Phuket Immigration Now Want Bank Statement for 1 YEAR for 1 Year Extension

[JetsetBkk]

10 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

 

Then how can we comply when it takes five to seven working days to actually receive the years statement from Bangkok Bank?

 

You're asking the wrong guy! ????  

 

I know of two friends who also have accounts at Bangkok Bank and have this problem.  I can only recommend dumping the 800k in an SCB Fixed Term account - instant statements are available.

 

I don't know how Immigration deals with this problem. 

 

I'll try to get a logical answer from the guys I know who have Bangkok Bank accounts.

 

[impulse]

27 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Then how can we comply when it takes five to seven working days to actually receive the years statement from Bangkok Bank?

 

Good question, and hopefully someone can chime in with a good answer.

 

If the IO is reasonable, they'd accept a 5 day old statement for the 12 months and today's ATM stub for the current balance.

 

But that's a big IF. 

 

[KarenBravo]

26 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Good question, and hopefully someone can chime in with a good answer.

 

If the IO is reasonable, they'd accept a 5 day old statement for the 12 months and today's ATM stub for the current balance.

 

But that's a big IF. 

 

 

There's actually an easy way around this.

When the one year statement arrives, splash out another 100Bt for the normal three month statement. That way you will have the full year up to the date of the extension application. 

[LivingNThailand]

5 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

 

There's actually an easy way around this.

When the one year statement arrives, splash out another 100Bt for the normal three month statement. That way you will have the full year up to the date of the extension application. 

That's exactly what I do.

For some reason I have always thought you need a 12 month statement and have provided it the last 6 years.  A couple of years ago when they "cracked" down on financials I asked the IO at room 103 about the statement from BKK Bank being a week late.  He said, letter 7 days, statement doesn't need to 7 days.  (of course that was 2 years ago).  It still made me nervous.  So when I got the 12 month statement I asked for a month statement to match the date of the letter.  

So the day I pickup the 12 month statement I get the letter and a one month (or 3 months) statement for an extra 100 baht for peace of mind.  Run the bank book through the machine 2x (because it will only update the 1st time to your last transaction.  The 2nd time to the current date).  Then go to immigration the next day to extend.   No problem the last 2 years.

I think the timing requesting the 12 month statement from BKK Bank is key.  Make sure you don't ask for it before one of those ridiculously long holidays as that will add extra days.   I usually get it in about 5 days.   
 

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by LivingNThailand

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, impulse said:

Given that they recently enacted a rule where you have to keep 800K for X months and not go below 400K at any time during the year, it seems they'd have to change the reporting requirement in order to confirm compliance?

It certainly did not go into effect recently. The requirement went into effect on March 1st of 2019.

So over 2 years and 2 months ago.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

It certainly did not go into effect recently. The requirement went into effect on March 1st of 2019.

So over 2 years and 2 months ago.

 

Good info.  In the scheme of immigration rules, that's pretty recent.  Especially with all the confusion thrown in by Covid rules. 

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by impulse

[foreverlomsak]

9 hours ago, impulse said:

Sounds like you've been providing a year's worth of bank data all along, even before the new requirement.

Ever since Phetchabun Office opened, prior to the 400k minimum, they have wanted a full copy of your passbook.

This year I only provided pages back to 2018, not good enough they must have all pages of the book i.e. to cover the period from 2014 to 2018 (what value this is in assessing validity of a 2021 application I'm B#$$%red if I know).

[BangkokBoyJohnny]

12 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

You're asking the wrong guy! ????  

 

I know of two friends who also have accounts at Bangkok Bank and have this problem.  I can only recommend dumping the 800k in an SCB Fixed Term account - instant statements are available.

 

I don't know how Immigration deals with this problem. 

 

I'll try to get a logical answer from the guys I know who have Bangkok Bank accounts.

 

Following !

[BangkokBoyJohnny]

21 hours ago, SEAsia Traveler said:

This week I will apply for the non-O visa again with the bank letter, bank statement and passbook all updated as of the previous day. Maybe if everything has the same date and balance it will work.

