400,000 To Be Deposited

[capital]

Hi folks,

A good friend of mine has agreed to deposit 400,000++ in my Bangkok Bank account. I will need to show this to immigration. The questions I got, for how long will the amount have to be kept in my account prior to receivng my ok stamp from imm?

Thanks

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Why 400,000 ? What visa are you on now and what are you trying to achieve ?

[huski]

The questions I got, for how long will the amount have to be kept in my account prior to receivng my ok stamp from imm?

only one day, first deposit the funds in your branch office of the THAI BANK. request a letter from the bank manager written to THAI IMMIGRATION. pick up the letter the next day. bring your passbook/letter to immigration along with all your other paperwork/pictures/app fee for the extension.

the available funds, your name, account number are listed on the letter along with the passbook, this is only checked the first appointment at immigration.

the first extension will be about 6 weeks, under review. then on your second appointment it will be extended to one year. when you come in for the second appointment you won't have to provide paperwork. they open the "big book" to make sure the "big boss" has signed your approval. then you are stamped again, this time for the remainder of one year.

next step is re entry permit, around the corner...3900 baht multiple entry, and fill out the application fee...wait 2 hours, then celebrate.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It doesn't answer why it is 400K Huski...and it looks like a toughening up in respect of short term money in the bank. An annual ' pattern ' is going to prevail. You might have commiserate rather than celebrate for him.

[capital]

Oh ok sorry. So, it's still 200k... great. Thanks for the replies. A friend of mine is depositing the money in my account "temporarily" that's why I needed to find out for how long, just 1 day I understand from your replies, great.

One more question: after having obtained the one year marriage visa to legally reside in the country, will I definitely have to leave the country every 3 months or will it be possible for me to extend it at immigration Bangkok?

Thanks

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You can get a year extension now, but without your friends help next year ...you will be history. Even then. it is on the fringe. Good luck.

[lopburi3]

To be safe the money should remain in the account until you receive the yearly extension. Anytime when under review they may call your bank branch and ask (even with the letter). If money is gone so is your visa. I base this on someone who kept getting under review stamps but never the final visa - he asked why and found out they were waiting for the bank balance to return above the minimum - and sure enough when he put the money back in the visa came through.

There is also a question of 'regular deposits' which seems to not be closely checked at the present time but may be something to watch for.

As what you seem to be planning might be considered fraud would suggest you think it over carefully as to any future problems it might cause you. Believe I would be happy to live with multi entry visas until able to obtain yearly extension myself.

[opalhort]

lopburi is correct.

IMM does sometimes check with the bank while your visa extension is "under consideration"!!! I had this happen to me about 15 years ago.

Also activity (in-out) on the account is looked at by IMM! If you 'park' xxx,xxx Baht in an account and never have any movement, IMM will ask you some questions you may not be able to answer!!!

opalhort

[Nam Kao]

Also activity (in-out) on the account is looked at by IMM! If you 'park' xxx,xxx Baht in an account and never have any movement, IMM will ask you some questions you may not be able to answer!!!

Why do you need activity in and out?

I 'll be using my US ATM card, Should I use my Thai ATM???

thanks

Nam

[monitorlizard]

I am a little confused...I thought the 200,000 baht needed to deposited by wire. I always thought immigration wanted a TM-3 the first time you applied for marriage visa and later wanted copies of account book. I always used the orginal TM-3 and later showed bank deposits or statments.

I think it is called a TM-3. I could be wrong about name but it is a form that the bank fills out indicating the deposit(s) came from outside Thailand. They always wanted copies of account book but made an exception with me and later people who bank with Citibank. Citibank does not use account books but gives out monthly statements.

Anyone else clarrify the proof of funds being outside Thailand?

[tracer0]

Why 400,000 ? What visa are you on now and what are you trying to achieve ?

presumably he wants a retirements visum and it seems from what I hear that prices and deposits vary.

Biggest problem is that from I hear in Phuket its 800000 so likely in the middle of nowhere it may still be 200000 baht.

And no guaranty they donot keep it doubling up.

I would at present be very careful what to do as its quite possible someone moves his assets here to live here with Thai familly or whatever and essentially may find himself in future unwanted as happened to a friend of mine (now dead) who had a

stroke, then cancer and then again a stroke. As he was living here after essentially being fleeced of his money by the Thai wifes father but had managed to get her a real good job waiting for his pension to become available (USA airforce) they became very difficult and tried to force him out but in the end, likely as they had been told his exact medical position let him stay.

