Keeping 800K in the bank after extension of stay

[Tanoshi]

On 4/29/2021 at 11:09 AM, colinneil said:

My wife went to do my 90 day report yesterday in Khonkaen, first 90 day since my yearly retirement extension, she was not asked to show the 800. 000 baht.

 

10 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Irrelevant. This is about extension of stay, not 90 day reporting.

It was relevant.

@colinneilpointing out at Khon Kaen they don't ask for proof of the 800K 90 days after the extension is issued.

[Toolong]

2 minutes ago, Toolong said:

Thanks for the quick respnse Tanoshi, and I'm glad you say it isn't a problem.

 

But can I just ask why? Are the rules dfferent for the marriage visa 400k?

Or is it that the money was just moved to a new account? 

[Tanoshi]

6 minutes ago, Toolong said:

Thanks for the quick respnse Tanoshi, and I'm glad you say it isn't a problem.

 

But can I just ask why? Are the rules dfferent for the marriage visa 400k?

Yes.

For extensions based on marriage, the financial requirement is 400K deposited in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the date of application, although it's recommended to leave it their until the extension application is approved and you receive the stamp.

 

Thereafter you can withdraw and spend as required, provided you top up the account to 400K again 2 months before planning to submit the following years extension.

1. 327-2557 (2014) - extension criteria & conditions Eng.pdf

 

Section 2.18

Quote

(6) In the case of marriage to a Thai woman, the alien husband must earn an average annual
income of no less than Baht 40,000 per month or must have no less than Baht 400,000 in a
bank account in Thailand for the past two months to cover expenses for one year.

 

Unlike extension based on retirement, there is no requirement to keep funds in a Thai bank account after receiving an extension based on marriage.

[Bangkok Barry]

11 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

There is no rule changes with regards to marriage extensions.

The only requirement is to have 400K in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the date of application.

 

That said, extensions based on marriage have to be approved at regional level (you receive a 30 day under consideration stamp). During this consideration period and until the extension is approved, it has always been the advice of many experienced TVF members to keep the 400K in the bank whilst your application is under approval.

This is because there is a possibility it could be refused and you need to resubmit.

 

It's not a rule change, just good advice until approved.

 

That confirms what I wrote. Even though there might not be a rule change, it doesn't prevent an IO making a change anyway. A week before I applied, the requirement (as you say) was that the money had to be there for two months. When I applied their own rule had changed to demand it be there for a further month. Go below the 400,000 limit during consideration and I was told that the extension would be refused by the Khon Kaen office. There was no 'official' rule change, only one that the Kalasin office made themselves.

 

They told my wife that the 'unofficial' rule change was in response to a Nigerian the week before taking the amount below 400,000 a  day or two before he made his application, and the Kalasin office didn't notice and likely got rapped over the knuckles about it. So by demanding the money be kept during the consideration was probably to cover their backs (and actually nothing to do with Khon Kaen).

So the advice from TVF members is a good one. Ignore what the rules say and play safe.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Unlike extension based on retirement, there is no requirement to keep funds in a Thai bank account after receiving an extension based on marriage.

 

My italics. When the rule actually is to keep it in the bank for two months prior to making the application. Which we are in agreement on ????

[Toolong]

4 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Yes.

For extensions based on marriage, the financial requirement is 400K deposited in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the date of application, although it's recommended to leave it their until the extension application is approved and you receive the stamp.

 

Thereafter you can withdraw and spend as required, provided you top up the account to 400K again 2 months before planning to submit the following years extension.

1. 327-2557 (2014) - extension criteria & conditions Eng.pdf 735.35 kB · 0 downloads

 

Section 2.18

 

Unlike extension based on retirement, there is no requirement to keep funds in a Thai bank account after receiving an extension based on marriage.

Tanoshi.....you have made my day! ????

 

I thought for a moment I'd messed up big-time. 

I really appreciate you replying to this and sending the link too.

 

Thanks a lot! ????

[sanuk711]

10 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Simple answer is if they request you provide evidence of the 800K 3 months after your extension, then you'll have to appear in person, regardless of 90 day reporting

You mean when you get your 1 year extension--if they request you come back in after 90 days & that you can not use the computer the government has set up for this very thing.

 

I know everywhere is different--I have lived here (Udon Thani) since well before the 90 days 1 year extension started. Never been asked about checking the money after 3 months --so I guess with the Comp up and running I will just be visiting IO once a year.

 

Things have got so much easier with IO over the years.

[Tanoshi]

14 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

My italics. When the rule actually is to keep it in the bank for two months prior to making the application. Which we are in agreement on ????

It's not a rule just good sensible advise.

 

Although it rarely happens, a friend had his marriage extension refused whilst under consideration.

He was asked to resubmit with a new updated application - the reason the copies were so poor they were unreadable.

He would have had a problem if he'd withdrawn the 400K whilst under consideration in obtaining new updated proof of financials from the bank.

[nauseus]

7 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

You mean when you get your 1 year extension--if they request you come back in after 90 days & that you can not use the computer the government has set up for this very thing.

 

I know everywhere is different--I have lived here (Udon Thani) since well before the 90 days 1 year extension started. Never been asked about checking the money after 3 months --so I guess with the Comp up and running I will just be visiting IO once a year.

 

Things have got so much easier with IO over the years.

 

Well the online 90 day service has only recently started working again and some posters still say they are having difficulties with it anyway.