 

That's my only choice at this point. The branch at Central Floresta simply cannot (or will not) produce a bank statement for me dated the same day.

 

Best of luck SEAsia, would really appreciate an update on how you get on.

 

Just thinking :  couldn't us "BangkokBangers" just withdraw the 800k cash one morning and deposit into my/our existing SCB accounts never to need to use Bangkok Bank again ! Come the Renewal visit day, we can already have requested/received the Bangkok Bank statement a week earlier, and then get the SCB statement on the day of the visit to Immigration ?

 

Yes twice as much work but then I'll bin the Bangkok Bank account forever !

 

 

[LivingNThailand]

27 minutes ago, BangkokBoyJohnny said:

Just thinking :  couldn't us "BangkokBangers" just withdraw the 800k cash one morning and deposit into my/our existing SCB accounts never to need to use Bangkok Bank again ! Come the Renewal visit day, we can already have requested/received the Bangkok Bank statement a week earlier, and then get the SCB statement on the day of the visit to Immigration ?

Yes you can.  I did something sort of similar.  My BKK bank account for immigration was originally set up in Bangkok.  But it wasn't user friendly with Phuket's system.  They told me I had to fly to BKK to get a new ATM card.  So I set up a new "immigration" account in Phuket, 500 baht to open.  

When I picked up my new extension I told the IO that I wanted to transfer my money from one account to another.  He said OK, but be sure to do it all on the SAME DAY.  No lapse days.  So I transferred the money that day and zeroed out my BKK Bangkok account.   ( I have on-line banking so it was easy).

 

I guess I'll have to get two statements next year, but that's okay.

I stayed with Bangkok Bank because my social security from the US comes in to another BKK Bank account and I don't want to go from one bank to another.  Easier for me to go to one bank and I don't mind waiting a 5-7 days for the statement.  Just easier for me.  But whatever works for you is good.

[JetsetBkk]

3 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

Yes you can.  I did something sort of similar.  My BKK bank account for immigration was originally set up in Bangkok.  But it wasn't user friendly with Phuket's system.  They told me I had to fly to BKK to get a new ATM card.  So I set up a new "immigration" account in Phuket, 500 baht to open.  

 

When I came here about 18 years ago, I went to the Krung Thai bank in Patong and asked them to open a new account. No problem! Then I asked them to transfer my money from my Krung Thai account in Bangkok to the new account in Phuket.

 

"Cannot!" 

 

"What?" says I, "You're the same bank! Please call them and do it".

 

"Sorry sir, do you have their number?"

 

Jesus Wept.

[LivingNThailand]

52 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

When I came here about 18 years ago, I went to the Krung Thai bank in Patong and asked them to open a new account. No problem! Then I asked them to transfer my money from my Krung Thai account in Bangkok to the new account in Phuket.

 

"Cannot!" 

 

"What?" says I, "You're the same bank! Please call them and do it".

 

"Sorry sir, do you have their number?"

we have internet banking now!!!  I guess you had to fly to bangkok, get cash and fly back to phuket and deposit cash.   ???? that's a great story.

 

[oldcpu]

My experience with Phuket Immigration:   ...   I received my 1st one-year extension on my permission to stay in Thailand (on a Type-OA Visa - based on retirement) from Phuket immigration in February this year.   Because this was my 1st one-year extension, I believe that I didn't have to show the full amount in the bank for the entire year (although I did have such).

 

My bank account is Bangkok Bank, and upon my request, on the SAME DAY as my request, they gave me (1) a letter stating I had the 800K in my account, (2) a statement from August-2020 to the date in late February-2021 when I went for the extension (ie 6-months), and (3) I updated my Bangkok Bank, bank book which showed the 800K in my account (plus interest) since August-2019.  With copies of all those I had no issue from a financial perspective with Phuket immigration.

 

I have the 800K in a separate fixed account with Bangkok Bank which I don't touch.  For the 6-month statement, the Phuket Bangkok Bank branch (Floresta) definitely did NOT have to wait for anything from the city of Bangkok for the 6-month statement.   The Phuket branch issued the letter and statement on the spot.

