BKK Bank 4 months banked method??

[homemade514]

Has anyone very recently had any issues regarding applying for a 1 year visa extension using banked money method (400,000) for two months, and particular at Bangkok bank, and them saying that it now needs to be four months?
Bangkok bank saying that and not Immigration. I do NOT know how they would implement that nor do I know why. They have made no announcements regarding this and immigration was clueless as well. 
 

A friend had that happen for them today (in Chiang Rai) and I’m trying to see if this was just a one off occurrence as I have never heard about this and I know it’s not an immigration policy. He was eventually given the letter to confirm the funds for the past two months. But they said the money now needs to be in for four months. Thanks!

[DrJack54]

For extension based on marriage the requirement is 400k in Thai bank account in your name only for 2 months prior to application and maintained during under consideration period. 

[Equatorial]

15 hours ago, homemade514 said:

Bangkok bank saying that and not Immigration.

 

It is completely irrelevant what they have to say on this topic. It's the IO that enforces the immigration rules, not the bank. 

[homemade514]

1 hour ago, Equatorial said:

 

It is completely irrelevant what they have to say on this topic. It's the IO that enforces the immigration rules, not the bank. 

yes i understand! - but they would not give my buddy a letter confirming the funds - unless he signed a form from them saying that the money needs to stay in the account for 4 months - i do not know how they will implement that. 

[DrJack54]

19 minutes ago, homemade514 said:

but they would not give my buddy a letter confirming the funds -

There is no letter "confirming the funds" 

There is a bank letter that basically lists name of owner of the account and balance at time of issue. 100b 

For seasoning of funds (2 months) immigration would accept 3 month Bank statement or even photocopies of Bank book showing balances back two months. 

Suggest there is a "lost in translation" in this story. 

Keeping funds for 4 months would suggest perhaps a Fixed Deposit account. 

In any event. Story makes no sense and is guess work

[SamSpade]

44 minutes ago, homemade514 said:

yes i understand! - but they would not give my buddy a letter confirming the funds - unless he signed a form from them saying that the money needs to stay in the account for 4 months - i do not know how they will implement that. 

I overheard the exact same conversation yesterday at the Bangkok Bank Branch on Beach Road Pattaya, staff there insisted that a new Head Office directive came into force on 30th June and they were now no longer able to issue the 3 month Statement/Certificate of balance for immigration purposes unless the money had been in the bank for at least 4 months.

 

The guy quite righly said that Immigration only needed a 3 month statement so could they just issue them to him and if Immigration wouldn't accept it then it would be his problem... Tellers flatly refused, citing it was now Bangkok BanK company policy.

 

After a phone call between the head teller & (I'm assuming) head office, the situation finally got resolved by him agreeing to them putting "A Hold" on the 800K in his account for 4 months and he was issued the Statement/Certificate.

[homemade514]

38 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

There is no letter "confirming the funds" 

There is a bank letter that basically lists name of owner of the account and balance at time of issue. 100b 

For seasoning of funds (2 months) immigration would accept 3 month Bank statement or even photocopies of Bank book showing balances back two months. 

Suggest there is a "lost in translation" in this story. 

Keeping funds for 4 months would suggest perhaps a Fixed Deposit account. 

In any event. Story makes no sense and is guess work

I know what it is but thank you. 
it is a new BKK bank policy. Most likely to prevent money being moved around, agents who abuse the accounts, etc…

[homemade514]

36 minutes ago, SamSpade said:

I overheard the exact same conversation yesterday at the Bangkok Bank Branch on Beach Road Pattaya, staff there insisted that a new Head Office directive came into force on 30th June and they were now no longer able to issue the 3 month Statement/Certificate of balance for immigration purposes unless the money had been in the bank for at least 4 months.

 

The guy quite righly said that Immigration only needed a 3 month statement so could they just issue them to him and if Immigration wouldn't accept it then it would be his problem... Tellers flatly refused, citing it was now Bangkok BanK company policy.

 

After a phone call between the head teller & (I'm assuming) head office, the situation finally got resolved by him agreeing to them putting "A Hold" on the 800K in his account for 4 months and he was issued the Statement/Certificate.

Thank you for sharing! Good to know at least that it isn’t just up here in Chiang Rai. This is not going to be good press for BKK Bank at all. 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, homemade514 said:

I know what it is but thank you. 
it is a new BKK bank policy. Most likely to prevent money being moved around, agents who abuse the accounts, etc…

Your OP was concerning 400b.

As in extensions marriage. 

Agents don't even deal with those regarding funds. 

Time for some folk to change banks. 

[Tod Daniels]

Someone posted this on a f/b group saying it was at a Bangkok Bank branch in the basement of Chaengwattana here in Bangkok where immigrations is and that they heard about it today when they went to get their bank letter.. 

They have an extension based on raising a foreign child so their 500k was already in the bank for 3 months, BUT because it wasn't in for 4 months total the bank made them sign they would leave it in ANOTHER 4 months in order to issue the bank letter   

 

[Tod Daniels]

and someone up in Chiang Rai had to sign this form

[frank83628]

A friend just did his 1 year retirement renewal and had to show 1 year statement, different compared to only 3 months last year.

 

[FritsSikkink]

22 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

Someone posted this on a f/b group saying it was at a Bangkok Bank branch 

 

Looks like they had enough of the agents fiddling money around.

