Anybody use a fixed term savings account for funds for visa extension in Chiang Mai

I have searched the forum and seen different attitudes taken by Immigration offices across Thailand whether the account can be fixed or just a normal savings account

Yes

In CM I've used a fixed account for 5 years, never been a problem.

Yes no problem, its a bit difficult getting it updated when you need

it to take to Immigration,as they like it to be within 2 days ,or better

yet ,updated one day before you apply for the extension.

regards Worgeordie

Yes no problem, its a bit difficult getting it updated when you need

it to take to Immigration,as they like it to be within 2 days ,or better

yet ,updated one day before you apply for the extension.

regards Worgeordie

Just get it updated the day before your on line appointment, if you have one, and you get your bank letter at the same time. Unless the goal posts move its all got rather simple.

Yes no problem, its a bit difficult getting it updated when you need

it to take to Immigration,as they like it to be within 2 days ,or better

yet ,updated one day before you apply for the extension.

regards Worgeordie

Same day were I go Geordie. Bank letter can be 2 or 3 days earlier but they insist the bank book updated the same day.

The officers told me any bank account is o.k. providing you can access the money i.e. you may withdraw and loose interest as a penalty or whatever. Putting the money into an account that does not allow withdraws until a fixed period is up would not be acceptable.

Of course, as we know, this varies between officers at the same office let alone different offices!

If you have just the one account and don't use it, the only thing you may be asked is where are you getting money to live on. The theory is you top it up every year and live off it, i.e. withdraw and spend as and when. The bank letter can be up to a week.

We (my wife and I) have always until now (for 6 previous years) come in on a Non-O Immigrant visa but got stuffed by Hull Consulate / Thai Embasy in London this year who would not accept an instant-access RBS savings account (with substantial funds) as proof of financial wherewithall. They had moved the goal posts and this time round insisited on a current account (literally a "current" account) with £32,000 (ie. 1,600,00 baht-equivalent). Yes, Amazing Thailand.

Anyway, we now need to "upgrade" to Non-O, or Retirement visas (for many reasons) and have been trying to get clarity on the options and requirements.

We have local baht savings accounts and fixed income accounts (all of which are instant access). We also have a local fixed deposit account - this deposit having been a prerequisite to being given local credit cards. (The sum is double the value of the credit card limit.) The quirk here is that the bank hold that passbook and all we have is a photocopy of an updated balance every year or so. Trust is good, certainty is better of course ... not to mention banking controls themselves.

The sum total of balances across all these local baht accounts means we meet the recently publicised financial requirements but, for the uninitiated - if / when applying (locally for a Retirement visa) do you need to present / hand over the actual passbook(s), or do photocopies of transactional records and balances suffice?

Thanks for any help.

We (my wife and I) have always until now (for 6 previous years) come in on a Non-O Immigrant visa but got stuffed by Hull Consulate / Thai Embasy in London this year who would not accept an instant-access RBS savings account (with substantial funds) as proof of financial wherewithall. They had moved the goal posts and this time round insisited on a current account (literally a "current" account) with £32,000 (ie. 1,600,00 baht-equivalent). Yes, Amazing Thailand.

Anyway, we now need to "upgrade" to Non-O, or Retirement visas (for many reasons) and have been trying to get clarity on the options and requirements.

We have local baht savings accounts and fixed income accounts (all of which are instant access). We also have a local fixed deposit account - this deposit having been a prerequisite to being given local credit cards. (The sum is double the value of the credit card limit.) The quirk here is that the bank hold that passbook and all we have is a photocopy of an updated balance every year or so. Trust is good, certainty is better of course ... not to mention banking controls themselves.

The sum total of balances across all these local baht accounts means we meet the recently publicised financial requirements but, for the uninitiated - if / when applying (locally for a Retirement visa) do you need to present / hand over the actual passbook(s), or do photocopies of transactional records and balances suffice?

Thanks for any help.

Yes, Immigration are required to ask for bank passbooks,that have VERY recently been updated,plus photo copies of said bankbook.

regards Worgeordie