Can't Open Bank Account To Get A Retirement Visa

[Buckaroo]

Hi there

I seem to be stuck in a loop, I am British aged 59.

I am trying to get a retirement visa, to get this I need to have 65,000 Baht income I have this and it is broken down as 40,000 a month pension and 320,000+ into a bank account in Thailand. The problem I have is that no banks here in Nan province will allow me to open an account without a work permit! They say this has been inforced since the military took control.

I feel at a loss about what to do, I have telephoned the Immigration 24hr call center and I am waiting to hear back as they will have to look into the matter. If anyone here has any ideas as to what my next coarse of action could be please, please let me know

Thanks in advance

[rgs2001uk]

open a joint bank account in your and your wifes name.

[Maestro]

open a joint bank account in your and your wifes name.

The OP did not say he is married or wants to get married.

--

Maestro

[Jingthing]

I feel your pain.

Rules that can't practically be followed even if you want to.

The only idea I can think of is to visit an area of Thailand where it is easier to open a bank account, such as Bangkok or Pattaya.

Then you might contact a local Thai, such as a lawyer or real estate broker to grease the wheels a little bit to come in with you and introduce you to a bank to open an account.

Perhaps you would still have to visit this bank every year for the balance letter, or perhaps your local branch could do that (you might ask your local banks about that and choose your bank based on their answer).

What a drag for you!

[jetranger]

Hi there

I seem to be stuck in a loop, I am British aged 59.

I am trying to get a retirement visa, to get this I need to have 65,000 Baht income I have this and it is broken down as 40,000 a month pension and 320,000+ into a bank account in Thailand. The problem I have is that no banks here in Nan province will allow me to open an account without a work permit! They say this has been inforced since the military took control.

I feel at a loss about what to do, I have telephoned the Immigration 24hr call center and I am waiting to hear back as they will have to look into the matter. If anyone here has any ideas as to what my next coarse of action could be please, please let me know

Thanks in advance

Hello B

I recently openned an account with the Kassikorn Bank, I was previously known to them because I regularly used and talked to them when using their services for cashing credit cards when ATM broke.

Maybe them knowing me made the difference but I had no problem at all, perhaps you could try them.

[gummy]

What VISA do you have currently and where did you obtain it or is it a 30 day VOA ?

[Buckaroo]

What VISA do you have currently and where did you obtain it or is it a 30 day VOA ?

Its a non immigrant O visa from the UK

Thanks for replies folks, looks like a joint account maybe the way to go as I dont fancy having to travel 750km just to get a letter to confirm that the funds are there

Edited March 15, 2007 by Buckaroo

[gummy]

What VISA do you have currently and where did you obtain it or is it a 30 day VOA ?

Its a Non immigrant O visa from the UK

Thanks for replies folks

In that case then suggest as other poster you go to a bank elswhere where they are more conversant with alien account holders requirements, may be a pain, but at least it will get the job done as a non-im O should allow you to open an account. Don't forget though that once you have opened an account the money has to be in it for 3 months prior to your new application.

[lopburi3]

A joint bank account will not likely be acceptable to immigration for extension of stay for retirement unless double the required funds are on deposit - and I am not at all sure they would even accept that if not your spouse.

I would keep trying different branch offices and have a Thai go with you if possible. I expect with cash in hand one of the major banks will open an account.

[Buckaroo]

looks like a trip to Chiang Mai, but I will be checking with the immigration office here to see if they will accept a joint account first.

Once again thanks for the replies

[gusG]

Two friends of mine in Koh Samui have recently renewed their retirement visas with bank statements from overseas banks showing the money deposited there.Idon't know if it's any different for the first application or for other areas than Samui, but maybe you could try that path.

[Karen51]

just to say good luck Buckeroo. We too having similar probs with opening a bank account and the "wheel greasing" option is now looking the favourite. Hope things get sorted soon.

[TerryLH]

lopburi3

"A joint bank account will not likely be acceptable to immigration for extension of stay for retirement unless double the required funds are on deposit - and I am not at all sure they would even accept that if not your spouse."

lopburi3, normally your info is clear and easy to understand, however, I'm having difficulty with this one. Since there is no info about who would be on the joint account, are you assuming it's not a Thai? If it's a Thai spouse, why would they have to show any money?

