Bank statement also required for one year retirement visa

[mikeinkamala]

Went to get my one year retirement visa renewed today and was surprised and annoyed to be told that in addition to a letter from Bank confirming funds in account for previous three months, plus bankbook and copies of it, Immigration now want a recent Bank statement as well.

Had to go back to Bank and get a statement, another 200 B a long drive and a morning wasted. I was told this new regulation had been imposed a month ago.

So anybody who has to renew their retirement visa make sure you take a bank statement plus all the other stuff they want when you go there.

[stevenl]

You mean an extension of stay based on retirement. A visa can not be renewed.

[chiang mai]

And stay alert because next time there will be another totally unexpected hoop for you to jump through.

[Pib]

Well, I expect you are talking Phuket immigration...but I renewed my retirement extension of stay at Chaeng Wattana/Bangkok immigration less than two weeks ago...used the Bt800K in the thai bank approach....all that was required as in previous years was the bank letter (costs Bt100 at Bangkok Bank) and copy of the passbook (they look at the passbook also). So if it was a new regulation it must be a local Phuket regulation only...and I probably shouldn't call it a regulation...probably just the policy of your local immigration office.

[Shot]

When I was there in July, they asked me for a copy of the front of my Thai and US bank card. Hadn't asked for that before and I only had the Thai card with me. So, another trip back to Kamala for my US card. When I asked why, they said "we want to know how you access your money". If I have the income, why <deleted> care how I get it.

[metisdead]

A nonsense post has been removed.

[NamKangMan]

When I was there in July, they asked me for a copy of the front of my Thai and US bank card. Hadn't asked for that before and I only had the Thai card with me. So, another trip back to Kamala for my US card. When I asked why, they said "we want to know how you access your money". If I have the income, why <deleted> care how I get it.

Isn't that an unacceptable risk, giving them your card number?

"we want to know how you access your money" - what about people who just use the bank book and withdraw cash over the counter?

[madmitch]

You should have searched this forum and you might have found the post I made at the end of May about this requirement.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806725-extension-of-stay-renewal-for-non-imm-o-requirements/

@stevenl, very pedantic even by your standards!

[Jip99]

You should have searched this forum and you might have found the post I made at the end of May about this requirement.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806725-extension-of-stay-renewal-for-non-imm-o-requirements/

@stevenl, very pedantic even by your standards!

Indeed.

If the OP had read this forum he would have known that Surin immigration, and others, have (for several months) been seeking evidence of money coming into Thailand and being drawn out here.

Whilst pedantic in tone, stevenl is absolutely correct in referring to the exercise as an application to extend your permission to stay based on retirement. Understanding the correct terminolgy is good - it could have been pointed out in a slightly more subtle manner as the OP was only trying to be informative.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Is the woman still in charge of Phuket immigration?

[curtklay]

I had the same issue at Nan Immigration in July. For my previous 5 annual extensions, all I needed was the bank letter and updated bankbook. This time they also wanted 3 months of statements. When I questioned it, they said it was new policy. Sent me off to Kasikorn to get copies. Since I keep the required amount in the account all year, the statements amounted to nothing more than 3 blank pages. Absolutely pointless.

Please don't point out that the 3 months of statements has been the rule for a long time. It's buried in their mumbo-jumbo which is impossible to keep up with. If they don't tell you about it and don't enforce it over 5 years, it's not fair to selectively bring it up depending on their mood. Especially when you drive 2 hours to get there. If I had known statements were required, I would have happily obtained them when I got the bank letter.

Once again, more ambiguous and inconsistent nonsense effected by individual offices. Wouldn't it be nice if all immigration branches complied with the official regulations, and if any changes are made, an advance notice would be announced on their website? You know...kind of like the way things are done in the real world?

[camble]

I had to provide this bank statement of transactions when I got my retirement extension last year at Chang Wattana. The bank downstairs had just closed and I had to come back the next morning. The officer said it was necessary because I don't update my passbook very frequently and they need to see the itemized transactions. She advised me to update my passbook for each transaction during the three months before I come back this year. The bank didn't charge for the extra statement.