 

I will see what happens next year when I go for my 2nd one-year extension and need to show 1-year.

Edited May 10, 2021 by oldcpu
Corrected after an error was pointed out to me

[JetsetBkk]

6 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

For the 6-month statement, the Phuket Bangkok Bank branch (Floresta) definitely did NOT have to wait for anything from the city of Bangkok for the 1-year statement. 

 

Please clarify. This sentence starts talking about the 6-month statement and ends up talking about the 1-year statement.

8 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

  The Phuket branch issued the letter and statement on the spot.

 

Which statement? The 6-month or 1-year?

[oldcpu]

18 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

Please clarify. This sentence starts talking about the 6-month statement and ends up talking about the 1-year statement.

 

 

Which statement? The 6-month or 1-year?

Yes, I am bad. That should read " For the 6-month statement, the Phuket Bangkok Bank branch (Floresta) definitely did NOT have to wait for anything from the city of Bangkok for the 6-month statement." 

[JetsetBkk]

3 hours ago, oldcpu said:

4 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

Please clarify. This sentence starts talking about the 6-month statement and ends up talking about the 1-year statement.

 

Which statement? The 6-month or 1-year?

Yes, I am bad. That should read "For the 6-month statement, the Phuket Bangkok Bank branch (Floresta) definitely did NOT have to wait for anything from the city of Bangkok for the 6-month statement." 

 

Well, that's a pity because I was hoping that we had found a common connection between the banks. I was hoping that the banks in Central Festival/Floresta (on the very top floor) had a special link to Bangkok so that they could get a 1-Year statement immediately and print it out.

 

But, apparently, that is still not the case with the Bangkok Bank.

[JetsetBkk]

11 hours ago, BangkokBoyJohnny said:

On 5/9/2021 at 11:48 PM, JetsetBkk said:

I know of two friends who also have accounts at Bangkok Bank and have this problem.  I can only recommend dumping the 800k in an SCB Fixed Term account - instant statements are available.

 

I don't know how Immigration deals with this problem. 

 

I'll try to get a logical answer from the guys I know who have Bangkok Bank accounts.

 

Following !

 

This is embarrassing. I know one of these guys reads this thread so I have to be careful what I say. 

 

One of them got a 3 day Overstay fine and a stamp in his Passport a couple of years ago because the Statement arrived so late that he missed the extension deadline. He also does like the attitude of the staff at his SCB branch and the poor service. Go figure.

 

The other guy just trusts to luck that there won't be a delay with the statement which he takes to the bank as soon as it arrives, gets it stamped at the bank, gets the bank letter and then goes straight to Immigration for the extension.

 

Neither of them has plans to switch to a bank that can provide a 1-year statement on demand. 

 

[BangkokBoyJohnny]

I'm a tad unsure what Bangkok Bank locally can provide now.

 

For example IF I need 12 months of statements, lets use one calendar year for example, could I not the morning of my trip to Immigration (or the day before) ask my branch for 2 statements ie January to June and the 2nd statement for July to December ?

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, BangkokBoyJohnny said:

For example IF I need 12 months of statements, lets use one calendar year for example, could I not the morning of my trip to Immigration (or the day before) ask my branch for 2 statements ie January to June and the 2nd statement for July to December ?

A local branch can only issue a statement for past 6 month on the day you request it. You cannot request 2 to get a year.

You have to request the 1 year statement about a week before you need it. Best to request it earlier in case of weekends and bank holidays.

[merijn]

On 5/6/2021 at 9:39 AM, ChipButty said:

This is Phuket it has it's own rules

No they don't have their own rules, The new extension rules where introduced on 2019 and they are checking this from the next years extension which would be form 2020. Therefore you have to show now the last 12 months statement to check that you did not go below the limit in that last 12 months.

 

 

[JetsetBkk]

On 5/11/2021 at 12:25 AM, JetsetBkk said:

He also does like the attitude of the staff at his SCB branch and the poor service. Go figure.

