Hello All

I visited my local imm. office to gain a Visa Extension based on Marriage. When he saw that my monthly State Pension was being transferred via Bank (in my case HSBC UK) to my Siam Commercial Bank account, he said this was no longer allowed. Incidently, the Gov. Pension Office credit my HSBC account first. He said the monthly pension must be sent direct,from the UK Government Office to my Thai bank account.I made the case that this was the first time in 15 years there was a problem with this type of transfer. He would not be moved. I also queried that there were loads of people who used third party Wise to transfer money across. He said this method would "Probably be OK". Anybody else experience this event?

5 minutes ago, oldgit said:

When he saw that my monthly State Pension was being transferred via Bank (in my case HSBC UK) to my Siam Commercial Bank account, he said this was no longer allowed.

Doesn't sound right to me...but if it is then it would cause lots of problems and then why would WISE be ok ? doesn't add up.

16 minutes ago, oldgit said:

When he saw that my monthly State Pension was being transferred via Bank (in my case HSBC UK) to my Siam Commercial Bank account, he said this was no longer allowed

Sounds like rubbish.

Pension is only one source for income method.

Which immigration office is pulling this stunt

32 minutes ago, oldgit said:

When he saw that my monthly State Pension was being transferred via Bank (in my case HSBC UK) to my Siam Commercial Bank account, he said this was no longer allowed.

I'd have asked him to point to Immigration regulations stating that, and why the expat community have never been informed.
Ask to speak to the senior IO, or consult with Immigration advice line on 1178.

Alternatively he could be after some t-money.

Have you dealt with this same IO previously?

4 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Have you dealt with this same IO previously?

It never ceases to amaze me that folk starting a thread do not state their immigration office.

It's like extracting teeth

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Sounds like rubbish.

Pension is only one source for income method.

Which immigration office is pulling this stunt

Kamphaeng Phet. I'm astonished because I thought they were good.

1 hour ago, Liquorice said:

I'd have asked him to point to Immigration regulations stating that, and why the expat community have never been informed.
Ask to speak to the senior IO, or consult with Immigration advice line on 1178.

Alternatively he could be after some t-money.

Have you dealt with this same IO previously?

Not this particular one, no.

3 hours ago, oldgit said:

He said the monthly pension must be sent direct,from the UK Government Office to my Thai bank account

I'm pretty sure that's not possible. As far as I know, if you request DWP to pay your pension in to your bank account in Thailand, the payment goes from an American bank (sorry I forget which one) to their branch in BKK and that branch transfers it to your bank in Thailand.

1 hour ago, Bredbury Blue said:

I'm pretty sure that's not possible. As far as I know, if you request DWP to pay your pension in to your bank account in Thailand, the payment goes from an American bank (sorry I forget which one) to their branch in BKK and that branch transfers it to your bank in Thailand.

Citibank, which transfers UK state pension through BOT (Bank of Thailand) to your Thai bank.

These are coded as 'BAHTNET' transfers.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

It never ceases to amaze me that folk starting a thread do not state their immigration office.

It's like extracting teeth

10 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

I'm pretty sure that's not possible. As far as I know, if you request DWP to pay your pension in to your bank account in Thailand, the payment goes from an American bank (sorry I forget which one) to their branch in BKK and that branch transfers it to your bank in Thailand.

I think you're right, but I will drop them an email to see if it's possible.

9 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Citibank, which transfers UK state pension through BOT (Bank of Thailand) to your Thai bank.

These are coded as 'BAHTNET' transfers.

Yes, the problem seemed to be that my name appeared on the statement from Siam Commercial Bank, as transferring money to myself via the two bank accounts.

13 hours ago, Liquorice said:

These are coded as 'BAHTNET' transfers.

@oldgit - is this how your HSBC to SCB transfers are also coded?

26 minutes ago, OJAS said:

@oldgit - is this how your HSBC to SCB transfers are also coded?

No, my name appears at the end of each transaction on the SCB .statement, which was a red light to Immigration.

Last month I applied for an extension based on marriage using the bt40,000pm method using Wise. Normally i use retirement for which i have no problem. My SCB statement showed the transactions coming from the Kbank so the IO said not ok, had to show coming from my Australian bank. I finally printed out 27x2 page Wise transaction confirmations and gave them that. These show the transfers coming from my Australian bank to SCB with a note saying that they go via the Kbank. The application goes from my local IO to Chiang Mai for ratification so that's why they were picky. I have to wait for 30 days to see the result. I also had to undergo a visit from immigration (bt2,000) as I had changed from retirement to marriage. Bank to retirement next year!

Sorry, that's was Phetchabun IO

9 minutes ago, Lazybones said:

Bank to retirement next year!

Try them on the Combination Method, which I have used successfully at Phitsanulok for four years.

Retirement, using Bht 400,000 in the bank, and Bht 35,000 per month, via WISE. All totalling over Bht 800k.

On 2/25/2026 at 6:41 PM, DrJack54 said:

It never ceases to amaze me that folk starting a thread do not state their immigration office.

It's like extracting teeth

That might be because in the real world all government offices follow the same rules and don't make them up on the hoof as they do in Thailand. Takes some getting used to, officers making up their own rules. As @Liquorice wrote, show the OP the 'rule'.

3 hours ago, Lazybones said:

Last month I applied for an extension based on marriage using the bt40,000pm method using Wise. Normally i use retirement for which i have no problem. My SCB statement showed the transactions coming from the Kbank so the IO said not ok, had to show coming from my Australian bank. I finally printed out 27x2 page Wise transaction confirmations and gave them that. These show the transfers coming from my Australian bank to SCB with a note saying that they go via the Kbank. The application goes from my local IO to Chiang Mai for ratification so that's why they were picky. I have to wait for 30 days to see the result. I also had to undergo a visit from immigration (bt2,000) as I had changed from retirement to marriage. Bank to retirement next year!

