Opening bank account rules catch 22 (1-year extension)

[pdebuck456]

I am running into brick walls due to the catch 22 rules seemingly implemented.

 

For 1-year extension (marriage to Thai national) I need a Thai Bank account.

One of the things seemingly all banks ask to open an account is a residence certificate (same one as needed for Thai drivers license).

 

Immigration in Bangkok only wants to issue this after the first time I do a 90 day report, which obviously won't happen until I have a 1 year extension (for which I need said bank account).

They advise me to contact my embassy to obtain the certiicate from them.

 

I contacted my embassy, and they will not issue this certificate unless I register my Thai address with them, which to Belgian law I can only do after I cancel my Belgian home address, which at te time is not possible for various reasons (own a business, own an appartment in which I need to be registered else I pay a hefty "empty housing unit tax", ...).

 

I need to fly up to 6 times a year up and down to Belgium (sometimes for a week, sometimes a bit longer in the summer months, averaging 6 months here, 6 months in Belgium) and would just like to get the 1 year extension, get a multiple re-entry permit, so there is no more visa hassle with all those up and down trips (especially now with possibly visa exempt going back to 30 days from the current 60).

1 time a year to immigration for a new extension, and maybe the odd 90 day if I do a stretch longer then 3 months here.

 

Also have a long term lease on a BKK Condo, but banks do not want to accept that as proof of residence.

 

How on earth do I break up his catch 22 loop? Not very fond of "agents" getting things done outside of the rules through handing out backhanders...

 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

Immigration in Bangkok only wants to issue this after the first time I do a 90 day report, which obviously won't happen until I have a 1 year extension (for which I need said bank account).

CW requiring a TM47 having been done to apply for a COR was true in the past. 

That requirement is no longer in place. 

Who told you and when... That CW requires 90 day report. 

 

Obtain your COR and apply for bank account. 

Suggest Kasikorn as one good option 

 

You can make appointment at CW here is link. 

https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/onlineservice-and-publicguide/ 

 

I just checked and slots available every day. 

[BrandonJT]

As mentioned, the requirement of a 90-day report to get a residence certificate has been gone for almost a year.  Did you actually go to immigration, or did you just google it?

[pdebuck456]

Good news!

 

Yes, I did research online (docter Google 🙂 ) where at seemingly all reputeable websites this requirement is still listed, even with "last updated june 2025" at the top of the article!

I like to be as prepared as possible before I actually show up at immigration.

 

Example:

 

 

So looks like I can just show up with all documents except the 90-day report receipt and be good!

 

Thanks both for the reply!

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

So looks like I can just show up with all documents except the 90-day report receipt and be good!

As I posted earlier. Appointments available and recommended.

Here is link for form 

https://aseannow.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=439173

 

[pdebuck456]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

As I posted earlier. Appointments available and recommended.

Here is link for form 

https://aseannow.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=439173 48.26 kB · 2,129 downloads

 

Thanks!

 

Appointment made already.

 

I assume you can write by hand "open bank account" or something, as the application form only notes "drivers license" or Buy/Sell car:motorbike as the use for the COR.

 

I'll just leave it empty and ask on the spot...

 

Cheers!

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

Appointment made already.

 

The desk is far right side when you enter queue issue desk area.

You need the form filled in.

If you wish just go down to L1 and say to photocopy shop "certificate of residence" and hand over passport.

It costs 200b 

Will be posted out ems in about 5 business days. 

If you have a lease then include that..

TM30 also good idea however you will find they may require nothing..

[Jabatron]

On 7/7/2025 at 3:28 PM, pdebuck456 said:

Thanks!

 

Appointment made already.

 

I assume you can write by hand "open bank account" or something, as the application form only notes "drivers license" or Buy/Sell car:motorbike as the use for the COR.

 

I'll just leave it empty and ask on the spot...

 

Cheers!

@pdebuck456 how did everything go? I am about to go through the same process soon. I hope you had success 🙏

[Tod Daniels]

On 7/7/2025 at 7:36 PM, DrJack54 said:

 

The desk is far right side when you enter queue issue desk area.

