Bank Books Retirement Visa Renewal

[mark45y]

I have about 900K in three Thai banks. When I renew my retirement visa do I need a letter from the bank stating that I have the money in the bank or are the up to date bank books enough?

If I need a letter what shuold the letter say?

How many days before the existing visa runs out can one apply?

Thanks

Edited May 19, 2006 by mark45y

[Phil Conners]

You need the letter AND your updated bank books. Just go to your bank and say you need the letter for your visa, they'll know what it is. It's a standard formular basically just saying that the required money is in your account. Cost about 2-300 baht if I remember well.

You can apply one month before expiry. It really makes little difference. They will provide you an temporary one-month extension as soon as your paperwork is accepted. The total visa extension counts from your entry into the Kingdom, not from the visa application.

Edited May 19, 2006 by madsere

[lopburi3]

As said you require the letter(s). On a retirement extension of stay it is issued immediately - there is no waiting as is the case of support Thai wife.

[desmond]

For me , the letter costs only 500 bht

[lopburi3]

You must have a special bank as Bangkok Bank is 200 baht and every other poster that has mentioned a price it was 200 baht.

[ernieK24]

I have about 900K in three Thai banks. When I renew my retirement visa do I need a letter from the bank stating that I have the money in the bank or are the up to date bank books enough?

If I need a letter what shuold the letter say?

How many days before the existing visa runs out can one apply?

Thanks

I just went through this last week, extending my NI-O 90 day for one year. If this is not the same maybe it will assist you anyway. The requirement is 800,000 in Thai bank accts., or 65,000 in monthly income from somewhere outside of Thailand, or a combination of the two totalling that amount. The "pension" amount has to be verified at the American Embassy in BKK, on a form furnished by them, at a cost of 1200 baht, non-refundable. You then have to take this form, (make a copy, turn in the copy and keep the original for NEXT year), along with the letter from the bank certifying how much you have in the Thai account, along with your passport and copies of the main page and the page with your entry stamp and entry TM card, copy of your passbook pages from the bank, one passport size photo, and 1900 baht to the nearest immigration office. The whole process took me less than an hour in the Pattaya office, AFTER I had all the paperwork together.

I almost forgot.....I had to have a medical certificate stating that I do not have any of the five or six diseases listed, which I got from a clinic across the street from CARRFOUR on Central Pattaya Road, in Pattaya........cost for the certificate, 200 baht............took 10 minutes, maybe less. He just asked my lady, in Thai, if I had any of these diseases, she replied no, and he wrote my name on the apre-printed page, my passpoet no., signed it, had me sign it, and that was it,

If you have more than one account you might have to get a statement, 200 baht, from EACH bank to total the needed 800k. Chok dee.....Ernie

[mark45y]

Thank you all for the information

[farangene]

You need the letter AND your updated bank books. Just go to your bank and say you need the letter for your visa, they'll know what it is. It's a standard formular basically just saying that the required money is in your account. Cost about 2-300 baht if I remember well.

You can apply one month before expiry. It really makes little difference. They will provide you an temporary one-month extension as soon as your paperwork is accepted. The total visa extension counts from your entry into the Kingdom, not from the visa application.

Two years ago Immig in Bkk told me that the bank letter should be dated within one week of when you are applying for the visa or renewal. However they didnt press the point and told me to just remember it in the future.

This year, my money was in an acct that is accessible with an ATM card and Immig said that I should take my book to an ATM and get a balance check that showed the account was still over 800 baht. I feigned ignorance as to what she was talking about and some higher up said it was okay that I didnt have to do it.

Everything was very cordially handled.

[lopburi3]

Believe madsere was saying you can apply for the new extension of stay up to one month early - not the bank letter. The bank letter should be current but as you were told they will allow up to a week normally (some bank branches will not write themselves and refer the request to hqs).

[farangene]

Believe madsere was saying you can apply for the new extension of stay up to one month early - not the bank letter. The bank letter should be current but as you were told they will allow up to a week normally (some bank branches will not write themselves and refer the request to hqs).

Lop,

As usual, you are 100% correct. I was referring only to the "freshness" of the bank letter.

One other point that might be of interest to you and others: the manager of the Emporium Bangkok Band branch can normally authorize print and sign the bank letters on the spot. I assume it is for accounts at the Emporium branch only but am not sure.

That might be useful info if anyone is in a hurry to finalize their paperwork (as I was this year). In other years, I had to wait a day or two for someone to authorize it before I could pick it up.

[Niloc]

The Siam City Bank here in Pai is offering 4.5% interest for seven months. I cannot get it as a falang but I have a joint account with my wife which is OK with the bank for the 4.5%.

Would it be OK with immigration when I apply for my next extension to my retirement visa next month if the 800K if locked in a joint account with my wife?

[lopburi3]

First problem I see is that it is not your money if in a joint account - only half may be considered yours - up to how immigration wants to see it. I would ask immigration.

Second is that the money if in an account is expected to be used to support your stay during the 12 months of your extension. Rather hard to do if in a fixed account. They normally want accounts to be passbook.

I would ask the officers who you will be dealing with.

[paulfr]

One thing not mentioned here.

Part of the reason for the letter is to verify your funds came from abroad. They do not want a Thai loaning you money for a month to make it look like you are solvent. So the letter must state that so much in deposits came from an overseas bank.

Bangkok Bank had to rewrite a letter for me one time because the particular teller did not know to put this sentence in there.

JFYI ........

[lopburi3]

In the five years I have used letters here in Bangkok they have only stated the amount in the account and this is also from Bangkok Bank. Immigration has not questioned them. Although my last was retirement so they did not even read it as Embassy letter was well over requirements. I have seen reports from Nong Khai that required more than Bangkok so suspect this is another area of official discretion.

If you have a copy of your letter that you would white out name/account number and post people could use that show there bank.

[paulfr]

If you have a copy of your letter that you would white out name/account number and post people could use that show there bank.

I would be happy to share the letter with all, but I did not make a copy and Immigration insists on having the original.

Like many things in LOS, it does not make sense that the bank book, which clearly shows a FD label on foreign deposit entries, is insufficient. Get used to it .... is my motto and method to keep my sanity here.