There is a new regulation for those with extension based on 800,000 THB in the bank

I have to report to Immigration with update of my bank book in July after 3 months (to check if the 800K are still there) and in October after 6 months (to check if I have still 400K left)

Question : I plan my summer holidays in Europe in July and August : what should I do ?   Did any Forum member had to face this situation?

 

I renewed my retirement extension at Chaeng Wattana on March 9 and I was not advised of the above.  For the year prior to renewal, my bank balance never dipped below 900,000 Baht.  

Seems many people on here don't bother going for the subsequent financial checks, Immigration don't say anything, financials are proved at annual renewal anyway

36 minutes ago, fvw53 said:

I have to report to Immigration with update of my bank book in July after 3 months (to check if the 800K are still there) and in October after 6 months (to check if I have still 400K left)

Which immigration office?

The cartoon stamp is ridiculous. 

Jomtien had a 3 month report back which was also a joke and not enforced. 

I update my FCD account that I use for RV equivalent of 800k every 2 months but that's just for my peace of mind never been asked for anything else apart from the update on the application day ????

It seems like some people get this and some don't .. if done via agent you don't get it. I have had it for the last 3 years but never bothered to show amount afte 3 months or so but had no problem as they can look at bank book on renewal to see balance via the all year... So can't see why they do this.. but upto you.. as they don't stamp anything in passport to say you showed or not.. 

1 hour ago, fvw53 said:

Question : I plan my summer holidays in Europe in July and August : what should I do ?   Did any Forum member had to face this situation?

Go on your holidays.

Do nothing regarding the rubbish stamp. 

Which office is this? I have never had this in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.

Question is, what can an IO do to you if you don't comply? If you don't draw on the balance of 800,000 during the year, your bankbook tells the story when you go for the next extension.

Some four-eyed petty bureaucrat dreamed this up as makework, I doubt the system will deny you an extension for non-compliance. A BS fine, maybe.

There are lots of agents who will "get" you a bankbook to show 800 k and they front the $$.  Then the $$ disappears as soon as they get the retirement visa for you.  Have heard many farangs brag about how they are able to avoid the requirements by paying an agent $1000-1300 USD to fix it all up for them. 

 

Not sure I would want to take the chance that one of these days somebody might actually investigate this shady practice and if/when they do I would bet that it will be the farang that is left holding the bag...not the agent who bribed an immigration officer and certainly not the immigration officer.

Why is it many posters with information on Immigration issues never state the Immigration Office where it occurred?   Although the overall rules are supposed to apply to all, each Immigration Office has their own policies.  From reports I have seen, it appears that most Immigration Offices have no such requirement, but a few do such as the Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration Office.

 

However, Pattaya Immigration in Jomtien requires a report back with bank book only one time - 90 days from date if extension, but even that has been hit or miss as some are told to do so and others are not.  Further, as noted by other posters, not complying with the report back has no consequences as they have no tracking system to record who does or does not report back. 

 

Also as mentioned, which appears to be the policy at all Immigration Offices, your bank book will be examined at the time you apply to renew your extension to verify that you met the requirement to keep 800k for 3 months and before renewal application but never letting it fall below 400k in the interim period.

I did my extension in January, at Ratchaburi,  there was no requirement to report back again.  3 years ago they did tell me to come back with another bank statement at my next 90 day report.  But the last 2 years nothing said.  

 

It seems each office makes their own rules on how they will handle the requirement.  It should be fairly easy for them to check you met the requirements when you go for your next yearly extension.  But best to do what they want I guess to make things go smoothly.

I am interested in the "stamp" in the OP. It refers to a retirement "visa" 

 

Also there is no reference to the Immigration Office it is issued at. 

It looks a little mickey mouseish to me

11 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

I am interested in the "stamp" in the OP. It refers to a retirement "visa" 

 

Also there is no reference to the Immigration Office it is issued at. 

It looks a little mickey mouseish to me

It was issued at Pathum Thani Immigration office and indeed it should be "extension" and not "visa"

The law requires that you maintain the balances cited for the periods required. Nothing in the law requires you to return to IMM to submit proof. Only at your annual EOS do you need to show these balances from the last 12 months.....

18 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

I am interested in the "stamp" in the OP. It refers to a retirement "visa" 

Immigration refers to extension as a visa. 

Bless their hearts. 

 

 

17 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Immigration refers to extension as a visa. 

Bless their hearts. 

 

 

Extension seems like a hard word for them, to many letters init. 

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Extension seems like a hard word for them, to many letters init. 

Should not be, given the length of full Thai names.

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Immigration refers to extension as a visa. 

Bless their hearts. 

 

 

Can you tell me if a us dollar account with more than the value of 800,000 baht  with Bangkok Bank will satisfy immigration ?

8 minutes ago, itsari said:

Can you tell me if a us dollar account with more than the value of 800,000 baht  with Bangkok Bank will satisfy immigration ?

No problem.

Keep in mind that you need to keep a margin to account for exchange rate fluctuations. 

Just now, DrJack54 said:

No problem

Thank you 

For what's it worth.

At my SiSaKet Imm Office, having done your 1-year extension appliation based on a Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, you need to return after 90 days for the 'Bank Balance check'.

But as SiSaket Imm Office also automatically does your 90-day Report when applying for your 1-year extension, you can do both the 90 days Report and the 90 day Bank Balance check at same time. 

