Same-day passbook update and bank letter required for extension of stay at Bangkok immigration?

[omnipresent]

I leave my money in an LH Bank account because it earns high interest (1.5% per year).

 

The account has a passbook (unlike most other high interest savings accounts e.g. SCB's EZ Savings) which could be used to show to immigration (I've had issues in the past with passbook-less high interest accounts).

 

But there's no LH Bank branch at Chaengwattana, so it'd be difficult to do a passbook update and get a bank letter on the same day of application.

 

Would doing the passbook update and bank letter on the day before application still be accepted?

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by omnipresent

[watthong]

I can't talk for CW but for Samut Prakan where I did my extension last week, one day old bank letter is fine. Just make sure you get the update the same day you go for the extension though. YMMV with CW, but I have seen elsewhere reporting that the letter could be a week old and still acceptable. I also think that the update could be a day or two early, but I think that's to the discretion of the officer who takes care of your application.

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

Would doing the passbook update and bank letter on the day before application still be accepted?

Bank letter can be up to seven days early at CW, however day prior is best practice.

 

As for update.. Best to do on day of application. 

 

Some immigration officers at CW want to see transaction on day of application. 

It's not a problem that the balance will not match bank letter. 

 

You did not mention if extension based on retirement or marriage.

It's seems CW is moving towards 12 month statement for extension based on retirement. 

[omnipresent]

15 minutes ago, watthong said:

Just make sure you get the update the same day you go for the extension

I'm not sure if there's an LH Bank ATM at Chaengwattana to do a passbook update on the application day (after making a deposit). I think they only have ATMs at their branches.

Edited April 2, 2023 by omnipresent

[watthong]

I believe at CW the queue window opens till 3pm if not later. So the worst scenario is you will have to go to the bank for the paperwork the same day and make it to CW before 3pm. However I trust, though others might not agree, that the IOs will be reasonable ie understanding enough to give some leeways.

[DrJack54]

27 minutes ago, omnipresent said:

I'm not sure if there's an LH Bank ATM at Chaengwattana to do a passbook update on the application day (after making a deposit). I think they only have ATMs at their branches.

They do not and also SCB do not.

The OP has made easy into difficult however he can obtain letter days prior. 

 

More difficult to show activity on day of application.

IO may not require that. 

 

Not sure what immigration CW will require for "passport -less" bank account.

 

Hopefully someone will update that uses similar account. 

 

Off topic : for my extension (retirement) last Nov the io looked at every month. 

I use dedicated bank account.

 

She was not happy that couple of months had zero transactions. The previous many years not an issue. 

 

Made me sign my paperwork that I would provide bank statements for next extension.

 

Strange that was never an issue previously. 

 

Thai immigration offices are a joke. 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by DrJack54

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, omnipresent said:

Would doing the passbook update and bank letter on the day before application still be accepted?

I believe the bank letter has a life of 7 days, however the bankbook must be done the same day.

You can update your book via a machine outside of the bank and make the requisite copies needed before going to the IO

[watthong]

12 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Off topic : for my extension (retirement) last Nov the io looked at every month. 

I use dedicated bank account.

 

She was not happy that couple of months had zero transactions. The previous many years not an issue. 

 

Made me sign my paperwork that I would provide bank statements for next extension.

 

(For the OP) The bank letter takes some time to procure as the branch has to contact headquarters, whereas the update could be done in minutes. I always get the letter the day before and the update the day of the extension, just to make sure things go smoothly on the bank paperwork side. Yes, that means two visits to bank prior to going to the Samut Prakan Immig office as the latter is not attached to a commercial center.

 

Re monthly activities shown in bank book, my account produces monthly interests so that takes care of that and I only have to run the book at the machine outside, if that doesn't work I would go inside to do it, again that takes minutes. Last week at the Immig office for my extension, the IO also pointed out something about updating the book every month, I think she only reiterated what already been done in my case, so my guess is there's a new order about the monthly activities. But there was no statement for me to sign to provide monthly bank monthly statements next time/year.

[DrJack54]

50 minutes ago, watthong said:

     .......the IO also pointed out something about updating the book every month, I think she only reiterated what already been done in my case, so my guess is there's a new order about the monthly activities. But there was no statement for me to sign to provide monthly bank monthly statements next time/year.

Thanks for report.

Seems that you have an FD account.

Immigration does not check them so carefully for monthly transactions.

 

I actually use two dedicated accounts one FD and a savings a/c same bank.

