Bangkok Bank Letter for Immigration

[brianburi]

For my next annual extension based on retirement I plan to do the monthly income method.  What do I ask my local branch of Bangkok Bank to provide in the way of statements?.  I read somewhere about a ' credit advice statement' which just shows foreign transactions.  I have two UK pensions paid into my savings account every month and have been for several years.

The staff at my BBL branch are young and mainly helpful but often have difficulty with understanding the strange reqirements from foreigners.  Trying to explain my UK state pension proof of life certificate last year sent them into meltdown.

Bank is in Sri Thep, Phetchabun and Immigration Office same province.

[Liquorice]

You need to order a 12-month bank statement at your local branch, which can only be issued by the HQ for proof of 12 x 65K overseas transfers.
Takes 3-5 working days.

 

Your local branch can only issue a 6-month statement.

 

The standard letter for Immigration merely confirms the account name, number and the balance.

 

You'll have to meet both the requirements for your current extension based on funds in the bank, and the requirements to switch to the monthly overseas transfers.

Edited January 25 by Liquorice

[lopburi3]

You need these items from Bangkok Bank

 

One a normal account statement for the 12 months proceeding extension application (to show required 65k or more transferred from a foreign account into your name only account each month - this has to be obtained from hqs so takes about a week before available at local branch.  If deposit is not listed as FTT/overseas transfer additional paperwork will be required to prove foreign source (that is where credit advance statements from bank making transfer into account might be required).

 

Second you will need a letter of account ownership/balance within last several days from local bank branch.

 

Third you will require updated passbook/copies.

Edited January 25 by lopburi3

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, brianburi said:

I read somewhere about a ' credit advice statement' which just shows foreign transactions.  I have two UK pensions paid into my savings account every month and have been for several years.

 

You should check what codings for these pension payments appear in your savings account passbook. If FTT (standing for Foreign Telegraphic Transfer) you probably won't need a credit advice statement since this particular coding confirms the foreign origin of your pension payments, which is what IMM are primarily concerned with here.

 

[brianburi]

4 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

You should check what codings for these pension payments appear in your savings account passbook. If FTT (standing for Foreign Telegraphic Transfer) you probably won't need a credit advice statement since this particular coding confirms the foreign origin of your pension payments, which is what IMM are primarily concerned with here.

 

Thx all for replies.  Just checked my passbook and codes are BTN - BahtNet.  I think that is because both pensions are paid into CitiBank before being transferred across to BBL  ??.  I'm not a great one in regularly updating my passbook as I tend to use mobile banking app.  On updating my passbook recently it jumps from Jun '23 to Dec '23. 

As extra evidence for immigration I have UK tax certificate P60 and a confirmation letter from UK state pension centre (IPC).

UK Embassy in Bangkok did not do us any favours in discontinuing the income letters.........

[Georgealbert]

38 minutes ago, brianburi said:

 

As extra evidence for immigration I have UK tax certificate P60 and a confirmation letter from UK state pension centre (IPC).

 

Immigration will only accept IPC letter as proof you are receiving a pension, not of the transfers.

 

Immigration will also want proof from Bangkok Bank, showing you have received 12 monthly payments, from abroad, of over 65000 baht. If the transfers are coded BTN, you will need a credit advice for each monthly transfer.

 

You may also need to show that you maintained the correct account balance since last years extension.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Immigration will only accept IPC letter as proof you are receiving a pension, not of the transfers.

 

Immigration will also want proof from Bangkok Bank, showing you have received 12 monthly payments, from abroad, of over 65000 baht. If the transfers are coded BTN, you will need a credit advice for each monthly transfer.

 

You may also need to show that you maintained the correct account balance since last years extension.

If you are using the monthly method, you do not have to maintain any account balance, you can spend every last satang of it.

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

If you are using the monthly method, you do not have to maintain any account balance, you can spend every last satang of it.

But it appears he was not using this method for current extension.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, brianburi said:

Just checked my passbook and codes are BTN - BahtNet.  I think that is because both pensions are paid into CitiBank before being transferred across to BBL  ??

 

In that case you'll definitely need monthly credit advice notes, as correctly advised by @Georgealbert. Highly unlikely that Citibank in the UK route your pension payments directly to Bangkok Bank, I think, but rather through an intermediary third bank at the Thai end. You'll need to establish with Citibank who this third bank is since it will be they, rather than Bangkok Bank, who will be responsible for issuing the necessary credit advice notes.

[bamnutsak]

3 hours ago, brianburi said:

Immigration Office same province.

 

It might be best to contact the Immigration office and ask them what documentation they require.