With Wise, when sending money, you have to choose a reason, so scroll to the bottom, and there is an option for 'funds for long-term stay in Thailand'. This option may take longer, but it shows as an international transfer. They also now offer a foreign transaction receipt

It might be of interest to some members that I've recently learned that my CSS (CSC) pension can now be paid by the CSS directly to a Thai (foreign) bank account.

Previously the rules required that it could ONLY be paid into an Australian bank account in the pensioner's sole name.

The Support section emailed copies of a form for filling out the Thai bank account details and a Statutory Declaration.

This only came to light when I mentioned to them the dilemma of my Thai wife (non Australian resident) receiving her entitlement (67% ??) of my pension when I "cash in my chips".

Way,way easier than trying to set up an Australian bank account for her ....which I once did with Westpac....took weeks including Aust Embassy certifying a copy of her passport....which they eventually closed due to inactivity!

Fears of money laundering and scams etc whilst having proven "Proof of Identity " !!

But I'm not sure how the process would work...if trf directly from CSS or via intermediary banks in Oz and/or Thailand.

Just for what it's worth!

An update on my dilemma with my local Immigration Office. Like a dutiful expat.,I contacted the UK International Pension Service via the UK Gov. website. Within 24 hours, they emailed me with a form titled "About payment to account in Thailand". I printed it off, completed the form and posted it via Track and Trace on 4th. March. Let's hope the Iran conflict won't get in the way of my letter! It seems certain, therefore, that the Pension Service will transfer my State Pension direct to my SCB Account. In the meantime, I used Wise, for the first time in 2 years, and received the money into my bank, in seconds.

On 3/2/2026 at 10:22 AM, wil iam not said:

Try them on the Combination Method, which I have used successfully at Phitsanulok for four years.

Retirement, using Bht 400,000 in the bank, and Bht 35,000 per month, via WISE. All totalling over Bht 800k.

Yes, I would have preferred that method, but the IO didn't like my monthly State Pension being transferred from my personal UK current account to my Thai bank account. I was snookered!

2 hours ago, oldgit said:

Yes, I would have preferred that method, but the IO didn't like my monthly State Pension being transferred from my personal UK current account to my Thai bank account. I was snookered!

Don't follow the thread.

Income does not need to be from pension.

Why not have any pension/income paid into UK bank account then use WISE transfer to Thai bank account.

Which immigration office are you dealing with.

Some offices are ignorant.

Removed trolling post @SingAPorn

19 hours ago, oldgit said:

It seems certain, therefore, that the Pension Service will transfer my State Pension direct to my SCB Account

SCB told me that the uk state pension payment originates from Citibank in USA, it is transferred to Citibank Thailand, who transfer it to your SCB account.

59 minutes ago, Bredbury Blue said:

SCB told me that the uk state pension payment originates from Citibank in USA, it is transferred to Citibank Thailand, who transfer it to your SCB account.

Just so everyone knows, Citibank Thailand was bought by UOB, and all Citibank TH accounts (mine included) were transferred over to UOB Thailand on April 19, 2024.

19 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

SCB told me that the uk state pension payment originates from Citibank in USA, it is transferred to Citibank Thailand, who transfer it to your SCB account.

OK mate. Interesting.

19 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

SCB told me that the uk state pension payment originates from Citibank in USA, it is transferred to Citibank Thailand, who transfer it to your SCB account.

UK state pensions are paid by Citibank through Bank of Thailand using their Bahtnet system to your Thai bank account.
These are coded are Bahtnet transfers.

https://www.bot.or.th/en/our-roles/payment-systems/Payment-systems.html

On 3/8/2026 at 10:42 AM, Liquorice said:

UK state pensions are paid by Citibank through Bank of Thailand using their Bahtnet system to your Thai bank account.
These are coded are Bahtnet transfers.

https://www.bot.or.th/en/our-roles/payment-systems/Payment-systems.html

So presumably Bahtnet transfers which end up in BBL accounts are coded as BTN (?) in BBL passbooks, instead of FTT as for "normal" international transfers? Thus credit advice notes would likely need to be sought for IMM purposes, and the question then arises as to who would issue these. Logically this would be Citibank, I think, but, as pointed out by @JohnnyBD , their Thailand subsidiary was recently bought out by UOB, who would presumably now be responsible for issuing Bahtnet credit advice notes.

In practice, this is not, of course, an issue which is likely to arise in the case of the UK State Pension (which equates to nowhere near the minimum monthly ฿40k requirement for marriage extensions) in isolation, but it could arise in the case of rather larger UK Civil Service occupational pensions where similar Citibank/Bahtnet transfer arrangements may apply (as I can vouch for on the basis of personal experience).

11 hours ago, OJAS said:

In practice, this is not, of course, an issue which is likely to arise in the case of the UK State Pension (which equates to nowhere near the minimum monthly ฿40k requirement for marriage extensions) . . . .

More recent retirees on the New State Pension could have been doing it, although the current exchange rate drops the 4 weekly payment just below the ฿40k, but many of these will have some SERPS or S2P so could easily be in this position.

I can sort of understand the IO seeking proof that the funds from overseas were direct from the applicants national pension office if he was applying for a Retirement extension. Seems illogical that the same criteria should apply to overseas transfers for a Marriage extension. What if the applicant doesn't yet qualify for state pension due to his age? Plenty younger married guys here that don't yet qualify for the home country's pension, but I guess they use the Thai retirement age of 50, which doesn't reflect the reality of western retirement age.