I have a new passport but I haven't gone into Bangkok Bank to update it yet.  I am scared they will cancel my account because I don't have the proper visa.  I am on a DTV and they apparently only accept the resident visas now.  I've had this account with them for many years, long before they got more strict about it, so I am basically grandfathered in for the time being.

 

Will they check what visa I am on when I go in (by looking at the stamp) or should I take a chance and just do it?  My old passport expiry date is in a few more months.  I am not sure if they track the expiry of the old passport or not.  I know they did freeze my account a few years ago and required me to go in to have my passport re-verified, but I think that was just a random thing, or maybe they require that every few years, don't know.

 

I'm not here permanently so I'm worried it might get frozen while I am out of the country, and I still need it to work at that time in order to pay certain bills from abroad.  If I lived here permanently I wouldn't worry about it until it got frozen.

I well understand why you're worried. That's entirely rational in your situation.

I don't think there is any great rush to update with the bank though.

If you get a new phone and use the mobile app you will need to though.

I can report a recent experience though when I did update to BB with my new passport.

Of course they copied the passport ID page but I didn't see them go further into my passport to check my current visa status. It's possible that they did of course but away from my sight.

I heard they were closing DTV visa accounts down, maybe start a new post to see if anyone still has one.

 

I wouldn't go and see BB unless they contact you, if abroad yes you are screwed 

22 hours ago, shdmn said:

while I am out of the country, and I still need it to work at that time in order to pay certain bills from abroad

How does it work?

You use website banking or mobile app?

22 hours ago, shdmn said:

I have a new passport but I haven't gone into Bangkok Bank to update it yet.  I am scared they will cancel my account because I don't have the proper visa.  I am on a DTV and they apparently only accept the resident visas now.  I've had this account with them for many years, long before they got more strict about it, so I am basically grandfathered in for the time being.

 

Will they check what visa I am on when I go in (by looking at the stamp) or should I take a chance and just do it?  My old passport expiry date is in a few more months.  I am not sure if they track the expiry of the old passport or not.  I know they did freeze my account a few years ago and required me to go in to have my passport re-verified, but I think that was just a random thing, or maybe they require that every few years, don't know.

 

I'm not here permanently so I'm worried it might get frozen while I am out of the country, and I still need it to work at that time in order to pay certain bills from abroad.  If I lived here permanently I wouldn't worry about it until it got frozen.

Probably a long shot, but do you own a condo here in your own name? 
 

Was in Bangkok Bank and overheard a guy who stays here part year on Tourist visas being told that if he could produce proof that he owns his own condo they wouldn’t close his account. 
 

On 11/25/2025 at 4:29 PM, scubascuba3 said:

I heard they were closing DTV visa accounts down, maybe start a new post to see if anyone still has one.

 

I wouldn't go and see BB unless they contact you, if abroad yes you are screwed 

I managed to get my Bangkok Bank account reactived on visa-exempt - but TiT so it may vary from branch to branch..

It was dormant so long being out the country, but they got everything up-and-running for a fee in under 10 minutes.

 

No request for a long-term visa stamp in passport.

 

Done and dusted....hopefully no account lock-downs coming to that branch after that !

On 11/25/2025 at 11:32 PM, KhunBENQ said:

How does it work?

You use website banking or mobile app?

Usually the app.

On 11/25/2025 at 11:42 PM, SamSpade said:

Probably a long shot, but do you own a condo here in your own name? 
 

Was in Bangkok Bank and overheard a guy who stays here part year on Tourist visas being told that if he could produce proof that he owns his own condo they wouldn’t close his account. 
 

Nope

On 11/27/2025 at 8:55 AM, freedomnow said:

I managed to get my Bangkok Bank account reactived on visa-exempt - but TiT so it may vary from branch to branch..

It was dormant so long being out the country, but they got everything up-and-running for a fee in under 10 minutes.

 

No request for a long-term visa stamp in passport.

 

Done and dusted....hopefully no account lock-downs coming to that branch after that !

 

thank you for that information 

I got my new passport last week and yesterday went to three banks to update their records.

 

Only BBL took copies of my non-quota immigrant visa and entry stamps from my old passport. UOB and SCB did not exhibit any interest in immigration status.

 

 

.

1 hour ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I got my new passport last week and yesterday went to three banks to update their records.

 

Only BBL took copies of my non-quota immigrant visa and entry stamps from my old passport. UOB and SCB did not exhibit any interest in immigration status.

