800.000 Baht for Non-O has to come from abroad?

[bodo]

Does one have to prove that the 800.000 Baht for a Non-O visa comes from abroad or not so anymore?

[ubonjoe]

If applying for a conversion at immigration to obtain a 90 day non immigrant visa entry (class O) proof that the funds came from abroad is required. They want that since their is no requirement for the funds to be in the bank for 60 days.

If applying for an extension of stay based upon retirement their is no requirement for proof that the money to came from abroad.

[maewang99]

Be careful though on one other possible issue, some offices need to see that the account is active, as silly as that sounds. They want to see if you are "living" on the 800K..... that there are some transactions in and out not just 800K sitting there for a year or more. For most situations that is true anyways but if it ain't for you....check it out, you should be able to find some prior posts on this. They don't look for foreign transfers in, but some kind of activity. Doesn't make sense to me.... many things don't... but I have heard this several times.

Edited July 14, 2016 by maewang99

[bodo]

Just for my understanding : in case of a conversion to obtain a Non-O visa, if money has been transferred from abroad to my Thai bank account this is acceptable, also if the money has been transferred to my bank account by someone else?

And if I or someone else transfers money into my bank account from within Thailand, this is not being accepted?

[ubonjoe]

Just for my understanding : in case of a conversion to obtain a Non-O visa, if money has been transferred from abroad to my Thai bank account this is acceptable, also if the money has been transferred to my bank account by someone else?

And if I or someone else transfers money into my bank account from within Thailand, this is not being accepted?

All that is required is proof that the funds came from abroad not who sent it. The proof is a letter from the bank confirming and some banks will include in the same letter needed confirming you account and the balance in it.

From Bangkok immigration websites list of required documents for a conversion.

5. 5.1 A guarantee letter from the bank in Thailand in Thai language (Attention: Immigration Commissioner)*

5.2 A copy of all entries of the applicant’s passbook showing that the applicant has a savings or fixed deposit account of not less than Baht 800,000* (all documents must be in the Applicant’s name).

5.3 Evidence of foreign currency fund transferred to Thailand*

*(Documents under 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 must be issued and updated to be the same date of the Application and all documents must be in the Applicant’s name.)

[Shiver]

Why don't they just hold some cash in escrow for a flight home if you are considered a non-desirable resident?

For the majority of us, any assets here in the 800K+ range would have been funded from abroad (exceptions being restaurants/bars etc where you'd be generating employment for locals, and/or have a work permit anyhow). If you're in the investment league and creating work in Lumber/Solar/Engineering etc then surely that asset would well exceed 800K also, but you may prefer to have it invested in growing your company or buffering stability in cash flow rather than sitting in squalor on some bank computer terminal 'not working' for you.

If you have to be using it and not just holding it, that confuses me. Surely what they want assurances of is that you're not going to be a burden to the Kingdom and a net asset to them(?).

In my own case I try to stay around 500K (enough to keep me alive after say an accident, until emergency replacement money can get into the country). Any more than that and I'd want to take it out of the country again and use it somewhere with purpose, then bring it back again, mature it, take it out again.... and we all know how easy it is to bring in money, but going out they want to know "why"? Who cares why, I just want it back.

Tldr; I don't know, but I think they would see better results looking at the 65K option then at least you can burn it as you go rather than tying up money that you can never really use.

[Zyxel]

If applying for a conversion at immigration to obtain a 90 day non immigrant visa entry (class O) proof that the funds came from abroad is required. They want that since their is no requirement for the funds to be in the bank for 60 days.

If applying for an extension of stay based upon retirement their is no requirement for proof that the money to came from abroad.

I did not know this, good news for me. I transfer US$ every year to top up my account to have more than the required 800,000 TB three months before renewing my extension of stay and every time I provide immigration with a letter from the bank as a proof that the money comes from abroad. Immigration never told me I did not have to do this, of course they don't care. I have been wasting my time and a bit of money also as the bank charges me 200 TB for this letter (11 times so far ). Thanks for the info.

