Early Renewal Of Non-im "o" 12 Month "retirement" Visa

[Lite Beer]

Bear in mind that we are only talking about 1% interest here, and that is taxed at 15%

Depends what Bank, and for how long.......... + check that Immigration will accept that Bank....

I posted a few months ago different Bank rates... at this moment there a 2 or 3 Banks offering 2.5%, a year ago they were offering double that

Thai Bank Saving Interest Rates. http://www.bot.or.th/English/Statistics/Fi...te/IN_Rate.aspx

[JetsetBkk]

... money must show it came from outside Thailand

That's not true! Nobody ask you from where the money comes.

So why did they want a copy of the foreign exchange document from my bank showing the money came from the UK?

[ignis]

Bear in mind that we are only talking about 1% interest here, and that is taxed at 15%

Depends what Bank, and for how long.......... + check that Immigration will accept that Bank....

I posted a few months ago different Bank rates... at this moment there a 2 or 3 Banks offering 2.5%, a year ago they were offering double that

Thai Bank Saving Interest Rates. http://www.bot.or.th/English/Statistics/Fi...te/IN_Rate.aspx

GH Bank with special savings deposit rates is 3.25% [Fixed Rate Deposits]

KBank has reduced there rate from 2.5% to 1.75%

Mine sits in the HSBC Bank Fixed Term @ 2.76% until 17 July 2013

[ubonjoe]

GH bank is one of the banks that might not pay you any interest if you are not a Thai.

[ubonjoe]

... money must show it came from outside Thailand

That's not true! Nobody ask you from where the money comes.

So why did they want a copy of the foreign exchange document from my bank showing the money came from the UK?

The only instance where that is required according to the immigration website is for a change of visa status.

Immigration does not normally ask for it for regular extensions. But some immigration offices might ask for it even though it does not appear on the officeal list of required documents.

It could be like a medical certificate is no longer required but there are some rogue offices asking for it.

[ignis]

GH bank is one of the banks that might not pay you any interest if you are not a Thai.

There fine with me, but there again I do have a Mortgage with them as well

[Kaojai]

That's not true! Nobody ask you from where the money comes.

You have to bring along a letter from the bank manager in which he states which deposits originated from outside Thailand. Also, in the passbook each transaction has a code, so the deposits from foreign sources are clearly indicated.

I ensure that I have a minimum balance of B 800,000 for the three months before I renew, but for the rest of the year I draw down the balance, replenishing it whenever it appears that the exchange rate is fairly good.

I believe that one of the things that Immigrations looks for is some evidence that you are using this foreign sourced money for your living expenses. If the money "just sits there" they could ask to see a bank account that shows periodic withdrawals for personal use.

[basjke]

Bear in mind that we are only talking about 1% interest here, and that is taxed at 15%

Depends what Bank, and for how long.......... + check that Immigration will accept that Bank....

I posted a few months ago different Bank rates... at this moment there a 2 or 3 Banks offering 2.5%, a year ago they were offering double that

Thai Bank Saving Interest Rates. http://www.bot.or.th/English/Statistics/Fi...te/IN_Rate.aspx

GH Bank with special savings deposit rates is 3.25% [Fixed Rate Deposits]

KBank has reduced there rate from 2.5% to 1.75%

Mine sits in the HSBC Bank Fixed Term @ 2.76% until 17 July 2013

What stand GH bank for and where are they located as I want to put my money there straight away at those rates.

Why dose Kbank tells me they only pay 1 % on a fixed deposit when you say they will pay 1.75 on a savings account.

[ignis]

That's not true! Nobody ask you from where the money comes.

You have to bring along a letter from the bank manager in which he states which deposits originated from outside Thailand. Also, in the passbook each transaction has a code, so the deposits from foreign sources are clearly indicated.

I ensure that I have a minimum balance of B 800,000 for the three months before I renew, but for the rest of the year I draw down the balance, replenishing it whenever it appears that the exchange rate is fairly good.

I believe that one of the things that Immigrations looks for is some evidence that you are using this foreign sourced money for your living expenses. If the money "just sits there" they could ask to see a bank account that shows periodic withdrawals for personal use.

I transferred from outside of Thailand money in 2003, 800k was put into a Fixed term, for the past 5 Extensions I have only shown this 800k, I have taken other day to day Bank Books just in case, but have never been asked.

[ubonjoe]

What stand GH bank for and where are they located as I want to put my money there straight away at those rates.

Goverment Housing Bank.

You would probably get 0% interest from them. Since it is goverment owned.

[lopburi3]

You have to bring along a letter from the bank manager in which he states which deposits originated from outside Thailand.

The bank letter only requires your name, account, date and balance. That letter does not require any information on source of funds. If such information is required by officer they normally use code in passbook or ask for copies of wire transfer paperwork.

[ignis]

What stand GH bank for and where are they located as I want to put my money there straight away at those rates.

Goverment Housing Bank.

You would probably get 0% interest from them. Since it is goverment owned.

Anything is possible........

They are very long winded takes around 10 - 12 weeks before you get the reply.

[DrDave]

... I ensure that I have a minimum balance of B 800,000 for the three months before I renew, but for the rest of the year I draw down the balance, replenishing it whenever it appears that the exchange rate is fairly good.

I believe that one of the things that Immigrations looks for is some evidence that you are using this foreign sourced money for your living expenses. If the money "just sits there" they could ask to see a bank account that shows periodic withdrawals for personal use.

Yes - that's my understanding as well. On my last two extensions, they wanted to have a copy of every page of my passbook, going back well before the required 3 months. When I was issued a new book by the bank (due to the old book being filled up), they wanted a copy of the old book as well, even though the new book started with transactions about 6 months before the extension date.