 

Yes, everywhere seems to be different, so, if you can, try and be clear about the rules from your own individual Immigration office.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

See my comment above. Rules are not rules in Thailand. Rules are what the officer says they are. Never forget that, and trying to argue your case would be counter-productive.

I have argued my case twice with IOs, and both times I saw the boss and he took my side because it was so obvious I was right. I treated the IO with the same sort of hostile manner he used towards me.

Do not be frightened to answer back to these people, IMO they are not used to anyone answering back to them, you could see the look in their face when I did, but be sure you are 100% right before you do.

[Bangkok Barry]

21 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

It's not a rule just good sensible advise.

 

Although it rarely happens, a friend had his marriage extension refused whilst under consideration.

He was asked to resubmit with a new updated application - the reason the copies were so poor they were unreadable.

He would have had a problem if he'd withdrawn the 400K whilst under consideration in obtaining new updated proof of financials from the bank.

 

That should have been picked up when he submitted the application, rather than it being sent for approval and then being refused. My IO checked everything very carefully before accepting it. 

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

They are extremely annoying and in my opinion not great for Thailand as they re a strong incentive for frugality. They are also inhumane as far as showing no flexibility for unexpected emergency expenses.

Only if that's the only money you have.

[orchidfan]

Once again @Tanoshiis correct,  both in the official rule and his personal advice.

I just did my 1yr marriage extension at PT office.

Just to be on the safe side I left 400k in the account. 

But under the current pandemic situation, going back on the under consideration date, I never entered the Building other than to hand in my passport for stamping. 

Waited outside about 20 mins and passport handed back to me, stamped, outside.

Absolutely no mention of funds still being there or not.

But every office is different !

[Tanoshi]

26 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

That should have been picked up when he submitted the application, rather than it being sent for approval and then being refused. My IO checked everything very carefully before accepting it. 

To be honest I saw the returned copies and would never have supplied them myself.

The first copies weren't impressive and obvious by the time it got to the 50th copy the ink tank was running on fumes. I guess he didn't want to complain to the copy shop, or waste 50 baht.

 

I think his IO kept the first set of better copies and sent the worst set to regional.

 

The point being, it's always safer not to meddle with funds being used for the extension application until it's approved. 

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, Toolong said:

But can I just ask why? Are the rules dfferent for the marriage visa 400k?

Yes the rules are different, and it’s an extension not a visa 

[Jingthing]

59 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Only if that's the only money you have.

I disagree.

[Amusements]

Did my 90 day report yesterday, and was asked for an updated bank book and bank letter! They asked for the same 3 months ago. (Samui)

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Amusements said:

Did my 90 day report yesterday, and was asked for an updated bank book and bank letter! They asked for the same 3 months ago. (Samui)

Egads. What a pain. I guess they are probably deporting people with faulty bank accounts. 

[pablo el sueco]

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Egads. What a pain. I guess they are probably deporting people with faulty bank accounts. 

In PathumThani, if a retiree fails to show 800,000 baht 3 months after extension AND 6 months after extension, the punishment is "visa cancellation".  I don't know what that means since the visa is no longer valid anyway, but I assume (like you do), that it culminates in deportation.

 

The bank book verification is on a different schedule from 90-day address reporting.  I processed

• my extension of stay on October 5
• returned in December to process my 90-day
• returned on January 5 to prove 800,000 baht in the bank (3 months after extension)
• returned in March to process my 90-day
• returned on April 5 to prove 800,000 baht in the bank (6 months after extension)
• and shall return in June to process my 90-day if online reporting fails me.

 

[Toolong]

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Yes the rules are different, and it’s an extension not a visa 

Thanks, sometimeswoodworker!

[sometimewoodworker]

15 minutes ago, pablo el sueco said:

In PathumThani, if a retiree fails to show 800,000 baht 3 months after extension AND 6 months after extension, the punishment is "visa cancellation".

The visa cancellation is probably correct information but AFIK no office has enforced it. You just are usually not permitted another extension.

The 800,000 is only required for 3 months after you have your extension you can then drop to 400,000 minimum until 2 months before your next renewal when it must go back to 800,000. 
 

if your office has given other information to you, either they have miscommunicated or they have misunderstood the rules. The rule is available in Thai that you can print and take in to ask if it is the official rule, this action should get them to admit it is correct shouldn’t it?

[dddave]

On 4/29/2021 at 11:13 AM, ubonjoe said:

You must keep 800k baht in the bank for 3 months from the day you apply for a extension of stay

So from the application date, not the effective date of the new extension?

[DefaultName]

On 4/29/2021 at 11:09 AM, colinneil said:

My wife went to do my 90 day report yesterday in Khonkaen, first 90 day since my yearly retirement extension, she was not asked to show the 800. 000 baht.

The Thai way is to do the job you're given and no more. 

The officer doing your 90 day would do just that and not look past it. 

Checking the 800k, if your local office requires it, is someone else's job. 

 

Sounds silly to us, but it's fairly standard here.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, dddave said:

So from the application date, not the effective date of the new extension?

That is correct.

[khunPer]

On 4/29/2021 at 6:06 AM, GuyDow said:

Has it been removed or did I just not look hard enough?

You probably "not look hard enough".

 

800k baht to remain in the account for three month after extension has been approved.

 

Thereafter you shall keep not less than 400k baht in the account.

 

Two month before you apply for another one year extension of stay, the balance shall be topped up to 800k baht again; i.e. you can reduce the balance to not less than 400k baht for not more than seven month.

 

If you don't meet the requirements of deposit balance, your next extension of stay will be rejected.