Special One Year Visa (age Under 50)

[naamjai]

i'm under 50, not married, not working. looking for information about the "special" one year non immigrant visa. if i deposit (fixed money) 3 mio. bath on a gouverment bank, i should get a one year visa, but ...

- what kind of visa ?

- do i have do to the visa run every 3 months?

- can i renew or extend the visa after one year?

- which gouverment bank is reliable and provied a good service to a farang?

- does anyone have experience with this kind of visa?

- what is the right, best way to get this visa?

- where can i find official information?

thank's for your help, khun peter / chiang rai

[lopburi3]

That is an extension of stay, not a visa, and is obtained from Immigration, not a Consulate. If you keep the deposit you can keep getting extensions of stay. Each extension of stay is one year and no visa runs would be required. No government bank is noted as being user friendly AFAIK. But as you can not touch the money does it really matter? Official information is on immigration web site

Application for extension of stay of persons investing a minimum of 3 million Baht in the Kingdom

Required Documents

Evidence of transfer of at least 3 million Baht from abroad into Thailand. The applicant must be either the sender abroad or the recipient in Thailand of the investment.

Evidence of investing the transferred money after the transfer is completed in one or several of the following cases:

Deposit the money in a fixed account of a state bank (Krung Thai Bank, Government Savings Bank, Bank for Agriculture and Cooperative, Ratanasin Bank, Srinakhorn Bank, Nakhornluang Thai Bank, Housing Bank)

Buy bonds issued by a state agency or government enterprise. The bonds must be purchased directly from a state agency or government enterprise or an authorised dealer.

Buy an apartment or condominium at the price set and registered by the Land Department.

Any kind of investment deemed beneficial to the country by the Immigration Bureau.

Conditions for permission

The foreign national must permanently possess the investment. If he wishes to change the kind of investment, he first has to ask for permission to change the kind of investment and may then change to a new permanent kind of investment.

Note

For more information, please call 0-2213-2556

[astral]

Generally Krung Thai Bank is friendly.

I have banked with them for many years.

I would suggest you check at their head office in Ploenchit Road, Bangkok,

as to what rate of interest they will offer in such a sum.

If the initial response is 0% and ask to see a more senior officer,

to be honest you should be welcomed with open arms with a sum like that,

but we are talking about Thailand.

I know my local office will not accept fixed deposits.

[desmond]

You can also try Siam Commercial Bank, they are very good and reliable as well

[Sunbelt Asia]

Generally Krung Thai Bank is friendly.

I have banked with them for many years.

I would suggest you check at their head office in Ploenchit Road, Bangkok,

as to what rate of interest they will offer in such a sum.

If the initial response is 0% and ask to see a more senior officer,

to be honest you should be welcomed with open arms with a sum like that,

but we are talking about Thailand.

I know my local office will not accept fixed deposits.

Krung Thai Bank is the best in my opinion. You open a savings acct at first at this bank and you need to transfer the money from your home country currency or Dollars/ Euros/ Sterling and get a Foreign Exchange Certificate In Thailand. Make sure if you send from more than one bank, the minimum transfer is at least 800,000 Baht exchange in order to get this Foreign Exchange Certificate.

You then transfer these funds from Savings into a deposit in a one year- three years fixed deposit which will pay 4.5 % per year.

You arrive in Thailand with a 90 day non immigrant visa and then do the extension of stay based on investment here.

You can also try Siam Commercial Bank, they are very good and reliable as well

Sorry to say, Siam Commercial Bank is not a state bank. State banks are Krung Thai Bank, Government Savings Bank, Bank for Agriculture and Cooperative, Ratanasin Bank, Srinakhorn Bank, Nakhornluang Thai Bank, Housing Bank. We have had clients not follow these instructions and get approved but it was a harder process.

know my local office will not accept fixed deposits.

I would reco to try again. With the past Thai government priming the pump, their is a big demand for banks to get reserves with fixed deposits now to offset this spending that has taken place.

Our firm has helped a large number of foreigners with this type of extension of permit and we would be happy to assist you as well.

www.lawyer.th.com

[lopburi3]

You can also try Siam Commercial Bank, they are very good and reliable as well

Not a government bank and not usable for this program.

[Khun Bob]

again a recommendation for krung thai bank on ngam wong wan - very helpful - actually go out of their way to help me

Also surprised by gov savings bank in bua yai, khorat - opened an account there and only required to see my visa (non-imm o) - no need to talk around not having a work permit.... only problem was getting the computer to accept my passport number - but a suggestion they call bkk solved the problem - also mentioned that i want to transfer 3 mil for house purchase to the poo yai greased the wheels alot - still he was very nice to me in the fact i could speak thai and he or his staff didnt have the problem of having to speak english...

krung thai offered me fixed deposit of 4.25 3 months ago but fixed deposits are now offerring up to 5.18, i believe, but that is with bangkok bank...

[naamjai]

thank's a lot for all reply. one thing is confusing me: i have only a tourist visa, do i have to have a non-imm "O" for to invest money? (have already invest some money, bankaccount etc. .. but bangkok bank)!

khun peter

[Sunbelt Asia]

thank's a lot for all reply. one thing is confusing me: i have only a tourist visa, do i have to have a non-imm "O" for to invest money? (have already invest some money, bankaccount etc. .. but bangkok bank)!

khun peter

You'll need the letter from the Bank certifying that the money deposited is not less than 3 million baht and a Foreign Exchange certificate. As stated it is up to the officer if they will allow the Bangkok Bank for the change of the visa. If not you'll need to move the funds to a State Bank.

If you like our help, our professional fee is 2,900 Baht to obtain the correct visa.

www.lawyer.th.com

[The Dude]

Krung Thai is the way to go for this type of visa