Satisfying Chiang Mai immigration monetarily when I go for my annual retirement visa

[elgordo38]

When I go to do my annual retirement visa can I satisfy the 800,000 bahts in one of two ways or both. Number 1 Can I show a term deposit book with a seasoned over 3 months deposit from my bank for say a 5 or 7 month term at a fixed rate to satisfy the all or part of the 800,000 baht requirement? Number 2. If I have a Foreign Currency Deposit account can I use that as well or entirely to satisfy their financial requirements. They would possibly use the conversion rate of that day? Any help would be appreciated as I hate to leave all that money in my regular account earning a paltry .625% (and shrinking) it was .75% back in the summer.

[ubonjoe]

Most immigration offices accept fixed term accounts. But you must be able withdraw funds from the account at anytime with no delay.

Foreign currency deposit accounts are also accepted at a some immigration offices.

It would be best to check to with your local immigration office to confirm what is acceptable to them.

[merijn]

Most immigration offices accept fixed term accounts. But you must be able withdraw funds from the account at anytime with no delay. Foreign currency deposit deposit accounts are also accepted at a some immigration offices. It would be best to check to with your local immigration office to confirm what is acceptable to them.

Phuket accept fixed accounts or foreign accounts only for retirement extensions and the money has to be available any time.

[NancyL]

Speaking from experience in Chiang Mai, they have no problem in accepting term deposit accounts that are structured where you can withdraw the funds at a moment's notice. What they won't accept are accounts where your funds are tied up for a fixed period of time and not available to you.

Most of the higher interest fixed accounts here work like Certificates of Deposit in the U.S. in that you can withdraw your funds at any time, but you will forfeit interest by withdrawing early. The key is that you have the capability to withdraw early.

The banks here also sell money market funds where your money is totally locked in for a fixed period and those accounts aren't accepted by Immigration.

[stoli]

Speaking from experience in Chiang Mai, they have no problem in accepting term deposit accounts that are structured where you can withdraw the funds at a moment's notice. What they won't accept are accounts where your funds are tied up for a fixed period of time and not available to you.

Most of the higher interest fixed accounts here work like Certificates of Deposit in the U.S. in that you can withdraw your funds at any time, but you will forfeit interest by withdrawing early. The key is that you have the capability to withdraw early.

The banks here also sell money market funds where your money is totally locked in for a fixed period and those accounts aren't accepted by Immigration.

Thank you. That certainly answered questions that I had.

[NancyL]

Oh, another thing to consider is the maturity date on your fixed account. If you deposit funds in, say a 10 month account, at the end of the 10 months the funds then start to earn just regular interest. In order to get better interest you have to close that account and open a new account at the same bank. It seems a stupid waste of effort and paperwork rather than the bank just granting you the new special promotion interest rate. If you do this switch during the 90-day aging period ahead of your visa extension application you could challenge the mental capabilities of the immigration officer.

The letter the bank gives you to "prove" you have 800,000 baht on deposit merely states your balance as of the date they write the letter. It doesn't say anything about how long those funds have been on deposit. You prove that by bringing your bank passbooks. If the account is new, with funds being transferred from another account at the same bank, you could have problems at Immigration, even if you bring the passbook of the old account. I've seen applicants at CM Immigration trying to explain this to Immigration officers and being sent back to the bank to get a letter "proving" that the funds in the new account came from the old account.

Best not to shift funds around in your 800,000 baht retirement visa accounts during the 90 day period ahead of your extension application.

Edited January 1, 2014 by NancyL