didn’t have to get anything from immigration, the Embassy, or show my Social Security Card which I can’t even find lol.  Obviously if I have a passport I could not have got it unless the Embassy and or the State Department was able to verify my SSN.  I don’t know if you’re a US citizen or not but that’s how it works for us.

 

When I was opening my SCB account I actually did have to provide my Social Security Number when filling out some of the forms but I didn’t have to show my actual Social Security Card.  I actually had to fill out United States IRS forms and provide my SSN on the IRS forms, which totally surprised me I guess it’s a Thai bank account not a Swiss Bank Account or a Caribbean Bank Account LoL.  Apparently the Thai banks have an agreement with our Federal Trade Commission in the United States so I definitely would not try to hide money here in Thailand if I owed the IRS any back taxes which I don’t thank God.  Although it does make me feel more secure putting my money into a Thai bank account knowing that the Thai banks have an agreement with our FTC.  

 

At my local SCB branch the service is actually great, and their online banking is awesome they even set it up for me right there at the bank in 5 minutes the online banking.  I have a debit card with the MasterCard logo on it and it works when shopping when I swipe it it’s great.  I only pay a 300 Baht a year fee which is a little less than Bangkok Bank which charges 500 Baht a year for a savings account.  

 

Personally I highly recommend SCB if you can find another SCB branch that doesn’t require all that then great if not then just go bank shopping like I did the day I opened my SCB account.  I got really lucky that day because the manager at my local SCB branch was extremely helpful she was great.  Or maybe just go to immigration and try asking for that document if you have to I know I almost did until I walked into my local SCB branch that day.  

 

I remember when my local Bangkok Bank branch manager was giving me a hard time that day and telling me that he needed all that stuff from immigration, the Embassy, and my Social Security Card he said that “any other bank would tell me the same thing”, well that was BS because my local SCB branch didn’t and I had my SCB account opened in less than 30 minutes.  I even had to go back and see that manager at my local Bangkok Bank branch and show him my SCB debit card and pass book and I told him “no actually they didn’t tell me the same thing I opened the account really fast and their service was great”.  I usually don’t do stuff like that around here but I couldn’t resist that day because that Bangkok Bank manager was just being an a hole.  So I just had to show him that he was wrong I couldn’t resist.  He looked at my SCB debit card and pass book with a surprised look on his face and said that he was just following instructions from his superiors, and I said nicely that I can understand that because I’m retired military but I also told him that as a result Bangkok Bank just lost my business and SCB just gained my business.  And we parted ways on a good note at least but I did show him that he was wrong.  And honestly I like SCB a lot better than Bangkok Bank and I highly recommend SCB, but if you can’t find a decent SCB branch wherever you are then just go Bank shopping as I did that day I opened my SCB account in my name only.  If you have to then I guess just go to Immigration and ask them for what they want I almost ended up doing that but I didn’t have to.  If I would have had to get any documentation from immigration to open a bank account it only would have been a bit of an inconvenience but not really a big deal luckily I didn’t have to and I was able to quickly open my SCB account with no hassle.  I guess it’s true it just depends on what bank branch not even the specific bank but each branch has their own rules. But like I said we deal with the same BS in the States when trying to take care of business it’s just life stuff we all deal with.  

[onera1961]

23 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How many SCB branches did you try?

I don't think people have time to walk around in town and try every branch. I am tired of this suggestions

[onera1961]

12 minutes ago, Jim7777 said:

I actually had to fill out United States IRS forms and provide my SSN on the IRS forms, which totally surprised me I guess

It is FATCA requirements. 

[NoshowJones]

SCB bank is probably the same as any other bank or establishment in Thailand, they

all make up their own rules. Try another bank.

[EricTh]

Look at this thread here on SCB. It's easier to open a bank account at Bangkok Bank

 

 

[Jim7777]

2 hours ago, OzMan said:

I cam here two months ago on a retirement visa. Walked into SCB in Terminal 21 and asked to open an account. Filled in some forms, and the lady said she would need to ask head office if I could open account and get back to me. Next morning I had an SMS saying head office had approved my account and I opened it that afternoon.

I actually had an easier time then that at my local SCB branch at my local mall when I opened my SCB account, but it sounds like it just depends on what branch you are using for any Thai bank and more specifically I think it depends on the bank manager.  The female manager at my local SCB branch was awesome and the male manager at my local Bangkok Bank branch was a bit of a dick.  Just read my last post.  I’ve also noticed whenever I’m taking care of any kind of business around here the females treat us better usually then the men, not always but quite often they do.  Even somewhat at immigration as well but at my local immigration office they are all extremely helpful as long as you are following the rules male or female IO’s.  I did have one male IO cut me a break one day because I was doing my 90 day report and I had forgotten the original copy of the Tambien Baan that day, but instead of making me go back home and get it he gave me my new report date anyway and he just said “make sure you remember to bring it next time”.  That was the last time I reported before I did my last extension last year if I remember right.

