I am due to renew my marriage visa next week and have had the 400,000 in the bank account for 3 months now. Once i submit the application, can i touch (spend) the 400,000 or do i have to leave them untouched while i am under consideration (the 1 month stamp) and until after i have received the additional 11 months stamp?

The reason i am asking is because my wife is due to give birth in 2 weeks and we really need the money to pay for the hospital, baby stuff, etc.

Never really sure on this but I always dip into it without any problems.

A few years ago, after submitting our visa extension application, I used the money in the bank and went below 400K. My wife was called a couple of weeks later by the officer who dealt with out application at Jomtien and was told that the authorities in Bangkok had checked my bank balance and I had 3 days to get the balance back to 400K baht or they would reject the application.

Fortunately, my wife had 40K baht in an 'emergency' fund we had set up and we moved it over that day.

This was a few years ago and maybe nowadays they don't check - I don't know.

At that time, we used to take in coffee as a 'gift' (about 400 bahts worth). We don't do it any more, but I still wonder if the local officer would have made the phone call to warn us if we hadn't given her that coffee!

As soon as you have the extension, you can spend the lot!

Good luck with the birth.

Edited July 9, 201411 yr by dsfbrit

It should be OK to take a small amount out but I certainly would not empty the account. There have been reports of the regional offices calling the bank to check the balance.

What office did you apply at?

Thanks for all your replies.

I always apply at Chaeng Watthana, the main office in Bangkok.

That is one of the regions that has been reported as checking the bank balance. You could ask about it when you apply.

Does the account with funds have to be on your name only or can it be a joint account with your wife?

Your name only

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That is one of the regions that has been reported as checking the bank balance. You could ask about it when you apply.

Looks like I will have to leave it untouched then. I dont want to risk a visa problem with a newborn.

Yes it's a hassle though. The 400,000 is supposed to show that you have enough money to support your family for the year extension, but you're not allowed to spend any of it for a full 1/3 of the year to support your family. The logic is a bit twisted.

The first year for me was hard to pull together, as after renting a house, buying a car, and paying school fees for my daughter (which was more than 400k), all which I had to do the first month I was in the country, I had less than 400K in the bank. But none of that money spent counted towards my extension. So I got a one year non immigrant-o, and had to leave the country every 90 days. Once I saved up enough money for 400K again, I applied for my 1 year extension and was approved.

That may be a possibility for you to consider if there's a cash crunch with the new baby.

John

The rule states that the money must be in the bank at least 2 months before your application can be accepted and processed. It doesn't say that the money can't be touched while you are under consideration, or did I miss that part?

FYI, I've done it twice already and there never have been any problems.

Then again it's up to you.