Applying for extension of stay without a bankbook or ATM access

[hyperdimension]

I have well over 400k THB in a Standard Chartered eSaver account that pays high interest but does not come with a bankbook or ATM access. If I ever need some money I do a transfer via internet banking to another Standard Chartered account called "JustOne" which does come with a bankbook and ATM card.

So how can I use the eSaver account to show evidence of the required 400k THB minimum to qualify for a non-immigrant O visa? Has anyone here used this kind of account to apply for a visa?

The bank letter shouldn't be a problem from other posts that I've read.

In place of the ATM slip, would a receipt of a deposit done over the counter, then a new printout of the statement immediately afterward be an acceptable replacement?

[johnatong]

Accounts which do not allow instant access to cash will not be accepted by immigration.

You must place the 400K in an accessible account.

You will need a bankbook + Bank letter to satisfy immigration.

What visa do you have now ?

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and the reply to it.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

If you get in a real bind for documentation, there's always the option of an "income statement" via your embassy.

Mac

[johnno2]

i'm australian and i didn't need either to get my statutary declaration from the embassy. i just filled in the form declaring that I get 65,000 baht pension and the embassy stamped it. i have pensions etc for the 65,000 baht requirement and i took along copies of the pension payments and ATM statements showing the withdrawals in Thailand. Immigration didn't bother asking for them, but i had them just in case. my wife is thai and we took along her ID etc to prove address

[PomRakBKK]

Did you get your SC account while being in Thailand and employed in Thailand or just walked in and opened an account without work permit? Might be interesting for those of us on PE or non O visas that live here, since Kasikorn and other banks require a WP now to open an account.

[Eclipse]

There is no requirement to have a WP when opening a bank account.

Just try different branches or even different staff in the same bank.

[Liquorice]

I assume your talking about an extension of stay based on marriage from a local Immigration office in Thailand, rather than a Non Imm O Visa which you can only obtain from a Thai Embassy/Consulate outside of Thailand.

Your esaver account wouldn't be acceptable to Immigration as it's not immediately accessible.

Your justone account is a savings account with passbook and an ATM card, which would be acceptable to Immigration.

You should therefore transfer funds of 400,000 baht into your just one account 3 months before you make the application to be on the safe side.

Updated passbook and letter from the bank as proof of funds deposited in a Thai bank,

[Dan5]

Accounts which do not allow instant access to cash will not be accepted by immigration.

You must place the 400K in an accessible account.

You will need a bankbook + Bank letter to satisfy immigration.

What visa do you have now ?

I've been getting extensions for many years now without ever showing them how much I have in the bank. I just get a proof of income from the embassy. Is that an option for you?

[wazzadg44]

Johnno2-I too am an Aus.living in Phuket and have been doing my retirement extensions by the money in bank route. I now find that my age pension plus a private super payment each month is sufficient to satisfy the monthly income requirement which then would allow me to access the 800,000 needed in bank for 3 months. My question (is/are)-is it ok to combine a govt.payment and a private super payment and will that satisfy the Embassy and what doc's were needed to be filled out. Do you have to make an appointment with the Embassy and how long in advance can this be done. How long does the process take-if I fly in early morning can I return Phuket afternoon/evening My next extension is due in mid June and I have money in bank for this if no go at Embassy. Thanks for any relevant info.

[hyperdimension]

Accounts which do not allow instant access to cash will not be accepted by immigration.

You must place the 400K in an accessible account.

You will need a bankbook + Bank letter to satisfy immigration.

What visa do you have now ?

The funds in the Standard Chartered eSaver account are accessible via internet. In Standard Chartered's internet banking portal I am able to do withdrawals directly from the eSaver account to any account (even to a third-party account at another bank). i.e. I don't need to transfer first to the JustOne account and then from JustOne to the third-party account. So funds in the eSaver account are directly accessible, but not via an ATM.

Funds can also be deposited directly into an eSaver account via internet banking from any other bank account, including from accounts at another bank. It's the same process as transferring funds to any ordinary bank account with an account number via internet banking.

I also once deposited a large amount of cash over-the-counter at a Standard Chartered bank branch straight into the eSaver account.

For over-the-counter withdrawals from the eSaver account, I've never needed to do it so I'm not sure if it's possible. Could that be a problem? It's easy enough to simply transfer some funds to the JustOne account over the internet and immediately afterward withdraw at any bank's ATM (and no fee is incurred).