Careful with that information. 😮

Effective Monday July 14th BOTH the 90 day reporting (Section A) and the TM30 / Resident Certificate (Section B) are moving up one floor at Chaengwattana to the 3rd floor

Believe it or not the main immigration office is on the 2nd floor and the banks/food court etc are on the ground floor 

[pdebuck456]

On 7/11/2025 at 9:13 AM, Jabatron said:

@pdebuck456 how did everything go? I am about to go through the same process soon. I hope you had success 🙏

Getting ready to leave right now!
Will update...

[DrJack54]

On 7/16/2025 at 6:47 AM, pdebuck456 said:

Getting ready to leave right now!
Will update...

So did you obtain COR. 

From CW it will take about 4-5 business days. 

[Mark1969]

On 7/7/2025 at 11:52 AM, pdebuck456 said:

I am running into brick walls due to the catch 22 rules seemingly implemented.

 

For 1-year extension (marriage to Thai national) I need a Thai Bank account.

One of the things seemingly all banks ask to open an account is a residence certificate (same one as needed for Thai drivers license).

 

Immigration in Bangkok only wants to issue this after the first time I do a 90 day report, which obviously won't happen until I have a 1 year extension (for which I need said bank account).

They advise me to contact my embassy to obtain the certiicate from them.

 

I contacted my embassy, and they will not issue this certificate unless I register my Thai address with them, which to Belgian law I can only do after I cancel my Belgian home address, which at te time is not possible for various reasons (own a business, own an appartment in which I need to be registered else I pay a hefty "empty housing unit tax", ...).

 

I need to fly up to 6 times a year up and down to Belgium (sometimes for a week, sometimes a bit longer in the summer months, averaging 6 months here, 6 months in Belgium) and would just like to get the 1 year extension, get a multiple re-entry permit, so there is no more visa hassle with all those up and down trips (especially now with possibly visa exempt going back to 30 days from the current 60).

1 time a year to immigration for a new extension, and maybe the odd 90 day if I do a stretch longer then 3 months here.

 

Also have a long term lease on a BKK Condo, but banks do not want to accept that as proof of residence.

 

How on earth do I break up his catch 22 loop? Not very fond of "agents" getting things done outside of the rules through handing out backhanders...

 

I went through that same sort of hassle. I solved it by getting the DTV visa. Now I just use my home country account and withdraw cash from the atm. It's a long way around but it works for me.

[DrJack54]

30 minutes ago, Mark1969 said:

Now I just use my home country account and withdraw cash from the atm

That's crazy if living in Thailand. 

You can obtain a COR from immigration and with a lease (as per OP) should be able to open a thai bank account 

[pdebuck456]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

So did you obtain COR. 

From CW it will take about 4-5 business days. 

Yup, should arrive in a few days by EMS!

Needed paperwork:

- passport copies (id page and last entry stamp)

- copy of e-visa

- TM30 receipt

- Lease contract

- Copy of the housebook of the owner, important page was where the address was, and has to match perfectly with the adress used on the tm30 report.

-filled out application form.

 

All pages had to be signed by me, were a lot of signatures 😀 lease alone was 21 pages/signatures...

 

They moved a floor higher (together with 90 day reporting) so after going through the security check on entering the building, no need to que up at the tv screen, just take the escalator up one floor and follow the signs.

 

They have one dedicated desk for those who did the online booking, I took the first slot at 08:30, and was called to the desk 1 minute after entering (had que number 1).

 

I took the copy of the housebook just because reading it somewhere online, didn't give it initially (was in my binder), but they did ask for it!

 

Will report on opening bank account next week hopefully.

Then apply one year extension once the 400k has been sitting 2 months in the to be opened account.

  

---edit---

Forgot, also 200 Baht fee, even though the online appointment confirmation stated 0 Baht fee.

 

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, pdebuck456 said:

Needed paperwork:

Thanks for report 

An update of Bank Book would be very helpful to others. 

Yes Tod Daniels posted that the desks were moved upstairs. 

Good luck with moving forward. 

[pdebuck456]

6 hours ago, Mark1969 said:

Now I just use my home country account and withdraw cash from the atm. It's a long way around but it works for me.

