What does the bank letter have to show?

[Acharn]

I need to extend my stay based on retirement next month. I intended to do it this week, but various things occurred to prevent me from getting it done. I live in the small city of Nakhon Sawan. Dealing with Immigration here is a pleasure, similar to dealing with the Immigration office on Soi Suan Phlu back in the '90s, but I would prefer to have everything in order before going there. Not many farangs live here, and for historical reasons I opened my account with a smaller branch that apparently has no other farang customer, or maybe only two or three. I went to ask for the Bank Guarantee letter, and they were somewhat flustered. They understood what I needed when I said, "Daw visa," which is the common Thai idiom for what I need to do. The official seated at the computer had never done one before and was somewhat confused trying to navigate the Bangkok Bank internal network. Another official asked me if I wanted the letter in English or Thai. I chose Thai, although I suspect it wouldn't have made any difference. Now I remember back after the Dom Yum Kung financial melt-down (1997) they instituted a rule that in order to extend our stay we had to furnish copies of our bank books and a letter from the bank that listed all the foreign currency transfers we had made during the year. They finally gave up on that because the income affidavit from the embassy was still the main evidence used, and almost everybody was using ATMs to transfer their money, so there were no entries in the bank accounts. Anyway, when I got home I looked at the letter and even though there have been five overseas transfers since the beginning of the year it only showed the ending balance in my account. Has anybody extended their stay using the income method rather than the balance in bank method, and can you tell me if your bank letter was similar? I can see how this might be sufficient if I was basing my extension on the balance in the bank, and maybe it's just that the bureaucrats want to be consistent, but I know the banks had the ability twenty years ago to list our transactions in a letter so they must have the ability now. If that is needed, I could try going to the main branch where they are more accustomed to dealing with foreigners. I also made a withdrawal after I got the letter, so when I went to make copies of the bank book pages the ending balance was not the same as what was in the letter. Would that be a problem? I expect to go to Immigration next week, and will have enough time to correct any problems before reaching the end date of my current extension.

Edited June 29, 2019 by Acharn

[allane]

The last time I did it, the bank manager handed me a one or two sentence letter. I looked at it scepticly, and said, "I think I need more than this." He said "No,it's good enough". And, it was. All it said was "This is to confirm that Mr. X, (nationality and passport number), has account # 1234567 here, and that the current balance is B xxx,xxx." The date was stated at the top.

- you need to provide a photocopied page(s) of your bank book for the last three months,, and the first, identification page of your bank book. As a precaution, have every photocopy initialed and sealed by the bank staff.

- ensure that your name is written in the letter exactly as it is in your passport. Ensure that the stated balance in the letter matches your bank book to the exact satang. There have been posts on here from people reporting rejection for theses reasons.

- Have the letter typed the day you plan to use it if possible, or no more than one business day prior.  If one day prior, update your bank book before you go to Immigration on renewal day.

[ubonjoe]

You got the standard bank letter that banks do to prove the account is valid and the balance in your account that used for the money in the bank option. It is good it is in Thai since the majority of immigration offices want it to in Thai.

I don't think very many banks will not be able to a letter that shows all your transfers into the country to prove they came from abroad.

I suggest you ask for a 6 month statement for your account. All branches can print one out. If your bank book shows FTT transfers the statement will state they are international transfers. Then go to immigration to see if that is enough to prove your transfers.

Since the letter is only to verify your account not the balance the balance difference should not be a problem.

[lopburi3]

Believe it indeed has to be date/amount of each foreign transfer into account.  Someone posted an example listing both USD and Baht amounts - but if using a transfer service like Transferwise bank would only have the Baht amount available to report. 

 

Would hope anyone having examples that have been accepted will post (after removing personal information) as suspect others will need to have such as do not believe many branch banks will have much of a clue.

 

[natway09]

The banks know 

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, natway09 said:

The banks know 

Nothing?  You obviously have much better luck than I.  

[malt25]

All, most banks the the appropriate template on hand just waiting for your particular details to be inserted. Brief letter. 

[KhunBENQ]

Since long the Bangkok Bank letter comes directly from such template and looks very basic. At our upcountry branch not much more then "letter for visa" is to be said. Better have it in Thai language.