So the funds in an eSaver account are not really locked away and are still quite accessible. It was for this reason that I decided to put my money in this account instead of a term deposit which may be less accessible.

What visa do you have now ?

I am on my final entry of a multiple-entry non-immigrant O visa based on marriage that I had obtained from Savannakhet. I am now hoping that I can get a 1-year extension of stay so that I don't have to leave the country every 90 days like I have been doing.

[hyperdimension]

there's always the option of an "income statement" via your embassy.

I don't earn the minimum monthly amount required to qualify for the income option.

[hyperdimension]

Did you get your SC account while being in Thailand and employed in Thailand or just walked in and opened an account without work permit? Might be interesting for those of us on PE or non O visas that live here, since Kasikorn and other banks require a WP now to open an account.

I am not employed in Thailand but I have a Tabien Baan which I showed to open this Standard Chartered account.

Before I had the Tabien Baan I could still open bank accounts, it just depended on the bank or branch (keep trying unitl you find a branch that will do it). I think Standard Chartered does require a work permit or Tabien Baan.

[hyperdimension]

You should therefore transfer funds of 400,000 baht into your just one account 3 months before you make the application to be on the safe side.

Yes I've realized that I could have done that but it's a bit late now as my permission to stay expires within 2 months from now. I also didn't want to miss out on the interest.

[Liquorice]

Accounts which do not allow instant access to cash will not be accepted by immigration.

You must place the 400K in an accessible account.

You will need a bankbook + Bank letter to satisfy immigration.

What visa do you have now ?

The funds in the Standard Chartered eSaver account are accessible via internet. In Standard Chartered's internet banking portal I am able to do withdrawals directly from the eSaver account to any account (even to a third-party account at another bank). i.e. I don't need to transfer first to the JustOne account and then from JustOne to the third-party account. So funds in the eSaver account are directly accessible, but not via an ATM.

Funds can also be deposited directly into an eSaver account via internet banking from any other bank account, including from accounts at another bank. It's the same process as transferring funds to any ordinary bank account with an account number via internet banking.

I also once deposited a large amount of cash over-the-counter at a Standard Chartered bank branch straight into the eSaver account.

For over-the-counter withdrawals from the eSaver account, I've never needed to do it so I'm not sure if it's possible. Could that be a problem? It's easy enough to simply transfer some funds to the JustOne account over the internet and immediately afterward withdraw at any bank's ATM (and no fee is incurred).

So the funds in an eSaver account are not really locked away and are still quite accessible. It was for this reason that I decided to put my money in this account instead of a term deposit which may be less accessible.

What visa do you have now ?

I am on my final entry of a multiple-entry non-immigrant O visa based on marriage that I had obtained from Savannakhet. I am now hoping that I can get a 1-year extension of stay so that I don't have to leave the country every 90 days like I have been doing.

The funds in an esaver account are not instantly accessible and not acceptable to Immigration.

At 8pm in an evening if you need cash for an emergency, your esaver account is worthless.

If you are on the last entry of your Non Imm O, I hope you have 2 months left in order to do the transfer and season the funds required to your 'justone' account, otherwise your going back to Savannakhet to get a single entry Non Imm O to allow for the seasoning period.

The account must show minimum 400,000 baht for the entire 2 month period, averages are not accepted.

[Liquorice]

You should therefore transfer funds of 400,000 baht into your just one account 3 months before you make the application to be on the safe side.

Yes I've realized that I could have done that but it's a bit late now as my permission to stay expires within 2 months from now. I also didn't want to miss out on the interest.

You can get just a single entry Non Imm O from Savannakhet giving 90 days which will allow the funds in you 'justone' account to mature.

Does your higher interest account reward you with enough funds to pay for the multiple journeys and Visas crossing a border.

You know the answer to that already.

[hyperdimension]

At 8pm in an evening if you need cash for an emergency, your esaver account is worthless.

That's not correct. I can use my smartphone to log into Standard Chartered internet banking, transfer funds into the JustOne account, then go to any ATM and withdraw it. That can all be done within 5 minutes, and I've done it before for 25k THB withdrawn from a Bangkok Bank ATM.

otherwise your going back to Savannakhet to get a single entry Non Imm O to allow for the seasoning period.