[curtklay]

Didn't the bank update your passbook when you got their letter? They certainly should have if you are doing the 800k baht or combination method.

If you do the minimum income method, you shouldn't need to show a passbook at all. (If you're American with the embassy letter.)

I keep the 800k baht in the account all year; no transactions other than an interest payment which was shown in the updated passbook. The 3 months of statements showed nothing different. So why were the statements needed other than to make me jump through a hoop, and prove they are the boss?

Edited September 17, 2015 by curtklay

[stevenl]

You should have searched this forum and you might have found the post I made at the end of May about this requirement.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806725-extension-of-stay-renewal-for-non-imm-o-requirements/

@stevenl, very pedantic even by your standards!

Didn't intend it to be pedantic, just correct since terminology is really important with these matters.

[meatboy]

You should have searched this forum and you might have found the post I made at the end of May about this requirement.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806725-extension-of-stay-renewal-for-non-imm-o-requirements/

@stevenl, very pedantic even by your standards!

Didn't intend it to be pedantic, just correct since terminology is really important with these matters.

your right S. just go and ask an immigration officer who's had a bad night to renew your yearly visa and see how PEDANTIC he/she becomes.

[Pib]

I had to provide this bank statement of transactions when I got my retirement extension last year at Chang Wattana. The bank downstairs had just closed and I had to come back the next morning. The officer said it was necessary because I don't update my passbook very frequently and they need to see the itemized transactions. She advised me to update my passbook for each transaction during the three months before I come back this year. The bank didn't charge for the extra statement.

ChaengWattana/Bangkok immigration is my immigration office also since 2008. For the last 3 years or so I've used a fixed account for my Bt800K income proof and I don't deposit or withdrawal any funds between the time I open it and close it because it has matured....and with a fixed account no interest is paid until it matures. So, between the date of opening and date of closure the only transaction is the interest payment....but I have always renewed my retirement extension of stay before the fixed account has matured so there are not transactions except the opening deposit. I could update the passbook daily and it would not show any change in balance because of no transactions occurring....but I never update my passbook because there is no change...won't be any change until the account pays interest/matures.

And when I do update it the morning I'm getting the bank letter (Bangkok Bank branch just downstairs from immigration) just before I go to immigration it reflects the same balance as the opening balance since the account has not matured yet and no interest has been paid...actually the bank teller has to do a "forced" update to get any passbook balance to print out since there would be no print out unless a balance change has occurred....if I was to just stick the passbook into a passbook update machine there would be no update since no change in balance has occurred.

Anyway, been using this income method for around 3 years now (before that the embassy income letter approach)....most recent time just two weeks ago....never been asked for a statement for detailed transactions. Of course there would be no other transactions to detail other than the opening deposit, maybe an additional deposit and interest payment...well, they could be a withdrawal action I guess but when doing a withdrawal on most fixed accounts you then lose all interest or the great majority of it due to the early withdrawal penalty.

Not to imply anything but sometimes it just comes down to how the immigration officer feels about a person's renewal/application package...is there something in their gut telling them to ask for more income/funds flow proof. Or they just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Or like at some immigration offices it appears they ask for a statement from everyone. Standardization doesn't appear to be strong point among immigration offices but I expect "asking for additional" proof is just an "optional" action an immigration officer can do as they do have latitude in processing/approving an application.

Edited September 18, 2015 by Pib

[meatboy]

I had to provide this bank statement of transactions when I got my retirement extension last year at Chang Wattana. The bank downstairs had just closed and I had to come back the next morning. The officer said it was necessary because I don't update my passbook very frequently and they need to see the itemized transactions. She advised me to update my passbook for each transaction during the three months before I come back this year. The bank didn't charge for the extra statement.

ChaengWattana/Bangkok immigration is my immigration office also since 2008. For the last 3 years or so I've used a fixed account for my Bt800K income proof and I don't deposit or withdrawal any funds between the time I open it and close it because it has matured....and with a fixed account no interest is paid until it matures. So, between the date of opening and date of closure the only transaction is the interest payment....but I have always renewed my retirement extension of stay before the fixed account has matured so there are not transactions except the opening deposit. I could update the passbook daily and it would not show any change in balance because of no transactions occurring....but I never update my passbook because there is no change...won't be any change until the account pays interest/matures.