 

I can’t really complain about anything here in Thailand except for maybe that bank manager at my local Bangkok Bank branch but that was an easy fix I just opened an account at my local SCB branch instead and their service is a lot better, even my monthly international wire transfers post to my SCB account faster so I’m actually glad I went to SCB instead.  

 

Overall I’ve been treated really well here in Thailand I can’t complain and I have been living here for almost 5 years.  That’s why when I read so many people complaining about everything on here I wonder if it’s the whole story.  I’ve had to figure out a lot of stuff by trial and error and I’ve had to ask for a lot of advice from someone very experienced living here but overall I love it here.  When living in a foreign country obviously there is going to be at least a little bit of red tape to get through but it’s really not that bad.  I’ve had to ask a lot of questions because this is my first time living abroad as a civilian I’m retired military and I’ve been all over the world and I’ve lived in Asia before but in the military you don’t have to worry about immigration and all that stuff except for when traveling and going through airports and I used to travel all over Asia when I was living in Tokyo especially Seoul, Korea.  I’ve been pulled into secondary many times when I was in the military mainly because I was a frequent flier always in civilian clothes and I was constantly traveling all over this part of the world.  I’ve been selected for surprise baggage inspections a few times when traveling through Seoul in secondary and have been questioned quite a bit in secondary but that was when I used to constantly travel in the military with a special type of unit almost always traveling alone.  This was also the first time I’ve ever had to personally open a foreign bank account so that was also a learning experience for me along with immigration and everything else in life as a civilian living abroad.  In my old job sometimes I traveled TDY under the guise as a civilian but it was still nothing like actually living abroad as a real civilian I learned quickly how different it really is then living abroad in the military.  But overall it’s not that difficult just renewing my extension once a year and the 90 day reports, and now having a Thai bank account I’m actually saving a lot of money by using my SCB account instead of my United States bank account all the time.  

[Jim7777]

33 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

It is FATCA requirements. 

I figured it was something like that or an agreement with the United States FTC or something like that but it was a lot like opening a bank account in the States.  Honestly I don’t know off hand what the FATCA is but I know that all International wire transfers do go through the Federal Trade Commission in the States that’s what my bank in the States told me anyway a few times.  

Edited February 28, 2019 by Jim7777

[Jim7777]

31 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Look at this thread here on SCB. It's easier to open a bank account at Bangkok Bank

 

 

I’ve actually found SCB to be a lot better than Bangkok Bank but that’s just my own personal experience at my local branches where I live sounds like they’re all different sometimes.  

[bkk6060]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I think a passport would have stamps, visas and etc that shows how long you have stayed in the country.

I know mine does that go back for several years.

Has nothing to do with the question.

Does it show that you are a resident which is what the OP is asking about?

Coming in and out of the country with stamps on your passport has nothing to do with showing or proving residency.

It was not a guessing game but a specific question I believe.

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2019 by bkk6060

[Jim7777]

In fact I should be paid here real soon since I’m retired military and a disabled veteran and I use a Federal Credit Union in the States so I get paid a day early so I’ll be making my next monthly wire transfer by about 7PM tonight.  But my pension payments are probably in the account now if not they will be in about an hour or two. So I think I’ll check on that here pretty soon.  I just realized today is payday YES!!! Maybe I’ll take my wife out tonight if she’s feeling better unfortunately I can’t drink right now because of a few flare ups of some medical problems.  

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Has nothing to do with the question.

Does it show that you are a resident which is what the OP is asking about?

I think what was wanted was proof a person was staying here long term. Residency perhaps was not exactly that was being asked for.

A one year extension of stay stamp or a entry OA long stay visa would prove that.

In my case they could see that have not been out of the country for years.

[Jim7777]

2 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Has nothing to do with the question.

Does it show that you are a resident which is what the OP is asking about?

Coming in and out of the country with stamps on your passport has nothing to do with showing or proving residency.

It was not a guessing game but a specific question I believe.

 

 

 

Well read my first post not all banks here require information from immigration my passport stamps were accepted at my local SCB branch when I opened my SCB account there.  I didn’t have to show anything from immigration just our Tambien Baan and my lease agreement and a lot of other paperwork but it was all paperwork that I had readily available and that most other people living here on a long stay visa extension would also have readily available.  I didn’t have to ask immigration for anything but I would have if I had to.  

 

I opened my SCB account in only 30 minutes in one day with NO PAPERWORK FROM IMMIGRATION but like I said that was just my personal experience at my local SCB branch.  Apparently a lot of other bank branches are different which I’ve also seen for myself as well just read my first post about my experience opening a Thai bank account in my name only.  Sometimes you just have to go bank shopping or just get the paperwork from immigration I guess I’m sure it’s not that hard to get.  Luckily I didn’t have to go through all that extra hassle when I opened my SCB account but again that’s just my own personal experience where I live.