This one is from 2016 but unchanged since then:

 

 

That is the title of the document. Every banker should understand this.

It's a completely generic document. Nothing visa/immigration specific.

An "letter confirming account / balance".

A transcript:

năng-sĕu · ráp rong · yôt · ngern · fàak

 

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[lopburi3]

Again - we are not talking about account balance. 

 

We are talking about the new (this year) requirement for bank to confirm monthly foreign income transfers into a Thai bank account over a 12 month period of time.

[Brunolem]

You don't have to get the letter from the branch where your account is open. 

 

I am in a similar situation as you, with my account open in a small branch where I am probably the only farang customer... I have never seen one in all the years I have been here. 

 

When I needed the letter, I had it done at the main branch of the province, not far from where the immigration office is located, as well as all the main administrations. 

 

There, chances are that they have already delt with a few other farangs from the province... 

 

[allane]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

Again - we are not talking about account balance. 

 

We are talking about the new (this year) requirement for bank to confirm monthly foreign income transfers into a Thai bank account over a 12 month period of time.

I think we are in agreement, my point in Post #2 above being that is the bank book that "does the talking".  If three months isn't enough. photocopy more. The letter just serves to confirm that the ending balance shown in the book remains unchanged. It should not be necessary to list transactions in the letter.

[sambum]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

Again - we are not talking about account balance. 

 

We are talking about the new (this year) requirement for bank to confirm monthly foreign income transfers into a Thai bank account over a 12 month period of time.

Yes, "Big Joke" brought that in at the beginning of the year before his "demise".

 

However, this requirement was brought in(I believe) in January. If one's extension is due in say, September,  how can one possibly have 12 month's deposits made in 9 months? 

 

I seem to remember BJ saying that for this year only, Immigration Officers had been instructed to be "lenient", but to make a note in the passport to show that the applicant had been informed that when the next extension application was made. then the full 12 month's deposits would have to be shown.

 

However, now that we have a new "Boss" of Immigration, is he the same as the old  "Boss"? i.e. will he honour the arrangement made prior to his appointment? One possible scenario (which has been mentioned to me by someone who has been to Immigration, but came away "a trifle confused") was that the equivalent of 12 month's payments in total had to have been paid into the Thai bank by the due date of the extension (say, September) e.g. if the amount due (in the case of a man married to a Thai national) is 40,000 baht a month, then the total due in 12 months would be 480,000 baht. However 9 months payments @ 40,000 a month would total 360,000 baht leaving a discrepancy of 120,000 baht. This amount would have to be made up by either increasing the monthly deposits accordingly, or making a "one off" additional deposit of 120,000 baht to make up the requirement. However, I do not know the accuracy of this suggestion, and would be grateful for any information from others in the same position. 

[lopburi3]

32 minutes ago, sambum said:

If one's extension is due in say, September,  how can one possibly have 12 month's deposits made in 9 months? 

By including months prior to January - and there are reports of people doing that at locations that required it.  But there are also reports of most offices allowing fewer months this year.  This is official policy and not likely to be changed - the question is what will immigration accept as bank proof next year and will the banks be willing to provide (Embassies could not - will banks be willing?)

[Pedrogaz]

I was told to do a small transaction at the ATM before you go into he bank (say take 1000 baht out of the account) and then have the book updated inside along with your letter.

[lopburi3]

We are talking apples and oranges here.  The procedure for bank account based extension is known by most banks and customers but we are talking about the new requirement for income extension method for countries that do not provide Embassy letter.  For that there is no account balance requirement - but bank is responsible for confirming to immigration your monthly deposit into a bank account here is at 40k or 65k each and every month.

[billd766]

3 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Since long the Bangkok Bank letter comes directly from such template and looks very basic. At our upcountry branch not much more then "letter for visa" is to be said. Better have it in Thai language.

This one is from 2016 but unchanged since then:

 

 

That is the title of the document. Every banker should understand this.

It's a completely generic document. Nothing visa/immigration specific.

An "letter confirming account / balance".