I could instead apply for a 60-day extension of my current entry couldn't I, just to allow for the 2-month seasoning?

[johnatong]

At 8pm in an evening if you need cash for an emergency, your esaver account is worthless.

That's not correct. I can use my smartphone to log into Standard Chartered internet banking, transfer funds into the JustOne account, then go to any ATM and withdraw it. That can all be done within 5 minutes, and I've done it before for 25k THB withdrawn from a Bangkok Bank ATM.

otherwise your going back to Savannakhet to get a single entry Non Imm O to allow for the seasoning period.

I could instead apply for a 60-day extension of my current entry couldn't I, just to allow for the 2-month seasoning?

You can apply for the 60 day extension.

You will have to move the money into an accessible account which has a bank book. Both bank book and a letter from the bank will be required by immigration when you apply for the 12 month extension.

[hyperdimension]

What exactly are they looking for in the bank book? A transaction that occured on that day on an official bank document?

There should be less fixation on the document type (or physical form of it) and more on the actual information contained in the document.

I would think that a printout of a statement on official bank letter head that shows such a transaction would show the same information and thus be a valid replacement.

[johnatong]

What exactly are they looking for in the bank book? A transaction that occured on that day on an official bank document?

There should be less fixation on the document type (or physical form of it) and more on the actual information contained in the document.

I would think that a printout of a statement on official bank letter head that shows such a transaction would show the same information and thus be a valid replacement.

I am sure you are correct !

Just get your statement and see how you get on.

[Eclipse]

Immigration are happy dealing with bank books and bank letters.

They see them everyday.

Give them anything else and they tend to get edgy.

Especially with Marriage extensions where they have to send them to head office to be inspected.

[moe666]

Sorry youare preaching to the choir here but we do not make the rules. The money has to be in a Thai Bank Account and availiable for your use now. No need to argue here about what you think it only matters what immigrationwant and think.

[jacksam]

What exactly are they looking for in the bank book? A transaction that occured on that day on an official bank document?

There should be less fixation on the document type (or physical form of it) and more on the actual information contained in the document.

I would think that a printout of a statement on official bank letter head that shows such a transaction would show the same information and thus be a valid replacement.

We are living in Thailand so play by their rules. Not only do they want the bank letter and bank book, they want to see activity in that bankbook on day of application. Such as deposit of 100baht into the account recorded in the bankbook. Fact that I think this is stupid is irrelevant. I have the 800k sitting in an account that gives me zero interest. Not wrapt about it but then again I have no troubles with extensions.

[ripstanley]

Johnno2-I too am an Aus.living in Phuket and have been doing my retirement extensions by the money in bank route. I now find that my age pension plus a private super payment each month is sufficient to satisfy the monthly income requirement which then would allow me to access the 800,000 needed in bank for 3 months. My question (is/are)-is it ok to combine a govt.payment and a private super payment and will that satisfy the Embassy and what doc's were needed to be filled out. Do you have to make an appointment with the Embassy and how long in advance can this be done. How long does the process take-if I fly in early morning can I return Phuket afternoon/evening My next extension is due in mid June and I have money in bank for this if no go at Embassy. Thanks for any relevant info.

At the Australian Embassy all you do is complete a Statutory Declaration stating how much income you receive. The Embassy do not ask to see proof of income. Immigration may do when you apply for your extension. I filled one out at the end of January for my extension which is due in May. The process does not take very long. I always have mine filled out before I arrive. In the past I have flown from Chiang Rai and returned the same day.

The Australian Embassy have visits to Phuket where this can also be completed. Telephone the Embassy and find out when their next visit is to Phuket. It may save you a trip to Bangkok.

[topt]

What exactly are they looking for in the bank book? A transaction that occured on that day on an official bank document?

There should be less fixation on the document type (or physical form of it) and more on the actual information contained in the document.

I would think that a printout of a statement on official bank letter head that shows such a transaction would show the same information and thus be a valid replacement.

We are living in Thailand so play by their rules. Not only do they want the bank letter and bank book, they want to see activity in that bankbook on day of application. Such as deposit of 100baht into the account recorded in the bankbook. Fact that I think this is stupid is irrelevant. I have the 800k sitting in an account that gives me zero interest. Not wrapt about it but then again I have no troubles with extensions.

