How do you conduct banking without a passport when your passport is sent off for renewal?  The US Embassy requires that you mail them your passport for renewal, a process that can take 2 weeks or more.

Without a passport, you no longer have valid identification for the purposes of banking, immigration, or any other activity that requires a passport.

So - what do you do?

You don't.

My bank at the time excepted a copy of my passport and a postage receipt.

Use Drivers Licence or Pink ID card.  Photocopy is good enough for most banks where you are already a known customer.

Use online banking. Withdraw and deposit cash from ATMs/CDMs. Hopefully that would be enough to hold you over for two weeks.

 

Just don't lose your phone while your passport is at the embassy.

Check with your embassy. You may not need to send it off for the renewal. They may want you to visit the embassy to verify your passport. 

 

The UK don't expect it's citizens to send off the old passport for renewal because Thai law says you must have your passport at all times. But we have to verify the current passport for the application to go through. 

 

Maybe it is the same for US citizens. 

3 minutes ago, CharlieKo said:

Check with your embassy. You may not need to send it off for the renewal. They may want you to visit the embassy to verify your passport. 

 

The UK don't expect it's citizens to send off the old passport for renewal because Thai law says you must have your passport at all times. But we have to verify the current passport for the application to go through. 

 

Maybe it is the same for US citizens. 

If you use an agency to renew your uk passport you just need a copy for the Bangkok Bank.

Options;

1) Withdraw a large amount before sending off your passport

2) Get a ATM card from your bank so no person-to-person interaction/passport is needed

3) Sign up for your bank's mobile banking app and use cardless w/d with your smartphone

3) Speak with your local bank's manager to work out some way to w/d money using another form of ID

 

 

As mentioned above, the British passport office knows it is against the law not to have your passport on you at all times in Thailand. Police would ask for it as well as banks. My bank doesn't even accept my pink card (they should but they don't). Just applied for a passport renewal last week and photocopied every page in color. as requested. They gave back my passport until the new one arrives in 11 weeks. They will cancel it when I get the new one. I guess the American embassy has a reason. Perhaps photocopy the picture page and fold it into your wallet.

Edited July 19, 20232 yr by Purdey

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

As mentioned above, the British passport office knows it is against the law not to have your passport on you at all times in Thailand.

Utter BS!

This has been disproved time and time again!

The Thai Law says ‘Aliens must carry government issued photo identification or be able to provide such within a reasonable time-frame’..

 

 

Edited July 19, 20232 yr by scottiejohn

I had this exact problem. The bank actually needs a signed photocopy of your passport. So I copied the passport before sending it off with the agent, and the bank was willing to accept that, if I signed it in front of them. Of course, this will depend on your branch.

2 hours ago, McTavish said:

Use Drivers Licence or Pink ID card.  Photocopy is good enough for most banks where you are already a known customer.

Yes re pink Thai ID card. In fact many banks keep to change your passport number in their database to yout pink ID number.

 

Why because the pink ID car number never expires.

Wouldn't just a wee bit of planning deal with that.  As above, copies, and ask you bank what they'd accept if needing to do something.

 

Would think just having your monthly budget or 2 in cash, while the PP is being process.  USA only took 2 ish weeks, if that.  Does any PP renewal take more than 1 or 2 months.

 

If living month to month, you may consider you have more issues than just banking while waiting for you PP to come back.

Edited July 19, 20232 yr by KhunLA

3 hours ago, connda said:

So - what do you do?

Use your banking phone app and debit card.

show  them a copy.....???

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

As mentioned above, the British passport office knows it is against the law not to have your passport on you at all times in Thailand. Police would ask for it as well as banks. My bank doesn't even accept my pink card (they should but they don't). Just applied for a passport renewal last week and photocopied every page in color. as requested. They gave back my passport until the new one arrives in 11 weeks. They will cancel it when I get the new one. I guess the American embassy has a reason. Perhaps photocopy the picture page and fold it into your wallet.

Against the law to not carry passport?

Lordy me. I'm lost for words.

This is a send-up yeah?

Been here long?

Do you have a problem buying a litre of milk?

????????

 

3 hours ago, connda said:

How do you conduct banking without a passport when your passport is sent off for renewal?  The US Embassy requires that you mail them your passport for renewal, a process that can take 2 weeks or more.

Without a passport, you no longer have valid identification for the purposes of banking, immigration, or any other activity that requires a passport.

So - what do you do?

have you THAI DRIVING licence???