 

That part of my earlier post was off topic but pointing out for others that use CW need be aware of shift towards requirements of bank statements. 

 

It was not just down to the junior io as I disputed her notion and was sent to back of office to head lady.  

 

Back to the OP, yes letter can be days old.

CW folk bit lucky with most banks located inside of imm office building.

 

The bank letter along with small deposit that serves as bank update all done in minutes. 

 

Note: SCB does not have branch there and same of course for OP,s bank. 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by DrJack54

[KannikaP]

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Off topic : for my extension (retirement) last Nov the io looked at every month. 

I use dedicated bank account.

 

She was not happy that couple of months had zero transactions. The previous many years not an issue. 

Are you using the 65k a month method? If so, a foreign transaction MUST occur EVERY month for 12 months, preferably around the same date.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Are you using the 65k a month method? If so, a foreign transaction MUST occur EVERY month for 12 months, preferably around the same date.

Money in the bank method.

 

Indeed for income method bank statements required.

Seems might become the norm for money in bank method from my experience CW Nov 2022. 

 

 

[KannikaP]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Money in the bank method.

 

Indeed for income method bank statements required.

Seems might become the norm for money in bank method from my experience CW Nov 2022. 

 

 

You may be correct, but how can an IO ask for monthly transactions when there is 800k on Jan 1st and still there Dec 31st, no change except maybe for some interest or charges.

[DrJack54]

Just now, KannikaP said:

You may be correct, but how can an IO ask for monthly transactions when there is 800k on Jan 1st and still there Dec 31st, no change except maybe for some interest or charges.

I understand request for statements when someone using it as daily bank account as sometimes if there are many transactions they can be consolidated. 

 

As I mentioned earlier I don't use the bank account. Sits in the draw and comes out for immigration.

 

Cannot for the life of me understand why they would not just accept photocopies of bank book pages along with the bank book.

Strange that it was OK for the 9 previous extensions. 

[Red Phoenix]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I understand request for statements when someone using it as daily bank account as sometimes if there are many transactions they can be consolidated. 

 

As I mentioned earlier I don't use the bank account. Sits in the draw and comes out for immigration.

 

Cannot for the life of me understand why they would not just accept photocopies of bank book pages along with the bank book.

Strange that it was OK for the 9 previous extensions. 

You are fully correct. 

The 12-month Bank Transactions Statement was introduced because on Savings Bank Accounts when not updating your Bank Pass-book regularly, some banks do consolidate the transactions you made in between, making it impossible for Immigration to check whether during such consolidation period you did not slip under the required funds tresshold.

But obviously when you have a Fixed Deposit Account such a 12-month Bank Transactions Statement is bureaucratic nonsense as the Pass-book from an FD Account will show each and every transaction you made. 

And when your Immigration Office requires that a transaction was made on your Account at the day of application for your extension, the 12-month Bank Transactions Statement will not even feature that transaction (as the transactions are processed overnight).  And so Immigration also wants to see your updated Pass-book (which contains all the information that the Bank Transactions Statement contains + that latest transaction).  

To summarize > When you have a Fixed Deposit Account, and apply for your 1-year extension, you will need 3 documents: 

- A Bank Statement, showing that you are the owner of the Account and the balance on that account.  At many Imm Offices that Bank Statement needs to be up-to-date at the date of application, so you first need to go to your Bank and do a small transaction on your Bank-Account and then have the Bank Statement created and your Pass-book updated

- The Pass-book of that account, updated with a small transaction on the date of application

- The Bank Transaction Statement, which as explained higher is total bureaucratic nonsense for an FD account, but a necessary 'tick-the-box' item for Immigration. 

[watthong]

23 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Cannot for the life of me understand why they would not just accept photocopies of bank book pages along with the bank book.

My interpretation of why not is that sometimes if lapsed from many months without running the book through the machine the account would show weird looking lump sums of accumulated activities (or lack thereof) and the figuring out of those consolidated figures of withdrawal/deposit would cause industrial-strength headache for all concerned.

 

The "secret of my success" is to keep a healthy margin above the 800k so that any accidental dip would not touch the threshold, and keep the fluctuations if any to a minimum. Something easy for the IO to decipher and brings a smile to their face (yes, they do smile whenever the stars, ie your paper work aligned.) Another thing I notice is since covid "re-opening", at least in Samut Prakan, they no longer ask to sign the 3 additional documents (not to lie, seek work, etc.) for the extension. Or maybe the IO folks there just want to do away with them...