One could end up with Thai familly in Thailand in nice house but not be allowed to stay here.... If I had the choice I would likely find myself a place to settle down near a border point and just go out/in every month till sitution clarifies...

Saves on all those visa as well. Added if as is suggested later in this thread money is rechecked and in some places unless one gives a bit extra cash the issue of a year visum may take 6 months, friends may be unhappy to have their money stuck that long.

Its mentioned that no movement of cash may be bad: as long as money you move in comes from a savings account and you make sure that whats send can be proven not to be from income THIS current year (check with accountant precise things required), what you send is savings, not income and not taxable.

So you can make heaps of money outside, just donot send that money here till a year later(g)

The way I hear it, its easiest to do things direct in BKK and it can save a lot of money.

Same with setting a company up, much easier in BKK and use local Branch office to do actual work if one wants to work.

Means all paperwork in BKK....

[huski]

I am a little confused...I thought the 200,000 baht needed to deposited by wire.

I have never wired these funds, just deposited cash coming from US ATM cards. I have never had to prove funds coming from outside Thailand or having it stated within the letter from the bank indicating this <3 times>. However, it is technically a requirement for the extension listed on a form i have for Inspectors of SECT 3 SUB DIV2 IMMIGRATION DIV 1.

You can get a year extension now, but without your friends help next year ...you will be history. Even then. it is on the fringe. Good luck.

Dr. Pat Pong is right, capital you are applying for an extension based on support of a wife or child. You should really have that covered for your family.

One more question: after having obtained the one year marriage visa to legally reside in the country, will I definitely have to leave the country every 3 months or will it be possible for me to extend it at immigration Bangkok?

Any time you are in Thailand for more than 90 days you MUST REPORT YOUR ADDRESS to Immigration. In Bangkok, this is done in room 401 upstairs. Applying for an extension is not reporting your address so calculate 90 days from the date of your last entry.

[ray23]

My annual is based on single status, didn't have the 800K so I deposit 65K a month in a Thai bank and this was excepted. I had to argue for it, but I got it. They wanted the 800k in the account, that was not what the law said.

I did have to give immigration a copy of my bank book and a lettter from my Thia bank saying where the funds came from, with location and account number. I understand that copies of a wire transfer are required, but at $75.00 a month a transfer from my bank that certainly not cost effective.

I had just bought some major items so at the time the account balance was only 13 K baht. A to, remaim nameless officer suggested I borrow some money to put in the account for review. I had spent a lot of time on research and know I was complying with the law, so I passed. The visa was issued the same day, once I had provided all the documents they wanted.

Now that was last April, we will see what happens next April, as far as can tell at this juncture the law has not changed, nor is it a portion of the upcoming changes. It is actualy better for the Thais the account now has a 135K baht in it and I just keep buying things locally and didn't give any money to other countries for visa fees.

Even if I was married I would rather have the single status then I don't have to rely on anyone else to continue my stay here. But that's just me a guy with three divorces under my belt. (not Thai) Who has come to realize that it's until death do us part, or a court order.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Why 400,000 ?  What visa are you on now and what are you trying to achieve ?

presumably he wants a retirements visum and it seems from what I hear that prices and deposits vary.

Biggest problem is that from I hear in Phuket its 800000 so likely in the middle of nowhere it may still be 200000 baht.

for a retirement visa it is presently 800,000 baht everywhere in the country. This guy has a Thai wife, so he can get away with 200,000 baht ( which he hasn't got and someone is gonna lend it to him )

[seethreepio]

You must leave the funds on deposit until you have got the visa extension. I can vouch for the fact that your bank account will be checked up to 2 months after your application.

[sanook]

seethreepio is right... they will check on the amount in your account so leave it in until your visa is approved. This knowledge is from personal, past experiences. DO NOT TAKE IT OUT OR YOUR VISA WILL BE DENIED!!!

[jimbfburnett]

seethreepio is right... they will check on the amount in your account so leave it in until your visa is approved. This knowledge is from personal, past experiences. DO NOT TAKE IT OUT OR YOUR VISA WILL BE DENIED!!!

Would it be possible to deposit the required amount in a Thai Bank, say in Los Angles?

[mai_ra_bu_cheu]

How much is a marriage visa?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Would it be possible to deposit the required amount in a Thai Bank, say in Los Angles?

Nope. The account must be in a Bank IN Thailand.

[Ron]

I read all the stories about marriage and I must add that ONE must know how to move with Thai bureaucrats then everything is relizable quickly and without pain and anxiety. There is an old Arab saying called BAKSHIZ!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Just comply with the requirements...dress nicely and be polite....that'll suffice.