A transcript:

năng-sĕu · ráp rong · yôt · ngern · fàak

 

 

Could you possibly post the letter as an attachment so that I can download it to show the manager of my small local KBank branch.

 

Redact any personal information.

 

Thank you very much.

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Again - we are not talking about account balance.

I missed it and can't contribute more than what was written in the forum.

A member posted that at Kasikorn he could get a detailed printout of the foreign incoming transfers on request?

An account statement as it would be called.

Edited June 29, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

29 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Could you possibly post the letter as an attachment so that I can download it to show the manager of my small local KBank branch.

Well you can right click the two images and download.

Then print or store on smartphone.

Should be sufficient?

[atyclb]

4 hours ago, natway09 said:

The banks know 

 

lol. no they dont. i shot from cw immigration to my branch and all they knew how to do was the 800k baht certification. if i hadnt directed them to make the same cert but write the amt deposited for each of the 3 months they would be clueless, and yes i can speak read and write thai.  clueless = clueless in whatever language

[marcusarelus]

12 month detail of deposits to account takes a week from Bank of Bangkok and 6 months can do while you wait for income method.  I used 800k method with bank letter and copies of my bank book no deposit done that day.  

[sambum]

4 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

12 month detail of deposits to account takes a week from Bank of Bangkok and 6 months can do while you wait for income method.  I used 800k method with bank letter and copies of my bank book no deposit done that day.  

???

[PoorSucker]

Make sure you get a stamp on each letter. 

Bank missed one letter once and I had to go again. 

[OJAS]

20 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

12 month detail of deposits to account takes a week from Bank of Bangkok and 6 months can do while you wait for income method.  I used 800k method with bank letter and copies of my bank book no deposit done that day.  

How old was the bank letter in your case? (If I recall correctly, Maptaput is your local immigration office, as it is mine).

[Tony Soprano]

22 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

We are talking apples and oranges here.  The procedure for bank account based extension is known by most banks and customers but we are talking about the new requirement for income extension method for countries that do not provide Embassy letter.  For that there is no account balance requirement - but bank is responsible for confirming to immigration your monthly deposit into a bank account here is at 40k or 65k each and every month.

My bank book shows all the monthly 65,000+ FTT transfers from my home country. And I can get documents that show what I get from 2 pensions, my US bank they both get direct deposited to, the transfers I've made with Transferwise that show both the USD and Thai money amounts and my Thai bank account where they get deposited.  I intend to bring so many documents the immigration will get fed up and OK the visa, rather than look thru everything 5555  But it's all valid.

[Acharn]

Well, I'm surprised nobody seems to know, so I'll just have to ask at Immigration. I never used the balance in bank method, but was told the bank letter which was phased out in 2003 or 4 listed all the transfers from overseas into your account, so I expected that would be what they would give us now. I never transferred money into my account, so my bank letters never listed any transfers from overseas, and that never bothered the Immigration officers in those days. I'll post again after I've got some facts.

[lopburi3]

Unfortunately Transferwise deposits are no longer listed as FTT or international deposits; so another fly in the ointment.  

 

It is being discussed in another thread and received two today and no SMS and both listed as "interbank transfer by SMART".  If these are not allowed a lot of people will be up the creek without a paddle.  

[Blue bruce]

Some of you are confusing monthly deposits with with amount in your account. What the topic we are talking about here is not the amount in the bank but the monthly deposits of 40,000 or 65,000. The tellers in my Bangkok Bank in Buriram speak very little English. When I go in to the bank what do I need to tell them that I need a statement showing my monthly deposits. ?????

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, Blue bruce said:

Some of you are confusing monthly deposits with with amount in your account. What the topic we are talking about here is not the amount in the bank but the monthly deposits of 40,000 or 65,000. The tellers in my Bangkok Bank in Buriram speak very little English. When I go in to the bank what do I need to tell them that I need a statement showing my monthly deposits. ?????

Here is one that was posted in another topic.  Example-BankLetter-Monthly-Deposits.pdf

You should also request a bank statement. They can do one for 6 months at a branch. For 12 months it has to be requested from Bangkok and it takes about a week to get for a fee of 200 baht.

[Blue bruce]

Thanks Jo