 

3 hours ago, brianburi said:

For my next annual extension based on retirement I plan to do the monthly income method.

 

This implies that you have a current extension of stay based on retirement. Is that using the 800,000 baht option? Or Thai wife option?

 

 

[Georgealbert]

8 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

If you are using the monthly method, you do not have to maintain any account balance, you can spend every last satang of it.

Sorry, but I said he may have to maintain the balance from the previous extension, which from the original post would seem to have been from money in bank.

 

Going forward, no need to maintain any balance, just the monthly transfers.

[norbra]

8 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Sorry, but I said he may have to maintain the balance from the previous extension, which from the original post would seem to have been from money in bank.

 

Going forward, no need to maintain any balance, just the monthly transfers.

He will need to comply with current extension deposit requirements untill he gets a new extension stamp.

[Georgealbert]

26 minutes ago, norbra said:

He will need to comply with current extension deposit requirements untill he gets a new extension stamp.

Yes agree, I have said that twice.

[brianburi]

OP here,  just to answer a few Q's

• On retirement extensions since 2007
• On money in the bank method and extension due renewal 8 April 24
• Have been to Immigration and they just said Bank statement showing 12 months of pensions, nothing about Bank codes etc.
• Main pension is a UK government service pension which is paid into CitiBank,  Bangkok and then transferred across to my BBL savings account.   I am fortunate enough to be able to just use this pension as above 65K Baht a month.  UK state pension is just an added bonus/benefit.

I have maintained above 400K bank balance but have used some of the 800K for hospital bills.  

Do I have to make this up 2 months prior to the renewal??

It did not cross my mind to ask the Captain ic when I was at the IO.  I can always go again and ask.

When this forum was Thaivisa there was an example Bangkok Bank foreign transaction letter but I could not find it on a search.

 

[Georgealbert]

14 minutes ago, brianburi said:

OP here,  just to answer a few Q's

• On retirement extensions since 2007
• On money in the bank method and extension due renewal 8 April 24
• Have been to Immigration and they just said Bank statement showing 12 months of pensions, nothing about Bank codes etc.
• Main pension is a UK government service pension which is paid into CitiBank,  Bangkok and then transferred across to my BBL savings account.   I am fortunate enough to be able to just use this pension as above 65K Baht a month.  UK state pension is just an added bonus/benefit.

I have maintained above 400K bank balance but have used some of the 800K for hospital bills.  

Do I have to make this up 2 months prior to the renewal??

It did not cross my mind to ask the Captain ic when I was at the IO.  I can always go again and ask.

When this forum was Thaivisa there was an example Bangkok Bank foreign transaction letter but I could not find it on a search.

 

Sorry but only your immigration office can answer if you need to top up 2 months before.There are reports that other offices have asked for this. Ask you IO their rules on this.

The FTT code is needed as proof the transfer came from abroad, BTN is normally only accepted with monthly credit advice notes.

[norbra]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Yes agree, I have said that twice.

You threw me with the going forward comment that balance is no longer required.

[Georgealbert]

11 minutes ago, norbra said:

You threw me with the going forward comment that balance is no longer required.

Yes, sorry, meant, once extension is granted, based on 65000 minimum monthly deposits, then bank balance is no longer required.

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, brianburi said:

Have been to Immigration and they just said Bank statement showing 12 months of pensions, nothing about Bank codes etc.

The way they know it is pension is the foreign bank deposit code.  That pension letter is not accepted as your Embassy will not guarantee it.  With BBL the code is FTT so without that there will be a requirement for paperwork on each transfer I suspect.

 

You did keep 800k in bank for 3 months after last extension start date?  If not unlikely they will accept new extension without a new non immigrant O visa entry as you would be in violation of current extension of stay requirements.

[Liquorice]

5 hours ago, brianburi said:

Thx all for replies.  Just checked my passbook and codes are BTN - BahtNet.  I think that is because both pensions are paid into CitiBank before being transferred across to BBL  ??.  I'm not a great one in regularly updating my passbook as I tend to use mobile banking app.

Your payments go through the Bank of Thailand using the Bahtnet system, coded BNT, which provides a better exchange rate and lower transfer costs than Wise.
They should be recognised as an Internation transfers and BKK should be able to provide proof, or explain it to your IO.

 

5 hours ago, brianburi said:

On updating my passbook recently it jumps from Jun '23 to Dec '23. 

I suspect you update via an ATM, which can't automatically turn pages.
In branch can update all transactions by turning pages.

 

5 hours ago, brianburi said:

As extra evidence for immigration I have UK tax certificate P60 and a confirmation letter from UK state pension centre (IPC).