 

Also one note regarding the TM6, I did included a copy of it for the extension (keeping the tattered original out of sight.) But for the following 90day report on the same visit, I didn't. The IO asked for it, I mumbled and fumbled, then he asked to see the old passport, again I demurred, then finally he said, "Ok, found it (tm6)" gesturing to his screen.

[Celsius]

The passbook at CW needs to be updated on the same day.

 

I am with SCB and there is no SCB branch at Chaeng Watthana. I have the same problem every year where I I have to make a stop at the SCB branch before stopping at immigration. Fortunately we have a car and there is one branch 5 minute drive from immigration. 

 

What's more, once you pick up your extension after 30 days, you  will have to update the passbook again.

[oldestswinger]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Note: SCB does not have branch there and same of course for OP,s bank. 

 

It's always seemed strange to me that there is no branch at the government complex in view of the bank's largest shareholder.

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, oldestswinger said:

It's always seemed strange to me that there is no branch at the government complex in view of the bank's largest shareholder.

Especially given that previously there was a branch there..

There is a branch at a shopping mall nearby .

Inconvenient but folk with that bank could obtain letter "on way" to CW. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by DrJack54

[mokwit]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

They do not and also SCB do not.

 

SCB not even have one of those combined ATM/Passbook/deposit machines at CW?

 

Is SCB opening up their ATM network before 8.30 now? last year it was down before that time for some scheduled stuff.

Edited April 3, 2023 by mokwit

[omnipresent]

2 hours ago, Celsius said:

What's more, once you pick up your extension after 30 days, you  will have to update the passbook again.

Do they still require us to keep the money in the account for another 30d until collection, which means we'd need to keep the balance above the minimum for at least 3 months?

[berrec]

I can't comment on other banks but BKK Bank if you don't regularly (maybe weekly) update your passbook you get this CMB status which is from what I understand implies "Combined No bank Transaction", (lumps transactions together)

 

And often in or around your monthly OS money transfers, it is a nightmare to work out for immigration.

 

I use Wise, so I have to go back through 12 months of WISE transfers and reconcile them against my bank transfers back home in AUS to Wise transfer entries.

 

Go through every passbook entry with FTT and try to work out which WISE transactions are lumped into the CMB line item amounts.

 

I had 29 WISE transfers April 2022 to April 2023, but could only find 15 FTT transactions in my passbooks for that same period

 

What a nightmare, the rest were lumped into CMB's (Yes and my fault for not weekly updating my passbook).

 

 

[Red Phoenix]

39 minutes ago, berrec said:

I can't comment on other banks but BKK Bank if you don't regularly (maybe weekly) update your passbook you get this CMB status which is from what I understand implies "Combined No bank Transaction", (lumps transactions together)

 

And often in or around your monthly OS money transfers, it is a nightmare to work out for immigration.

 

I use Wise, so I have to go back through 12 months of WISE transfers and reconcile them against my bank transfers back home in AUS to Wise transfer entries.

 

Go through every passbook entry with FTT and try to work out which WISE transactions are lumped into the CMB line item amounts.

 

I had 29 WISE transfers April 2022 to April 2023, but could only find 15 FTT transactions in my passbooks for that same period

 

What a nightmare, the rest were lumped into CMB's (Yes and my fault for not weekly updating my passbook).

What you describe is the reason that most Imm Offices now require for your 1-year extension for reason of retirement, on top of the Bank Statement and an updated Pass-book, also a Bank Transaction Statement, showing every individual transaction you made over the past 12 months.

And that requirement is entirely due to some banks lumping your transactions together when not regularly updating your Passbook.  

But that additional requirement from Immigration can create once again an administrative nightmare for applicants, as some Bank branches do not keep records longer than 6 months, and thus that required document covering 12 months has to be created by the Bank Headquarters and can take up to 5 days before you can pick it up at your local Bank branche.  Which means you have to request it a couple of days before you plan to do your extension application. 

And on the day you pick it up, you can then make a small transaction and ask the Bank to provide you with an on the spot created Bank Statement (showing that you are the owner of the Account, and the balance of your funds on that day) and also do a Passbook update.  And then it is off to the Immigration Office, as many of them require that your Bank Statement and Passbook have been updated on the same day that you go to Immigration for your retirement extension application.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[foreverlomsak]

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Strange that it was OK for the 9 previous extensions.

Only used Bangkok for Non-O application & 1st extension, and that was prior to the advent of CW.

It sometimes feels like they have to think of something new to add to the submission pack every other year or so.