 

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

That's crazy if living in Thailand. 

You can obtain a COR from immigration and with a lease (as per OP) should be able to open a thai bank account 

 

Yup, a fair bit more costly then moving the funds through for example Wise to a Thai bank and withdrawing with local cards.

 

Not sure though how the banks would handle the dtv, lots of stories on how non immigrant status seems to be a strict requirement and dtv is still considered a long term tourist visa...

 

For the time now I use a Revolut card with Thai Baht account coupled to it, (much) better exchange rate but still get hit with 250 Baht atm usage fee.

 

[Mark1969]

1 hour ago, pdebuck456 said:

 

 

Yup, a fair bit more costly then moving the funds through for example Wise to a Thai bank and withdrawing with local cards.

 

Not sure though how the banks would handle the dtv, lots of stories on how non immigrant status seems to be a strict requirement and dtv is still considered a long term tourist visa...

 

For the time now I use a Revolut card with Thai Baht account coupled to it, (much) better exchange rate but still get hit with 250 Baht atm usage fee.

 

It's free for me. All atm fees are reimbursed.

 

As far as the conversion rate goes, I opt out of that on the ATM during withdrawl, but obviously get back baht not USD, so I'm not sure what conversion rate is used, but it must be my banks rate in the USA I'm assuming.

 

Anyhow, it's much better then the Thai banks rate, I know that for sure as a couple times I accidently pressed the wrong button for conversion and was hit with a pretty high deduction.

 

Anyhow, I only withdraw for living expenses and pay cash everywhere so it's not worth the hassle of juggling wise, a thai bank, etc. for a slightly better conversion rate somewhere and figuring out what that is. I'm not a plastic guy. I prefer cash.

[treetops]

5 hours ago, Mark1969 said:

 . . . . . so I'm not sure what conversion rate is used, but it must be my banks rate in the USA I'm assuming.

 

The exchange rate is set by the payment processor, usually Visa or Mastercard.

[Mark1969]

13 hours ago, treetops said:

The exchange rate is set by the payment processor, usually Visa or Mastercard.

Thanks. Looks like 1 USD = 33.272367 THB for visa card withdrawls.

 

Do you think I should switch to wise and get a thai bank account for a better rate?

 

I'm going to lunch now...

[treetops]

With you having full reimbursement of ATM fees you're probably better off sticking with your current practice.  I haven't done the arithmetic but these fees are are what I think tips most people over the point where a Thai bank account is better.

[pdebuck456]

On 7/18/2025 at 11:36 AM, Mark1969 said:

Thanks. Looks like 1 USD = 33.272367 THB for visa card withdrawls.

 

Do you think I should switch to wise and get a thai bank account for a better rate?

 

I'm going to lunch now...

That would be pretty much impossible, unless the Thai baht dropped substantially overnight.

Today at Bangkok bank you can buy dollars for 32,55 Baht (or 32,62 Baht for banknotes).

[Mark1969]

1 hour ago, pdebuck456 said:

That would be pretty much impossible, unless the Thai baht dropped substantially overnight.

Today at Bangkok bank you can buy dollars for 32,55 Baht (or 32,62 Baht for banknotes).

Online calculator for visa conversion rates: https://www.visa.co.th/en_TH/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html

[pdebuck456]

OK, apparently it is very quiet at CW immigration, the residence certificate arrived late friday afternoon by EMS.

So I applied wednesday morning (at 08:30 sharp) and the certificate was mailed out thursday afternoon, to be received friday afternoon at my condo.

 

Now the next problem...

I have as of now been in 6 banks, and none is willing to open an account for me, based on not having a non-B visa + workpermit and only a Non-O (marriage visa).

There is zero variation between the banks, they all pull out a paper they have gotten from headoffice with what is required for a foreigner to open an account, and it is always the same:

• Non immigrant B
• Work permit
• Certificate of residence
• Thai tax number (they call it TIN) 

Paperwork I had with me:

• Passport
• E-visa (non immigrant O)
• Residence certificate
• Condo lease contract
• Marriage papers (including a recent Kor Ror 2 document)

 

Banks so far been in:

• TTB
• Kasikorn
• SCB
• Krungsri
• UOB
• Khrung Thai

I have skipped Bangkok bank for the time being due to reports they need to see the funds 4 months inside the account before certifying it is there 2 months, or alternatively sign a paper that allows them to block it for the coming 4 months.