And when I do update it the morning I'm getting the bank letter (Bangkok Bank branch just downstairs from immigration) just before I go to immigration it reflects the same balance as the opening balance since the account has not matured yet and no interest has been paid...actually the bank teller has to do a "forced" update to get any passbook balance to print out since there would be no print out unless a balance change has occurred....if I was to just stick the passbook into a passbook update machine there would be no update since no change in balance has occurred.

Anyway, been using this income method for around 3 years now (before that the embassy income letter approach)....most recent time just two weeks ago....never been asked for a statement for detailed transactions. Of course there would be no other transactions to detail other than the opening deposit, maybe an additional deposit and interest payment...well, they could be a withdrawal action I guess but when doing a withdrawal on most fixed accounts you then lose all interest or the great majority of it due to the early withdrawal penalty.

Not to imply anything but sometimes it just comes down to how the immigration officer feels about a person's renewal/application package...is there something in their gut telling them to ask for more income/funds flow proof. Or they just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Or like at some immigration offices it appears they ask for a statement from everyone. Standardization doesn't appear to be strong point among immigration offices but I expect "asking for additional" proof is just an "optional" action an immigration officer can do as they do have latitude in processing/approving an application.

i do the same as PIB fixed account that mature's after extension date,letter off the bank confirming no transactions.but twice i have been asked what we live on so i always take mine and the wife's current acc.pass book in that show regular transactions.

[Pib]

I've never been asked so far. I use to take along some U.S. bank/card statement showing ATM/counter withdrawals in Thailand just in case they asked....ready to whip them out and show them if the immigration officer asked about how do I get my day-to-day living expenses money....but I haven't even done that for the last two years....getting complacent maybe. I also take along a print-out my latest pension annuity statements just to show I do have over Bt800K per year in income although those statements don't show the money coming to Thailand...the statements don't even show their direct deposit in my U.S. banks....they just show the amount of the monthly pensions.

No doubt a good idea to take along statements showing ATM/counter withdrawals, pension income, etc., to hopefully deal successfully with the eventual question an immigration officer may ask about "how to you get your living money in Thailand." You never know what side of the bed they will wake up on...or some new policy (local or national) coming seemingly out of nowhere.

[xylophone]

I was sitting next to a guy in Phuket immigration who was trying to do his extension and the immigration officer asked for the bank statement, to which the guy replied that he had a copy of the bank book (and a letter from the bank) which only had one line entry on it (that being for the 800k) and a statement would be no different because there was no activity to report!

Of course this seemed to make sense but the immigration official was adamant that a piece of paper with the heading "Statement" from the bank was necessary.

Just another hoop to jump through to let you know who is the boss.

[KarenBravo]

Strictly speaking, I don't think fixed deposit accounts with the 800k in it are acceptable.

It used to be that they wanted to see the 800k enter the country from overseas and put into a savings account with usage.

This was to prove to immigration that you weren't working and the money was being spent.

I think you are lucky to be able to get an extension with a fixed deposit account showing no activity.

Immigration seem to have eased up on the rules.

[uptheos]

I had to provide this bank statement of transactions when I got my retirement extension last year at Chang Wattana. The bank downstairs had just closed and I had to come back the next morning. The officer said it was necessary because I don't update my passbook very frequently and they need to see the itemized transactions. She advised me to update my passbook for each transaction during the three months before I come back this year. The bank didn't charge for the extra statement.

Did you post this valuable information last year when it happened?

To my knowledge there's no law (unless someone can show me) that states there has to be any transactions, so it was a stupid request. I've never been asked for a statement, probably because the officer knew it wasn't required.

There's a lot of posts springing up lately adding this and that, most I take with a grain of salt.

[sandyf]

I had to provide this bank statement of transactions when I got my retirement extension last year at Chang Wattana. The bank downstairs had just closed and I had to come back the next morning. The officer said it was necessary because I don't update my passbook very frequently and they need to see the itemized transactions. She advised me to update my passbook for each transaction during the three months before I come back this year. The bank didn't charge for the extra statement.