You'll need that as well. Immigration often requests proof the source of your income is from a pension.

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, brianburi said:

I have maintained above 400K bank balance but have used some of the 800K for hospital bills.  

Do I have to make this up 2 months prior to the renewal??

At my IO, no!

Their interpretation is that by having 800K for 2 months prior, 3 months after, then 400K for 7 months (=12 months) that ends the requirement using funds.
Other IO's may vary, so ask your local IO.

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, brianburi said:

When this forum was Thaivisa there was an example Bangkok Bank foreign transaction letter but I could not find it on a search.

 

Was it 1 of these 3 images that you had in mind?

 

Credit advice note as required by Hua Hin.pdf Foreign transaction confirmation.pdf Monthly Deposits as required by Jomtien - obtainable only from branch where account opened.pdf

[OJAS]

7 hours ago, brianburi said:

On updating my passbook recently it jumps from Jun '23 to Dec '23. 

 

1 hour ago, Liquorice said:

I suspect you update via an ATM, which can't automatically turn pages.
In branch can update all transactions by turning pages.

 

Or maybe a number of transactions which took place over this 6-month period have been consolidated into a single line with the CMB coding? To prevent this from happening, Bangkok Bank passbooks should be updated at least once every 3 months.

 

But, yes, Bangkok Bank PUM's don't automatically flip passbook pages.

 

[OJAS]

7 hours ago, brianburi said:

As extra evidence for immigration I have UK tax certificate P60 and a confirmation letter from UK state pension centre (IPC).

 

You'll also need the latest statement from your UK government occupational pension provider (are they MyCSP by any chance?).

 

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

You'll also need the latest statement from your UK government occupational pension provider (are they MyCSP by any chance?).

 

A UK P60 provided by Inland revenue details all pensions providers and tax deducted.

 

[Liquorice]

3 hours ago, OJAS said:

Or maybe a number of transactions which took place over this 6-month period have been consolidated into a single line with the CMB coding? To prevent this from happening, Bangkok Bank passbooks should be updated at least once every 3 months.

That depends on how many transactions you make over any given period.

I rarely update my passbook, but when I do, I do it in branch, so all transactions are listed.

[Liquorice]

3 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

Was it 1 of these 3 images that you had in mind?

 

Credit advice note as required by Hua Hin.pdf 652.53 kB · 0 downloads Foreign transaction confirmation.pdf 31.99 kB · 1 download Monthly Deposits as required by Jomtien - obtainable only from branch where account opened.pdf 67.59 kB · 1 download

I recall whilst submitting an extension application on behalf of a disabled expat, even though I supplied a 12-month bank statement and an updated passbook, my IO insisted on a letter from Bangkok bank detailing the monthly transfers as you've listed. They gave me an example of the letter, but on returning to BKK the manager went into meltdown.
He phoned Immigration and stated they'd supplied an annual statement, and it was their job to pick the 12 monthly transfers from it, not to be lazy and request the bank to do their job, as they were too busy and had better things to do.

 

They never requested such a letter again.   

Jomtien is a real piece of work.

[AAArdvark]

I am using an experienced agent who gave me a letter to the bank explaining what was required and included the agent's phone number. I am using BBL and NOT BKK, a bank and not an airport. 

[Andycoops]

When I do mine I order a 12 statement, 200 baht and takes a week to arrive at the branch.

 

On the day of extension obtain a letter from BBL confirming that it is your account, update bank book and obtain a mini statement covering the period between the 12 month statement and your application.

 

This is done while you wait.

[Drumbuie]

15 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

In that case you'll definitely need monthly credit advice notes, as correctly advised by @Georgealbert. Highly unlikely that Citibank in the UK route your pension payments directly to Bangkok Bank, I think, but rather through an intermediary third bank at the Thai end. You'll need to establish with Citibank who this third bank is since it will be they, rather than Bangkok Bank, who will be responsible for issuing the necessary credit advice notes.

If the transfer is made by Citibank to a  receiving bank with whom you don't have an account, who automatically send it to your Bangkok Bank account, your bank should be able to write you a letter for each transaction, certifying that the funds came from overseas.

Mine did; I had helped them by printing out my own copy of the statement ( easily done from the phone app) and highlighting each of the transactions that needed a letter. So then they had the information they needed to access the records easily without having to trawl through all the entries. 

[lopburi3]

43 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

obtain a mini statement covering the period between the 12 month statement and your application.

There should not be any such requirement for income method (unless perhaps if using non passbook account).  Can say for sure not required by Bangkok.  The information is in your passbook which was just updated.