My own branch of Krungsri never asks for it, only other branches

Edited July 19, 20232 yr by proton

15 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Utter BS!

This has been disproved time and time again!

The Thai Law says ‘Aliens must carry government issued photo identification or be able to provide such within a reasonable time-frame’..

 

 

You maybe right, but many believe the police can demand a passport.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/436133/passports-better-safe-than-sorry

14 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Against the law to not carry passport?

Lordy me. I'm lost for words.

This is a send-up yeah?

Been here long?

Do you have a problem buying a litre of milk?

????????

 

Read the news.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/436133/passports-better-safe-than-sorry

Thinking that a Thai policeman knows what a foreign driving license looks iffy not to carry a passport or copy.

tell the US embassy they are wrong.

We strongly recommend you carry a copy of your U.S. passport identification page and current Thai visa to help avoid detention by the Thai immigration police. Thailand's entry/exit information is subject to change without notice.Feb 7, 2020

 

 

Edited July 20, 20232 yr by Purdey

14 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Against the law to not carry passport?

Lordy me. I'm lost for words.

This is a send-up yeah?

Been here long?

Do you have a problem buying a litre of milk?

????????

 

Egg on the face much?

https://www.richardbarrow.com/2013/08/always-carry-your-passport-or-a-copy-while-in-thailand/

most embassies recommend the original or a copy, as I wrote.

 

Edited July 20, 20232 yr by Purdey

15 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Utter BS!

This has been disproved time and time again!

The Thai Law says ‘Aliens must carry government issued photo identification or be able to provide such within a reasonable time-frame’..

 

 

Seems people who have been here a while know what to do.

https://www.richardbarrow.com/2013/08/always-carry-your-passport-or-a-copy-while-in-thailand/

read the identification paragraph near the bottom.

https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/thailand

Edited July 20, 20232 yr by Purdey

15 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Utter BS!

This has been disproved time and time again!

The Thai Law says ‘Aliens must carry government issued photo identification or be able to provide such within a reasonable time-frame’..

 

 

 

Use an ATM and do online banking.

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

Read the news.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/436133/passports-better-safe-than-sorry

Thinking that a Thai policeman knows what a foreign driving license looks iffy not to carry a passport or copy.

tell the US embassy they are wrong.

We strongly recommend you carry a copy of your U.S. passport identification page and current Thai visa to help avoid detention by the Thai immigration police. Thailand's entry/exit information is subject to change without notice.Feb 7, 2020

 

 

Stop confusing the law with media.

If you feel better carrying your most valuable document then fine.

Maybe get your mum to accompany you too.

 

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

Egg on the face much?

https://www.richardbarrow.com/2013/08/always-carry-your-passport-or-a-copy-while-in-thailand/

most embassies recommend the original or a copy, as I wrote.

 

If you want to live your life based on Embassy recommendations, then good for you.

Embassy recommendations are not law.????????

4 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Stop confusing the law with media.

If you feel better carrying your most valuable document then fine.

Maybe get your mum to accompany you too.

 

As embassies also recommend carrying your passport or a photocopy I don't understand why you deny this. 

4 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

If you want to live your life based on Embassy recommendations, then good for you.

Embassy recommendations are not law.????????

They say it is the law. I made a recommendation of passport or photocopy. You may not have been here long enough to know that the police don't care. They ask for passports. You can argue "I know the law" but they have a reputation for asking for a passport. 

I just came from the bank and the passport was the first thing they asked for. I showed my pink card but they took the passport as it was used and registered with them when I opened the account. My recommendation is always carry the passport or a photocopy. The embassy recommendation too. 

5 minutes ago, Purdey said:

As embassies also recommend carrying your passport or a photocopy I don't understand why you deny this. 

Ah good. Now you start to understand that you do not NEED to carry your actual passport.

Printing out correct pages will do if yoou are insecure.

Up to you.

If one, or multiple cops want to shake you down, your passport will be the least of your worries.

Make sure you have a bogus Thai  lawyer # in your phone contacts.????????

36 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

Ah good. Now you start to understand that you do not NEED to carry your actual passport.

Printing out correct pages will do if yoou are insecure.

Up to you.

If one, or multiple cops want to shake you down, your passport will be the least of your worries.

Make sure you have a bogus Thai  lawyer # in your phone contacts.????????

If you go into a bank with a driving licence they won't open a new account without a passport. It may not be the law but they have their own rules.

The problem would be if the OP went into a bank and demanded they accept some other form of ID. "A guy called Lucky Bones told me" isn't going to cut it unfortunately.