Also for that 90-day Bank Balance check they just want to see your same-day updated Bank Pass-book.  This in contrast with the 1-year extension application where they require on top of the Bank Account statement also a 12-month Bank Transactions statement issued by your Bank.  

17 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

For what's it worth.

At my SiSaKet Imm Office, having done your 1-year extension appliation based on a Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, you need to return after 90 days for the 'Bank Balance check'.

But as SiSaket Imm Office also automatically does your 90-day Report when applying for your 1-year extension, you can do both the 90 days Report and the 90 day Bank Balance check at same time. 

Also for that 90-day Bank Balance check they just want to see your same-day updated Bank Pass-book.  This in contrast with the 1-year extension application where they require on top of the Bank Account statement also a 12-month Bank Transactions statement issued by your Bank.  

Did you obtain a confirmation in writing that you showed an updated book : if you just have to show without any trace then they will not remember when you apply again for your next annual extension.

2 minutes ago, fvw53 said:

Did you obtain a confirmation in writing that you showed an updated book : if you just have to show without any trace then they will not remember when you apply again for your next annual extension.

At SiSaKet Immigration they staple the Notification with due day of next 90-day report on the last page of your Passport.  And when you did your 1-year extension of stay application, that Notification ALSO contains a sticker with the Bank Balance check due date (which is on same day).  

I didn't tempt to ignore that Bank Balance check and do my 90-day report on-line.  So I did it in person at the office, and they did make a photocopy of my updated Bank Pass-book when I did that combined 90-day Report and Bank Balance Check at their office. 

And to answer your question > I did not get any confirmation in writing that they checked the Bank Pass-book, but they simply took out the previous Notification and replaced it with a new one showing the next 90-day report due date, stapled on the last page of my passport.. 

32 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

At SiSaKet Immigration they staple the Notification with due day of next 90-day report on the last page of your Passport.  And when you did your 1-year extension of stay application, that Notification ALSO contains a sticker with the Bank Balance check due date (which is on same day).  

I didn't tempt to ignore that Bank Balance check and do my 90-day report on-line.  So I did it in person at the office, and they did make a photocopy of my updated Bank Pass-book when I did that combined 90-day Report and Bank Balance Check at their office. 

And to answer your question > I did not get any confirmation in writing that they checked the Bank Pass-book, but they simply took out the previous Notification and replaced it with a new one showing the next 90-day report due date, stapled on the last page of my passport.. 

All of which is just rubbish from that immigration office.

 

Firstly you are not required to do 90 day reports in person and secondly you are not required to return back to immigration with bank book in hand and tail between legs. 

 

I have never read a report of anyone having a fail with annual extension due to not turning up to immigration 3 months after extention granted. 

 

BTW don't allow immigration to staple anything into your pp. 

23 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

All of which is just rubbish from that immigration office.

 

Firstly you are not required to do 90 day reports in person and secondly you are not required to return back to immigration with bank book in hand and tail between legs. 

 

I have never read a report of anyone having a fail with annual extension due to not turning up to immigration 3 months after extention granted. 

 

BTW don't allow immigration to staple anything into your pp. 

As I am living in this province, I won't rock the boat and will simply comply with the rules as applied in my SiSaKet Imm Office, which is a strict, no hanky-panky but very friendly and efficient office.

I read these stories and have to shake my head in despair, it's such a sad state of affairs that Immi has to check, counter check, counter counter check. FWIW I have a one year fixed deposit that I roll over ever year so I never have to worry about this aspect, not until Immi gets so paranoid that insist I bring my bank book in daily to confirm I haven't spent any of the sacred 400k. Is anyone else getting fed up with this nonsense!

 

 

 

 

14 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Is anyone else getting fed up with this nonsense!

I am Soooo much!

My last extension retirement at CW they hit me up for bank statements as for some months I had no activity..

Bank book pages this time no good.

Previous 9 extensions...no problem.

I use dedicated bank account.

Often no transactions in a month.

Clearly no consolidated transactions.

Absolute rubbish. 

My personal plan was to move to agent when old due to possible mobility issues.

Might fast track that. 

 

They are poorly trained clerks. 

Not a new rule at all on needing to keep 800k in account three months after extensions.

A few offices notoriously Jomtien order you to show compliance after three months. 

However there are NO CONSEQUENCES for IGNORING the order.

But if you haven't complied it will be checked at your next extension.

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I am Soooo much!

My last extension retirement at CW they hit me up for bank statements as for some months I had no activity..

Bank book pages this time no good.

Previous 9 extensions...no problem.

I use dedicated bank account.

Often no transactions in a month.

Clearly no consolidated transactions.

Absolute rubbish. 

My personal plan was to move to agent when old due to possible mobility issues.

Might fast track that. 

 

They are poorly trained clerks. 

I use one, it makes life easy, I dread going back to the old days and all the nonsense you mentioned, do this, sign that, one more copy of this and that and by the way, coffee, no milk two sugars, chop chop.

38 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

As I am living in this province, I won't rock the boat and will simply comply with the rules as applied in my SiSaKet Imm Office, which is a strict, no hanky-panky but very friendly and efficient office.

And when they make you return at 6 months to check 400k , you will trot along? 

For some folk their immigration office can be light aircraft flight.

 

Push back against nonsense immigration offices.

 

So we have Jomtien and SisaKet on the list.

Samui is a rubbish immigration office they might play same game. 

I'm sure there is couple of others.