What I assume they're looking for is evidence that you're actually using this money to live (that is, making periodic withdrawls). Why? Because in the case of a retirement visa, if it looks like you're not using this money to cover your living expenses, they assume that you've got some sort of other income in Thailand, which in most cases, is forbidden.

[astral]

You have to be 50 by WESTERN definition to get a retirement visa. That means your 50th birthday, NOT your 49th. While there may be some cases of people getting it at 49, it is VERY UNLIKELY. That's one of those "urban myths" that you qualify at 49. For everyone who got away with that, there are scores who were LAUGHED out of the office for trying.

An example of one rule for Thais and another for farangs.........

A Thai must be 21 to own property in his/her own name.

That means after the 20th birthday.

i.e. in the 21st year...............

[RubbaJohnny]

Agree Kasikorn excellent service and online banking

SCB also have net easybank if you qualify

Each branch does things differently like immi

re Extensions Mae Sai told me 30 days is earliest

[JetsetBkk]

You have to bring along a letter from the bank manager in which he states which deposits originated from outside Thailand.

The bank letter only requires your name, account, date and balance. That letter does not require any information on source of funds. If such information is required by officer they normally use code in passbook or ask for copies of wire transfer paperwork.

Exactly my thinking, lopburi3. My bank stopped using codes that showed that the money came from abroad, so I now ask them for a copy of the wire transfer document.

Phuket immigration has kept the wire transfer photocopy for the last two years, so I shall keep getting it for them.

They don't want the "Health certificate" any more, and gave me that one back last year so now I don't bother getting one.

I also copy the pages in my bank "pass book" for the previous three months that show the 800,000 present.

My last extension took about 6 minutes. The guy just flicked through all the papers, studying some of them and then started stamping the form and my passport with his many assorted coloured stamps.

[Jingthing]

Phuket immigration has kept the wire transfer photocopy for the last two years, so I shall keep getting it for them.

Do as you please but I bet you if you did not present those copies, they wouldn't ask for them. I am a great believer in giving them exactly what they require and ONLY exactly what they require. I bring in proof of foreign transfer in case they ask; they have yet to ask.

[JetsetBkk]

Phuket immigration has kept the wire transfer photocopy for the last two years, so I shall keep getting it for them.

Do as you please but I bet you if you did not present those copies, they wouldn't ask for them. I am a great believer in giving them exactly what they require and ONLY exactly what they require. I bring in proof of foreign transfer in case they ask; they have yet to ask.

I take a slightly different approach -

give them whatever documents they kept last time

+ whatever it has been confirmed that they now need

- whatever it has been confirmed that they now don't need

The forex transfer copy costs nothing at the moment and I get it when I get my bank letter, so it's no big deal.

[Jingthing]

My reason is simple. If lots of people give them things they do not CURRENTLY require, it may lead to additional requirements for EVERYBODY. Thus, I support that everyone only give them what they REQUIRE NOW.

[JetsetBkk]

My reason is also simple. I don't want to go twice because I didn't give them something that I easily could have on the first visit.

Maybe next year - if I remember - I'll get the Forex transfer document but not give it to them in my bundle, and see what they say.

To be continued...

[ignis]

My reason is also simple. I don't want to go twice because I didn't give them something that I easily could have on the first visit.

I take an old laptop bag, have loads of paperwork just in case they ask, but give then the folder of the basics.... The only item I was asked for extra this year was the map showing where my house is, fine it was in my bag, I took it last year but was not asked.

[thongjan]

Type of bank account SCB fund account not accepted at Chiang Khan immigration office

[lopburi3]

"fund" does not sound like a bank deposit account so not surprised. Is it a cash account or securities of some type?

[RubbaJohnny]

Interesting point is there a rule or list of what type of bank accounts are or are not acceptable .

You could ask the banks.

However at the end of the day the Banks do not invent apply or misapply the the Immigration regulations.

Has any one run foul of this I ve switched to Kasikorn Fund K treasury from SCb for no other reason than they are nearer.

[lopburi3]

Normally only cash deposit type accounts are allowed from reports I have seen.

[JetsetBkk]

My reason is also simple. I don't want to go twice because I didn't give them something that I easily could have on the first visit.

I take an old laptop bag, have loads of paperwork just in case they ask, but give then the folder of the basics.... The only item I was asked for extra this year was the map showing where my house is, fine it was in my bag, I took it last year but was not asked.

Same here - except my bag is my old language school cheap zip-up brief case. I keep copies of all the previous years' extension documents, so it's easy to just duplicate them each year - updating the papers that need it, of course.

So next year I'll try not giving them the Forex photocopy and the bank pass book copies. I don't think there's anything else contentious that I could try not giving them.

[Jareb]

I am not ready for retirement yet, but have a question. Here in Germany, banks stopped using pass books years ago. What other kind of documents would be accepted (all of my banking is done through bank transfers).

[ubonjoe]

If you are talking about getting an extension here they will only accept bank accounts that are in a Thai bank.

If for a non-oa visa from a consulate they accept bank statements.

[philliphn]

When I retire in Thailand. I will have a State Government Pension. This pension will be more than the required 800.000 BHT. How does this work ,when initially getting, and then renewing the Retirement Visa

[ubonjoe]

When I retire in Thailand. I will have a State Government Pension. This pension will be more than the required 800.000 BHT. How does this work ,when initially getting, and then renewing the Retirement Visa

For the monthly in come option of 65,000 baht you have to show a letter from your embassy proving your income.

If you are from the US that will be an affidavit stating you have the income (about $1900) . You maie an oath before a consular officer that it is true and correct so you don't need to show proof to them.

The 800,000 number is only for money in the bank or a combination of income and bank deposit.