[Tod Daniels]

32 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

A friend just did his 1 year retirement renewal and had to show 1 year statement, different compared to only 3 months last year.

 

there is nothing out of the ordinary being asked to do that 

IF you are using "banked money method" and it's NOT the first year you get the extension from the Non-O (when the seasoning is just 2 month) you have to show a year detail transaction report so that immigrations can see that you left the money in the account for 3 months after you got the extension last year, then that the balance never went below 400k the rest of the year and that you got it back up to 800K two months before you applied for the new extension

That's a totally common thing to be asked by IMMIGRATIONS

This topic is about Bangkok Bank making their own rules about how long you have to leave the funds in their bank to get the letter from them  

[Khun Roberto]

Related question:

 

When I renew my Non O "retiremnt" visa next week at CW, I intend to show a deposit of 810,000 THB that I’ve had in a fixed deposit, in Kasikorn bank for over a year, since May 2024.

Is the immigration department going to ask me the source of those funds?

Last renewal I used the Income affidavit, but that’s not an option anymore.  

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, Khun Roberto said:

Related question:

 

When I renew my Non O "retiremnt" visa next week at CW, I intend to show a deposit of 810,000 THB that I’ve had in a fixed deposit, in Kasikorn bank for over a year, since May 2024.

Is the immigration department going to ask me the source of those funds?

Last renewal I used the Income affidavit, but that’s not an option anymore.  

No, they will not ask where the money came from.

[Khun Roberto]

Thanks Upnotover.

What about if 3 months after the renewal I take out 400K, and 6 months later, three months beofre the next renewal I top it off with 400k.

 

Are they goint to ask where that 400K came from?

 

[homemade514]

5 minutes ago, Khun Roberto said:

Thanks Upnotover.

What about if 3 months after the renewal I take out 400K, and 6 months later, three months beofre the next renewal I top it off with 400k.

 

Are they goint to ask where that 400K came from?

 

No. 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Khun Roberto said:

Are they goint to ask where that 400K came from?

 No. 

For extensions funds not required to be from abroad

[Upnotover]

5 minutes ago, Khun Roberto said:

Thanks Upnotover.

What about if 3 months after the renewal I take out 400K, and 6 months later, three months beofre the next renewal I top it off with 400k.

 

Are they goint to ask where that 400K came from?

 

Highly doubtful but I can't say for sure. But I'll be doing the same in this current year so I'll remember to update something in April next year😅

[Khun Roberto]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

 No. 

For extensions funds not required to be from abroad

Thanks Dr. Jack

[Khun Roberto]

3 minutes ago, homemade514 said:

No. 

Thanks homemade514 🙂

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

Someone posted this on a f/b group saying it was at a Bangkok Bank branch in the basement of Chaengwattana here in Bangkok where immigrations is and that they heard about it today when they went to get their bank letter

Thanks Tod. 

Find the last sentence in the notice from Bangkok Bank very  concerning. 

"Please ensure that the money in your account belongs to you personally.DO NOT BRING MONEY FORM OTHER TO PUT IN THE BANK ACCOUNT"

 

Especially the last sentence which is in Caps. 

Big News (to me) 

 

[homemade514]

This is not good for Bangkok bank to do at all. They are certainly going to be losing many customers because of this and putting a lot of people in a horrible position with no warning at all. 

[SamSpade]

22 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Thanks Tod. 

Find the last sentence in the notice from Bangkok Bank very  concerning. 

"Please ensure that the money in your account belongs to you personally.DO NOT BRING MONEY FORM OTHER TO PUT IN THE BANK ACCOUNT"

 

Especially the last sentence which is in Caps. 

Big News (to me) 

 

Huge news as guys will now need to have a non-Bangkok Bank account if they're getting the 800K from an agent.

 

I know one popular Pattaya agent is recommending people open SCB or Krungthai accounts & have also heard that they can do it if you already have a Kasikorn account.

[0ffshore360]

It occurs to me that the new policy from Bangkok Bank ( if it really is ) may be a reaction to those who deposit last minute  to establish evidence of compliance with Immigration from accounts  identifiable as a temporary transfer for the purpose?

Financial transfers either international or local are more than likely very observable/ trackable  as a result of increasing developments in IT banking systems in which Banking businesses need avoid any accusations of complicit activities .

[homemade514]

I think the big question here is how will they enforce the money being in the account after you’ve already applied for and gotten your visa extension? Are they going to freeze the account which they can’t do? 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, homemade514 said:

Are they going to freeze the account which they can’t do? 

Good point. 

I mean it's your money or is it? 

Talk about make stuff up on the run. 

[cgros]

3 minutes ago, cgros said:

I was at the Chiang Mai Mae Hai branch of Bangkok Bank today getting "tip" change from 1k bht bill. Had to take a pic of the guy before me. Great outfit 5555. Notice the two signs flanking the guy.

 

[SamSpade]

7 minutes ago, homemade514 said:

I think the big question here is how will they enforce the money being in the account after you’ve already applied for and gotten your visa extension? Are they going to freeze the account which they can’t do? 

They will simply put a block on you spending down below the amount you’ve agreed to keep in the account, just like they do (or at least used to do) with Credit Cards for people without a work permit.