I don't update my bank book very often and when I do it consolidates all transactions into one line.

I use the income method so bank book or statement has never been required.

[Jimi007]

When I was there in July, they asked me for a copy of the front of my Thai and US bank card. Hadn't asked for that before and I only had the Thai card with me. So, another trip back to Kamala for my US card. When I asked why, they said "we want to know how you access your money". If I have the income, why <deleted> care how I get it.

Hum they only asked me for a copy of my Thai bank card before. Sounds like they're making up rules as they go. It will be interesting when I have to go in a couple of months. At least the US Embassy outreach will be here before I have to go so I can get my "earnings statement." What a joke it is a times...

Edited September 19, 2015 by Jimi007

[Jip99]

I had to provide this bank statement of transactions when I got my retirement extension last year at Chang Wattana. The bank downstairs had just closed and I had to come back the next morning. The officer said it was necessary because I don't update my passbook very frequently and they need to see the itemized transactions. She advised me to update my passbook for each transaction during the three months before I come back this year. The bank didn't charge for the extra statement.

Did you post this valuable information last year when it happened?

To my knowledge there's no law (unless someone can show me) that states there has to be any transactions, so it was a stupid request. I've never been asked for a statement, probably because the officer knew it wasn't required.

There's a lot of posts springing up lately adding this and that, most I take with a grain of salt.

Take it with a grain of salt by all means but I doubt that the posters have any reason to lie.

Every situation is different, as we well know, but in Surin they have been asking for supporting evidence of funds coming into Thailand (income method) and/or funds being spent in Thailand (bank method). Now they are putting all extension requests 'under consideration' for 30 days. Not hearsay, not BS, it is happening to many people I have spoken to. Can't say it is 100% because I don't know 100% of the applicants.

No doubt each immigration office will be different.

[camble]

I'm just relating my experience. Not saying it's required, just that the officer may ask for additional documentation. Some posters need more salt in their diet LOL

[LivinginKata]

Those of us who deal with Phuket immigration each year for an extension well know that each individual officer interpretes the 'rules' in his/her own way, and best not to try and explain the 'rules' to them. Just accept gracefully and comply.

[chiang mai]

It's five years since I lived in Phuket and had to extend my visa there, even then they were asking for bank statements and always, asking for something that I didn't have, something new/a copy of this or that. It's game, play it gracefully and don't fight it.

[Shot]

I had to provide this bank statement of transactions when I got my retirement extension last year at Chang Wattana. The bank downstairs had just closed and I had to come back the next morning. The officer said it was necessary because I don't update my passbook very frequently and they need to see the itemized transactions. She advised me to update my passbook for each transaction during the three months before I come back this year. The bank didn't charge for the extra statement.

Did you post this valuable information last year when it happened?

To my knowledge there's no law (unless someone can show me) that states there has to be any transactions, so it was a stupid request. I've never been asked for a statement, probably because the officer knew it wasn't required.

There's a lot of posts springing up lately adding this and that, most I take with a grain of salt.

"most I take with a grain of salt"

Good luck with that. You'll need it.

[billphillips]

When I was there in July, they asked me for a copy of the front of my Thai and US bank card. Hadn't asked for that before and I only had the Thai card with me. So, another trip back to Kamala for my US card. When I asked why, they said "we want to know how you access your money". If I have the income, why <deleted> care how I get it.

I for one would never give my bank card details to another person, other than to make a legitimate purchase. I certainly would not give those details to a confirmed con man in a cat-suit.

I'm surprised also, that it's necessary to have multiple bank cards to extend a retirement visa.

[Shot]

When I was there in July, they asked me for a copy of the front of my Thai and US bank card. Hadn't asked for that before and I only had the Thai card with me. So, another trip back to Kamala for my US card. When I asked why, they said "we want to know how you access your money". If I have the income, why <deleted> care how I get it.

I for one would never give my bank card details to another person, other than to make a legitimate purchase. I certainly would not give those details to a confirmed con man in a cat-suit.

I'm surprised also, that it's necessary to have multiple bank cards to extend a retirement visa.

No bank card = no extension. At least on that day it did.