 

Totally wrong. I meant to say "He does NOT like the attitude of the staff at his SCB branch and the poor service. Go figure."

????‍♂️

[JetsetBkk]

56 minutes ago, merijn said:

No they don't have their own rules, The new extension rules where introduced on 2019 and they are checking this from the next years extension which would be form 2020. Therefore you have to show now the last 12 months statement to check that you did not go below the limit in that last 12 months.

 

The Immigration guy outside room 103 said to me: "Next year, statement from today". I took this to mean that the 1 year statement must cover from the date of the previous extension up to the date of application for the new extension.

[Kopitiam]

3 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

The Immigration guy outside room 103 said to me: "Next year, statement from today". I took this to mean that the 1 year statement must cover from the date of the previous extension up to the date of application for the new extension.

This statement "Next year, statement from today" is still ambiguous.  Is it from the date of previous year date of extension approval or bank statement on the day of next extension application?

[rwilem]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

A local branch can only issue a statement for past 6 month on the day you request it. You cannot request 2 to get a year.

You have to request the 1 year statement about a week before you need it. Best to request it earlier in case of weekends and bank holidays.

UJ, how about using 2 x 6-month statements? For example, if you have an idea of applying for your extension on the same date as the one in the previous year, you could get a 6-month statement six months after the last extension. Then another 6-month statement  just as you apply for your extension.

 

Put it this way, in math. 2 x 6-month statements with no wait > 1 x 12-month statement with 7-day wait.  Any idea if Immigration--this would be at CW--is amenable?

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, rwilem said:

Put it this way, in math. 2 x 6-month statements with no wait > 1 x 12-month statement with 7-day wait.  Any idea if Immigration--this would be at CW--is amenable?

I am not sure immigration will accept them.

You could try and do it and then if not get the 12 month statement if you have enough time remaining on your extension.

[pontious]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

I am not sure immigration will accept them.

You could try and do it and then if not get the 12 month statement if you have enough time remaining on your extension.

I cannot  see any logical reason to  see why IO will not accept 2 six monthly letters. I transfer a lot and the yearly one is always two A4,S anyway.

[merijn]

15 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

The Immigration guy outside room 103 said to me: "Next year, statement from today". I took this to mean that the 1 year statement must cover from the date of the previous extension up to the date of application for the new extension.

The 1 year statement has to be from the last application date to the new application date.

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I am not sure immigration will accept them.

You could try and do it and then if not get the 12 month statement if you have enough time remaining on your extension.

I think it would be possible, I used a 1 year statement and a 3 months statement to cover the last weeks missing statement as the 1 year statement takes about a week to get from Bangkok Bank.

It is a interesting option and I will check it if Phuket is accepting this.

[hereforgood]

On 5/6/2021 at 5:32 PM, Brierley said:

As usual it's different rules for different locations and even for different people.

I swear I think the Imm office staff have coffee every morning and decide what they can do to change things up daily ???? 

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, merijn said:

I think it would be possible, I used a 1 year statement and a 3 months statement to cover the last weeks missing statement as the 1 year statement takes about a week to get from Bangkok Bank.

It is a interesting option and I will check it if Phuket is accepting this.

I am fully aware of how long it takes to get one from Bangkok Bangkok. I have used one to prove my income for my past 2 extensions. I considered trying with two 6 month statements but decided not too since it really would not save a trip to the bank and if they were not accepted I would be in a rush to get one.

I have requested them the month before my extension is due and then a one month statement to show my most recent transfer for the month when I apply when I got the needed bank letter.

[merijn]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I am fully aware of how long it takes to get one from Bangkok Bangkok. I have used one to prove my income for my past 2 extensions. I considered trying with two 6 month statements but decided not too since it really would not save a trip to the bank and if they were not accepted I would be in a rush to get one.

I have requested them the month before my extension is due and then a one month statement to show my most recent transfer for the month when I apply when I got the needed bank letter.

I understand and I do basically the same.

But it could be a option if people want to do it and therefore I will check if it is accepted.