Not necessarily so. I have used a fixed account with L&H bank for my last 2 extensions. No activity in the book for 6/9 months or whatever. No issue at Jomtien immigration.

Different offices of course may vary.

[johnatong]

What exactly are they looking for in the bank book? A transaction that occured on that day on an official bank document?

There should be less fixation on the document type (or physical form of it) and more on the actual information contained in the document.

I would think that a printout of a statement on official bank letter head that shows such a transaction would show the same information and thus be a valid replacement.

We are living in Thailand so play by their rules. Not only do they want the bank letter and bank book, they want to see activity in that bankbook on day of application. Such as deposit of 100baht into the account recorded in the bankbook. Fact that I think this is stupid is irrelevant. I have the 800k sitting in an account that gives me zero interest. Not wrapt about it but then again I have no troubles with extensions.

Not necessarily so. I have used a fixed account with L&H bank for my last 2 extensions. No activity in the book for 6/9 months or whatever. No issue at Jomtien immigration.

Different offices of course may vary.

You miss the point !

The OP wants to keep funds in a account which has no book !

[topt]

What exactly are they looking for in the bank book? A transaction that occured on that day on an official bank document?

There should be less fixation on the document type (or physical form of it) and more on the actual information contained in the document.

I would think that a printout of a statement on official bank letter head that shows such a transaction would show the same information and thus be a valid replacement.

We are living in Thailand so play by their rules. Not only do they want the bank letter and bank book, they want to see activity in that bankbook on day of application. Such as deposit of 100baht into the account recorded in the bankbook. Fact that I think this is stupid is irrelevant. I have the 800k sitting in an account that gives me zero interest. Not wrapt about it but then again I have no troubles with extensions.

Not necessarily so. I have used a fixed account with L&H bank for my last 2 extensions. No activity in the book for 6/9 months or whatever. No issue at Jomtien immigration.

Different offices of course may vary.

You miss the point !

The OP wants to keep funds in a account which has no book !

No actually you have missed the point - and I won't bother with the exclamation mark.

I was replying to Jacksam's post and refuting a specific point he made which may be helpful to him and others reading this thread.

Well aware of the OPs dilemma. Personally I would have gone to Immigration and tried to ask them how it could be worked in his specific case.

[Liquorice]

At 8pm in an evening if you need cash for an emergency, your esaver account is worthless.

That's not correct. I can use my smartphone to log into Standard Chartered internet banking, transfer funds into the JustOne account, then go to any ATM and withdraw it. That can all be done within 5 minutes, and I've done it before for 25k THB withdrawn from a Bangkok Bank ATM.

otherwise your going back to Savannakhet to get a single entry Non Imm O to allow for the seasoning period.

I could instead apply for a 60-day extension of my current entry couldn't I, just to allow for the 2-month seasoning?

You can apply for the 60 day extension.

You will have to move the money into an accessible account which has a bank book. Both bank book and a letter from the bank will be required by immigration when you apply for the 12 month extension.

Not if he doesn't listen to the good advice he's receiving.

He'll be refused on his esaver statement, get a 60 day extension, then transfer the funds to his account with Passbook and ATM facility, but 60 days isn't 2 months, so he'll be back to Savannakhet for another Visa.

It's his first extension, let him find out the hard way and argue with Immigration.

[hyperdimension]

He'll be refused on his esaver statement

Nobody is 100% sure about that yet. It's worth trying, but I'm thinking of the best way to hedge my bets. I might first spend a day within the next week to go to the Chaeng Wattana immigration office to ask. I would use my smartphone to record the conversation (audio) in case the officer had said "OK" and I need to provide such evidence during the actual extension of stay application.

get a 60 day extension, then transfer the funds to his account with Passbook and ATM facility, but 60 days isn't 2 months, so he'll be back to Savannakhet for another Visa.

What is the definition of a "month"? I thought Thailand immigration assumes 1 month = 30 days.

The extra 60 days of extension would be added onto the expiry date of the permission to stay, not calculated from the application date of the extension. So I would have more than 60 days left if I apply for the 60 day extension before the permission to stay expiry.

[jacksam]

Seriously why do you bother even going to CW. You have received sound info from this thread and wish to waste a day at CW. They will tell you what has been advised. I think some folk are hoping you go to CW to "discuss" stuff.

Good luck with that.

Next thread will be about non imm O from Vientiane