 

That's my experience as well. Bangkok Bank clerks always seem to be looking for the stamps, Kasikorn Bank clerks never do that. Strange. 

If anyone can give me a lead on Kasikorn Bank or SCBs in Chiang Mai that you can open an account on visa-exempt...please PM me...always good to have a plan B and C in place.

On 11/28/2025 at 11:07 AM, freedomnow said:

If anyone can give me a lead on Kasikorn Bank or SCBs in Chiang Mai that you can open an account on visa-exempt...please PM me...always good to have a plan B and C in place.

I recently spent 2 weeks running around every K Bank in Chiang Mai with a valid Certificate of Residence, new driving licences, existing BBL debit card & passbook (8 years) and a month apartment lease but on a visa waiver in my new Passport. 

 

No K Bank was interested once they saw the visa waiver stamp and told me to come back when I had a retirement visa. 

I said I need the bank account open to deposit the required funds and their reply was to get my retirement visa through BBL and then jump ship! So the staff have been instructed to only open accounts on long term visas, they are not accepting ED visas I now read too. 

Check my previous posts for more details.

 

I updated my passport details at CM Gate branch and they asked about my visa waiver and I said it was just a quick visit to line things up for a retirement visa application....they bought it. 

 

Oh, and I tried two SCB and I didn't even get past the security guard at those, he asked to see my visa when I said I wanted to open a new bank account. 

On 11/25/2025 at 3:56 PM, shdmn said:

I have a new passport but I haven't gone into Bangkok Bank to update it yet.  I am scared they will cancel my account because I don't have the proper visa.  I am on a DTV and they apparently only accept the resident visas now.  I've had this account with them for many years, long before they got more strict about it, so I am basically grandfathered in for the time being.

 

Will they check what visa I am on when I go in (by looking at the stamp) or should I take a chance and just do it?  My old passport expiry date is in a few more months.  I am not sure if they track the expiry of the old passport or not.  I know they did freeze my account a few years ago and required me to go in to have my passport re-verified, but I think that was just a random thing, or maybe they require that every few years, don't know.

 

I'm not here permanently so I'm worried it might get frozen while I am out of the country, and I still need it to work at that time in order to pay certain bills from abroad.  If I lived here permanently I wouldn't worry about it until it got frozen.

 

Don't do it then unless you have been saved to do. Start to think about a 2nd plan for finances here so its a seamless changeover.

38 minutes ago, Beerzy65 said:

Don't do it then unless you have been saved to do. Start to think about a 2nd plan for finances here so its a seamless changeover.

 

My second and third plan is to just use ATM/debit cards from back home or send myself cash pickups, which generally costs more in fees/exchange and is less convenient.  I do not want to have to do that though.

 

I'm not an American resident so I don't have access to anything like that Charles Schwab card that reimburses all the fees.

I was in Bangkok bank earlier today to get a new passbook as I had no pages left in the current one and the lady dealing with it took a photocopy of my marriage extension.

9 hours ago, nahkit said:

I was in Bangkok bank earlier today to get a new passbook as I had no pages left in the current one and the lady dealing with it took a photocopy of my marriage extension.

 

So they required you to produce your marriage extension in order to get a new passbook?

Best bet is yo get your money out now if you can and open a bank account with another bank like Kasikorn.

On 12/13/2025 at 9:05 PM, eto1 said:

Best bet is yo get your money out now if you can and open a bank account with another bank like Kasikorn.

 

I only transfer enough to cover expenses, so I'm not worried about a large amount being frozen.  Just that I won't be able to do transactions anymore.  If I could open an account with Kasikorn I would.

 

I'm just hoping I can keep my Bangkok Bank account opened for a few more years until my DTV visa expires. I will get a retirement visa after that, which should solve the problem.  Unless they change the rules again by then, which is entirely possible.

On 12/2/2025 at 2:53 AM, QPRFC said:

No K Bank was interested once they saw the visa waiver stamp and told me to come back when I had a retirement visa

No surprise because without visa you don't need a bank account and for a retirement visa no thai bank account is needed.

On 12/3/2025 at 6:03 AM, shdmn said:

 

So they required you to produce your marriage extension in order to get a new passbook?

 

 

I suspect the clerk noticed the extension while perusing the passport. They have obviously been told to check Immigration status.............I wonder if they would have declined to issue the new passbook if he only had a visa exempt stamp.

I was in a Bangkok Bank office today getting a new passbook and they definitely copied and had me sign my extension of stay page.

As well as updating new passport details with your bank(s), don't forget to update them with your mobile provider as well: