Seasoned Bank Funds For Retirement Extension In Bangkok

[Kabula]

Has anyone had any luck recently bypassing the new order, 30 day requirement, at time of application regarding seasoned bank funds while qualifying for a combination, foreign income/Thai fixed bank account.

[ubonjoe]

There is no immigration order requiring any seasoning.

There has been a report or 2 of Bangkok immigration wanting 3 months for applications other than the first extension which is 60 days.

I have not heard of the 30 day requirement.

[smedly]

how old can the letter from the bank be, I often wonder why showing 800k deposit per year would not be accepted

[Cloggie]

Best is same day and make sure the amount in the letter is the same as in your bankbook and not a satang difference!

[Suradit69]

how old can the letter from the bank be, I often wonder why showing 800k deposit per year would not be accepted

"...I often wonder why showing 800k deposit per year would not be accepted"

You can stop windering. The reason they now require 2 or 3 months seasoning is because in the not too distant past farang were depositing Baht 800,000 in their accounts, going to apply for their extensions and, once they received the extension, that Baht 800,000 moved onto someone else's account before he went in to apply, and so on. Musical bank accounts.

So, like most seemingly restrictive rules regarding visas and extensions, it's other farang who thought they were so clever, in this case moving money from one account to another, who made things more difficult for everyone.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Suradit69

[aarn]

The letter from the bank can be no more than one week old, at least that was the interpretation given by DanSingKon (PrachuapKK) staff last month.

I was applying for first extension of visa issued in 2014, basis of 'retirement', using combination [bank account + embassy statement] method

I'd taken a copy of the notice/regulation (in Thai) - which was linked to on thaivisa.com - stating that the embassy statement was valid for 6 months,

as mine was five months old.

The office staff at DanSingKon made a copy of the Thai notice, so presumably they weren't aware of it.

That office had previously knocked back my application for third annual extension of visa issued in 2010 using combination method,

because the money had only been seasoned for 57 (not 60) days! As we all know here, there is no seasoning requirement for combination method.

- well, I didn't have a print out of that regulation (in Thai) so was totally stoofed. AA

[MrWorldwide]

I got my letter yesterday and will go to Jomtien today - the AUD FCD account is close to a million baht, even with recent fluctuations but I wasnt impressed when they insisted on including my THB account in the letter - the last deposit was only a week or so ago and there is no guarantee that the money came from outside Thailand. My experience with Immigration is that anything outside their field of focus is cause for consternation - I guess I'll find out soon enough.I know they do the little thing with the daytodayrates site and a desk calculator - that's fine, I just dont want them to think I intended the THB account to be part of my application.

The ruling, by my understanding, is that the money needs to have been in your Thai bank for a minimum of 60 days, but that's going with the 'deposit only' method.

[Lite Beer]

The ruling, by my understanding, is that the money needs to have been in your Thai bank for a minimum of 60 days, but that's going with the 'deposit only' method.

60 days first time and 90 days from then on using deposit only.

[aarn]

Come on folks, isn't it in the spirit of being able to live in this country,

that we can demonstrate we are putting something back into the Thai economy?

I admit to going a bit off-topic, and making a motherhood statement.

But when I read posts in which the essence is something like:

person hopes to get their extension by setting up a term deposit for three months and one day

(ie. just more than the requisite 90 days)

rather than having a regular bank savings account with passbook...

grrrrrrr... AA

(maybe there are too many 50yo+ aussies here already).

[Kabula]

Correction:

I posted this topic and realized there was a typo error in the post.

It should read:

Has anyone had any luck recently bypassing the new verbal, 3 month bank seasoning requirement, (for second retirement extension) at time of application while qualifying for a combination, foreign income/Thai fixed bank account.

It is my current understanding there is no written order, but it appears all Immigration Officers are taking the position that when one submits the combination rule of foreign income/Thai bank funds, the bank funds have to be seasoned at the time of the application.

In my case this is my second retirement extension application so when applying for the combination, my bank funds must have been in the my fixed account for 3 months at the time of the application. It is 2 months for the first retirement extension application.

I believe all Immigration Officers have received a verbal order to enforce this.

It is my opinion that this position was taken to counter years of previous abuses of third party short term loans, followed my immediate withdrawals.

It appears that some Immigration Officers do not have the latest rule of law regarding Embassy Income Verification letters. Please be advised that Thai Immigration decided to change the validity period of Embassy income verification letters from 15 days to 6 months. So, Embassy income letters will be valid at Thai immigration so long as they are not more than 6 months old. Attached is a PDF file, in Thai, translated to English, that supports the above information. I recommend you print the PDF file and take it with you to Immigration for supporting documentation.

In doing my research, I also learned that some Immigration Officers are now demanding that Thai bank verification letters must be completed and signed the same day the application is submitted. According to the Thai Immigration website, the Bangkok District 1 Office has most of Thai bank branch offices in the building on the first floor as I recall. In order to avoid another hassle perhaps it would be best to obtain the letter the same day as the application is presented.