 

No amount of explaining that immigration needs 400K Baht in a Thai bank account to extend my Non-O visa to 1 year seemed to change anything apart from the bank staff stating that they are since very recently not allowed to open new accounts to foreigners unless Non immigrant B satus and workpermit.

 

Being Saturday I have only been in shopping mall bank branches, both in True digital park (where about 60% of the queing customers were foreigners) and at Big C Onnut.

 

While at Kasikorn there was another foreign gentleman complaining that after him having done the facial scan update a few days ago, they have restricted his ATM card limits to idiotically low limits (20,000 Baht/day for withdrawals and spending).

 

Just before he tried to pay for a laptop at Banana IT where his card was declined due to the price being over 20k Baht.

Bank staff insisted that this is the new rule for ATM cards held by foreigners and there is no way to change this.

 

So purchases over 20K Baht by foreigners can only be done cash, which you have to go and withdraw in person at a bank office.

Needless to say, the gentleman was fuming!

 

Starting to get a bit worried on how to move forward, can only now try in "real" branches instead of the ones open 7 days in the malls...

 

Got out of one catch 22 (which ended up not being one, only misinformed), only to be walking into another...

 

 

 

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

Starting to get a bit worried on how to move forward, can only now try in "real" branches instead of the ones open 7 days in the malls...

First up thanks for detailed report. 

Horrible situation. 

With the Non O and COR etc I'm shocked bank wouldn't open an account. 

Guess next step is the try one of the large branches. 

Example few you see in Sukhumvit and elsewhere. 

[pdebuck456]

Additionally, in two banks they stated that I do not even have a non immigrant visa as no visa sticker in my passport.

Never even heard that Thailand moved over to evisa's.

In one bank (UOB) the bank staff actually tried to scan the QR code at the bottom of the evisa, but they get only a long text line, no link.

 

Guess that QR code is only useable on the immigration computersystem, the officer did scan it when entering at the airport.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

Additionally, in two banks they stated that I do not even have a non immigrant visa as no visa sticker in my passport.

Idiots

[Jabatron]

This is crazy. They should either remove the requirement for the money to be in a Thai bank or sync with them on the requirements. How would anyone extend on non-o visa? 

[pdebuck456]

Done 2 banks (Kasikorn and Khrung Thai), now proper branches with their own building on main Sukhumvit road in central Bangkok.

 

Same result, they sneak in the back, come back with a bunch of stapled together A4 paper with the latest guidelines on opening accounts for foreigners 

Non immigrant B status is absolutely required, non-O status is simply not accepted.

Gonna try some more, but starting to have a feeling my marriage 1 year extension is not going to happen.

 

As a backup plan I inquired to my embassy if they would certify my home income (well over 100k€/month), but no luck.

They only certify my signature without actually verifying my income, which immigration has confirmed to me that they will not accept that (CW).

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

Non immigrant B status is absolutely required, non-O status is simply not accepted.

Thats ridiculous and puts you into a bind. 

Plan C contact an agent. 

They most likely only assist if they are doing the extension also. 

Wouldn't hurt to try. 

Contact ThaiVisaCentre here in Bangkok. 

[pdebuck456]

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Thats ridiculous and puts you into a bind. 

Plan C contact an agent. 

They most likely only assist if they are doing the extension also. 

Wouldn't hurt to try. 

Contact ThaiVisaCentre here in Bangkok. 

Thanks, will try them...

Tomorrow I have to pop over to Buriram, will get a re-entry over at Buriram Castle immigration office there (done several times before with them, usually in and out in 5 minutes).

If I understand correctly I can always get a 60 day extension based on my marriage if needed, cause if the bank thingy drags on for a bit longer I won't have 2 months of seasoning the 400K Baht when my current 90 days expire!