I believe this technicality has been on the books for several years, but hasn't been a problem in the past. I can remember chuckling about this Catch 22 when I first heard about it. Sorry, I realize it's not a laughing matter for those caught up in the problem. Hope it works out.

[Martin_F]

Hi Buckaroo,

One poster had the same problems a couple of weeks ago. They got their landlord to help them.

Can you get somebody to help to open the account.

If you have the lump sum in cash try working in to the bank and showing them the money.

Also make sure you specify a savings or fixed deposit account and not a current account.

Do not do a joint a/c., it will be rejected by immigration.

[lopburi3]

lopburi3

"A joint bank account will not likely be acceptable to immigration for extension of stay for retirement unless double the required funds are on deposit - and I am not at all sure they would even accept that if not your spouse."

lopburi3, normally your info is clear and easy to understand, however, I'm having difficulty with this one. Since there is no info about who would be on the joint account, are you assuming it's not a Thai? If it's a Thai spouse, why would they have to show any money?

I believe this technicality has been on the books for several years, but hasn't been a problem in the past. I can remember chuckling about this Catch 22 when I first heard about it. Sorry, I realize it's not a laughing matter for those caught up in the problem. Hope it works out.

And I can not understand what you do not understand. This is a single, retirement visa application. A joint account has not been accepted by immigration for retirement visa applications without the amount being twice that required as reported in other posts here over the years and believe that this is still the case. In other posts the joint holder was a spouse but this poster is not married so the account holder would not be and I am not at all sure that immigration would even consider such an arrangement (as the assumption could be made the other party 'really' holds the funds and the applicant is just using the account to obtain a visa).

[Karen51]

the previous posting re holding funds outside Thailand for retirement visa is interesting as that is what theThai Embassy Singapore told us. They said you could show bank statements in Singapore with equiv 800K Thai Baht and apply for visa in Singapore. Unfortunately we could not as we have the "wrong" type of Singapore residence permit. They want Singapore Permanent Residence status. Be interested if anyone residing in Singapore has managed to get the visa with a Singapore Employment Pass status.

[lopburi3]

the previous posting re holding funds outside Thailand for retirement visa is interesting as that is what theThai Embassy Singapore told us. They said you could show bank statements in Singapore with equiv 800K Thai Baht and apply for visa in Singapore. Unfortunately we could not as we have the "wrong" type of Singapore residence permit. They want Singapore Permanent Residence status. Be interested if anyone residing in Singapore has managed to get the visa with a Singapore Employment Pass status.

What you were told was in reference to application for a retirement O-A in home country (which is why your visa did not qualify you). Very different case. In Thailand you do not obtain an O-A visa but you extend a normal non immigrant visa one year at a time. For this, if using bank funds, they have always required them to be in a Thai located bank account.

If indeed immigration is allowing overseas accounts to be used it is a very important development; if more than a local Samui oddity.

[Krub]

looks like a trip to Chiang Mai, but I will be checking with the immigration office here to see if they will accept a joint account first.

Once again thanks for the replies

Hi, why don't you check with your local Nan immigration office ?

Itislocated next to the airport at Nan.

I am using that immigration office for my own reirement extension and they have been very very helpful.

They might even help you open an account with a local branch.

Have you tried all the local Nan bank branches ?

It seems such a drag to have to go all the way to Chiang Mai

I have my ow account at SCN in Uttaradit where I opened it with only a Non-Im and no work permit

Good luck

[Maestro]

I recently openned an account with the Kassikorn Bank

Was that in Nan province?

--

Maestro

[philnicol]

Just opend two accounts in Lomsak, Phetchabun - no problem with 60day tourist visa.

As they could'nt speak much english just asked me to sign the forms and they did the rest and now have applied to their head offices for internet banking and been granted.

Kasikorn Bank and Siam Commercial Bank

Would have thought Nan would be the same.

[gennisis]

Hi there

I seem to be stuck in a loop, I am British aged 59.

I am trying to get a retirement visa, to get this I need to have 65,000 Baht income I have this and it is broken down as 40,000 a month pension and 320,000+ into a bank account in Thailand. The problem I have is that no banks here in Nan province will allow me to open an account without a work permit! They say this has been inforced since the military took control.

I feel at a loss about what to do, I have telephoned the Immigration 24hr call center and I am waiting to hear back as they will have to look into the matter. If anyone here has any ideas as to what my next coarse of action could be please, please let me know

Thanks in advance

I live in Chaing Mai and had no problem with Bangkok Bank. Opened a savings account with 1000 bht note and when I had the account details I arranged for my UK bank(Nationwide) to transfer by CHAPS the 800,000 needed for my retirement visa.