No doubt with all these surprises, and changes, combined many countries retreating economies, the lines for visa extensions will be getting shorter!

PCEC-NOTICE-THAI-IMMIGRATION-NEWS-JUNE-6.pdf

Edited September 18, 2014 by Kabula

[smedly]

Correction:

I posted this topic and realized there was a typo error in the post.

It should read:

Has anyone had any luck recently bypassing the new verbal, 3 month bank seasoning requirement, (for second retirement extension) at time of application while qualifying for a combination, foreign income/Thai fixed bank account.

It is my current understanding there is no written order, but it appears all Immigration Officers are taking the position that when one submits the combination rule of foreign income/Thai bank funds, the bank funds have to be seasoned at the time of the application.

In my case this is my second retirement extension application so when applying for the combination, my bank funds must have been in the my fixed account for 3 months at the time of the application. It is 2 months for the first retirement extension application.

I believe all Immigration Officers have received a verbal order to enforce this.

It is my opinion that this position was taken to counter years of previous abuses of third party short term loans, followed my immediate withdrawals.

It appears that some Immigration Officers do not have the latest rule of law regarding Embassy Income Verification letters. Please be advised that Thai Immigration decided to change the validity period of Embassy income verification letters from 15 days to 6 months. So, Embassy income letters will be valid at Thai immigration so long as they are not more than 6 months old. Attached is a PDF file, in Thai, translated to English, that supports the above information. I recommend you print the PDF file and take it with you to Immigration for supporting documentation.

In doing my research, I also learned that some Immigration Officers are now demanding that Thai bank verification letters must be completed and signed the same day the application is submitted. According to the Thai Immigration website, the Bangkok District 1 Office has most of Thai bank branch offices in the building on the first floor as I recall. In order to avoid another hassle perhaps it would be best to obtain the letter the same day as the application is presented.

No doubt with all these surprises, and changes, combined many countries retreating economies, the lines for visa extensions will be getting shorter!

what makes you believe "all immigration officers have received this verbal order"

it is exactly a statement like that that causes confusion on this forum, may I suggest you go read the thread dedicated to that very discussion before spreading unsubstantiated rumour

[smedly]

Come on folks, isn't it in the spirit of being able to live in this country,

that we can demonstrate we are putting something back into the Thai economy?

I admit to going a bit off-topic, and making a motherhood statement.

But when I read posts in which the essence is something like:

person hopes to get their extension by setting up a term deposit for three months and one day

(ie. just more than the requisite 90 days)

rather than having a regular bank savings account with passbook...

grrrrrrr... AA

(maybe there are too many 50yo+ aussies here already).

I have funds in various accounts but I am very reluctant to put any money in a Thai bank as there have been too many thefts

[MrWorldwide]

Edit - the penny just dropped - forget I was even here

Edited September 18, 2014 by MrWorldwide

[david555]

Edit - the penny just dropped - forget I was even here

???????????????????

[MrWorldwide]

Edit - the penny just dropped - forget I was even here

???????????????????

Had to remove my earlier post re my bank deposit when I realised why I need to go back on the 30th Sept - its obvious when I think about the stamps currently in my passport. Nothing more to add - please go about your business.

[david555]

Edit - the penny just dropped - forget I was even here

???????????????????

Had to remove my earlier post re my bank deposit when I realised why I need to go back on the 30th Sept - its obvious when I think about the stamps currently in my passport. Nothing more to add - please go about your business.

Sorry , could not understand,but if you dont like questions , than dont post such posts

Edited September 18, 2014 by david555

[Jingthing]

what makes you believe "all immigration officers have received this verbal order"

it is exactly a statement like that that causes confusion on this forum, may I suggest you go read the thread dedicated to that very discussion before spreading unsubstantiated rumour

Totally agree!

There has certainly been NO EVIDENCE whatsoever presented on this forum that this supposed new rule if it even exists as a national law has been communicated nationally (much less enforced).

Folks, always keep in mind that actual official immigration law and specific ENFORCEMENT POLICIES of specific offices are often not the same thing.

People often also irrationally give too much weight to Bangkok changes and policies and assume they are national.

History has shown not necessarily at all.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Jingthing

[david555]

Today monday 22 sept. I applied for retirement extension 1 year at Jomtien 5 , i can confirm that NO seasoning for the money is required in the Combination methode with Pension + savings at Jomtien 5, KK bank letter swift done with even a statement copy extra , both stamped , cost 200 baht .
Must say i was lucky to be serviced by the very friendly immigration lady officer .
After applied for the multiple re entry 3800 baht wich took longer than the extension .
So jomtien 5 NO seasoning needed in combination methode

So no visa runs anymore makes a profit of 8000 (4x 2000) baht comparing Non O multiple system

Edited September 22, 2014 by david555