[Maestro]

Would have thought Nan would be the same.

Often, it is different even between two branches of the same bank in the same town, even on the same street.

--

Maestro

[TerryLH]

And I can not understand what you do not understand. This is a single, retirement visa application. A joint account has not been accepted by immigration for retirement visa applications without the amount being twice that required as reported in other posts here over the years and believe that this is still the case. In other posts the joint holder was a spouse but this poster is not married so the account holder would not be and I am not at all sure that immigration would even consider such an arrangement (as the assumption could be made the other party 'really' holds the funds and the applicant is just using the account to obtain a visa).

I understand the problem if not a spouse. From reading prior posts here I must have missed where he said he wasn't married.

In the past, in the threads I've looked at about double the amount, it was always two foreigners, not a foreigner married to a Thai. If that is the case, and I'll assume your info is better than mine on this particular subject, it doesn't make much sense. Then again, there's lots that don't make sense to me.

Always happy to read your informed posts.

[sonicdragon]

Bangkok bank will definitely allow you to open an account - but you need to a certified copy of your passport. If they give you any trouble in the branch when you go, call their national hotline 1333 and after navigating the menu to speak to a human, get that person to speak the the branch staff. That's exactly what I had to do.

I have since found out that Kasikorn Bank and Krung Thai bank will open an account for you with only your passport as ID, no work permit needed, and no certified copy, though not all branches will do it, and you might also have to go through the same telephone process as with bkk bank. However with KTB you don't get an ATM card.

[Kruang]

I had a problem opening a bank account at Bangkok Bank in Chanthaburi without a work permit, even though I already had an account at the main branch of BB in Bangkok. Many of the "upcountry" banks are simply not conversant with the rules, or they are just risk-averse when it comes to dealing with farang customers.

On my next visit to BB in Bkk, I complained about this. I was advised to go back to the branch in Chanthaburi and call the BB customer service center when I was there, and let them talk to the local branch. That did the trick. The local branch now felt that the were operating on instructions from the head office and were protected in case any issues came up.

You could save yourself some time-consuming travel with a phone call to a one of the customer service centers of the major banks. They know the rules and they have agents who can speak English as well.

[ray23]

I think you have been given accurate information you need to go bank shopping. Many guys here in Udon have had the same problem. However after making contact with the main branch of bank Of Bangkok they have gotten accounts just as I did with a tourist Visa.

Maybe it's different bank have different policies or maybe it's clerk who don't want to deal with non Thai speakers.

I am married and immigrations will not let my wife be named on my account, that is Nong Khai immigartions and from what I can tell each office has it's own idea on how to do things. This was a change about two years ago in this area. a lot of guys here had to move thier money into accounts in thier names only.

They explained the change and said that the money in the account was to make sure that the foriegner would not be a burden on Thailand Since people do get divorced that was the way they wanted it done. Isn't that scary, logical

[LoveDaBlues]

Bangkok bank will definitely allow you to open an account - but you need to a certified copy of your passport. If they give you any trouble in the branch when you go, call their national hotline 1333 and after navigating the menu to speak to a human, get that person to speak the the branch staff. That's exactly what I had to do.

I have since found out that Kasikorn Bank and Krung Thai bank will open an account for you with only your passport as ID, no work permit needed, and no certified copy, though not all branches will do it, and you might also have to go through the same telephone process as with bkk bank. However with KTB you don't get an ATM card.

I opened an account at Krung Thai with only a passport. I was issued an ATM card.

[jbhh]

Hi,

A friend of mine got a retirement visa about 5 months ago in Hua Hin, all he needed was a statement from Germany confirming his retirement income, and a certified translation of it.

He has virtually no money in his Bank account(s), as he manges to run out of money quite often a couple of days before the next load comes

[lopburi3]

I suspect your friend had a letter from his Embassy as that is the requirement for retirement extensions of stay. But the original poster in this thread does not meet the 65k per month requirement so must also use a bank deposit to make up for the shortfall.

[tomallison]

Ref: Joint Account.

I have applied for, an obtained, my last 3 retirement extensions with a joint bank account. This being with a Thai, not spouse. Am hoping to continue with this account for my next extension later tnis year.