[NoshowJones]

Be careful though on one other possible issue, some offices need to see that the account is active, as silly as that sounds. They want to see if you are "living" on the 800K..... that there are some transactions in and out not just 800K sitting there for a year or more. For most situations that is true anyways but if it ain't for you....check it out, you should be able to find some prior posts on this. They don't look for foreign transfers in, but some kind of activity. Doesn't make sense to me.... many things don't... but I have heard this several times.

Another case of "this is Thailand.

[novo58]

@maewang99....

I have my 800K in a fixed term deposit account.The only " transactions" in this account is when it reaches maturity and they add the interest and then I either roll it over or open a new account with a better interest rate. I have done 3 re-newals showing ONLY a letter from the bank for this account and I always have the actual passbook with me just in case.

Immigration ( udon Thani ) have NEVER asked to see any transactions for day today living --- thou I do have a separate account for this and could ( if required ) show that passbook as well.

The fixed term deposit account with 800K is also my " get out of dodge " money , should it ever be needed.

[xtrnuno41]

Wasnt that long ago, i red an article about Dutch guy living in Thailand, had his money from Holland.

Then they found out (somehow?) it was money from drugs. As here in Holland you could sell drugs legally in coffee shops.

So his money was legal, but now he is in jail !!!

As i understood all time, you do not need 800 kbath in bank , but just your income and savings should be up to 800 kbath, to prove.

[IMA_FARANG]

Okay, lets do this once more.

There are 3 methods of getting the funds required for a retirement extension.

They are:

• 800K in a Thai bank account in your name (the bank method)
• Having a monthly income of at least 65,000 Thai Baht. Many applicants use an income statement from the U.S. embassy for his (the income method)
• A combination of Bank funds and other sources of income that gives a total of at least 800K Thai Baht equivalent annually. Under the new (since 2013) rules the bank part of this combination funds is required to be in a Thai bank account for 3 months at the time of application for the retirement extension.(the combination method.)

These are the here methods that immigration requires.

You need to meet ONE of them.

I don't understand why that is so difficult to understand.

In addition if you have Thai bank account you should have a bank passbook for your account.

Each time funds are deposited either from outside Thailand or by income you earn legally in Thailand you passbook is updated with the date, the amount deposited and a bank code that indicates the source of those funds.

if the funds are from a foreign source a code identifies the deposit as coming from outside Thailand....usually the code is FFT or FTT which indicates incoming foreign funds.

Most of the experienced immigration people have seen bank passbooks often and know exactly how to read the codes.

They can glance down the page of entries in your passbook and tell from the code if that deposit was from outside or inside Thailand.

If you try to lie to them as to where your funds came from, most of them can catch you in that lie from what the computer printed in your passbook.

[JimmerJJ]

On 7/14/2016 at 5:29 PM, maewang99 said:

They don't look for foreign transfers in, but some kind of activity.

Interesting.  This year I'm doing the the 800K in a Thai Bank route  (previously did monthly using the Consulate Income Affidavit).  So they just want to see activity in the account and it doesn't have to be activity from a foreign funds transfer?

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, JimmerJJ said:

Interesting.  This year I'm doing the the 800K in a Thai Bank route  (previously did monthly using the Consulate Income Affidavit).  So they just want to see activity in the account and it doesn't have to be activity from a foreign funds transfer?

Proof the 800k baht came from abroad is never required to apply for an extension of stay.

It is only required to apply for 90 day non immigrant visa entry at immigration based upon qualifying for an extension of stay.

 

Note for others seeing this topic from over 3 years ago please pay attention to the date on any post you quote.

[Genericnic]

Was at Chang Wattana this week checking on conversion requirements from visa exempt to Non-O. Here is the handout they gave me showing what is required at CW. 

 

David

 

 

TM87-CW.pdf

[gaviny]

Ubonjoe , are you saying that when I do my 4th extension in Feb 2020, all I need is to show the 800K in my bank book ? I had always done a letter from Oz Embassy previously.
I asked because my overseas remittance has either FTT or BTN .

Proof the 800k baht came from abroad is never required to apply for an extension of stay.
It is only required to apply for 90 day non immigrant visa entry at immigration based upon qualifying for an extension of stay.
 
Note for others seeing this topic from over 3 years ago please pay attention to the date on any post you quote.

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, gaviny said:

Ubonjoe , are you saying that when I do my 4th extension in Feb 2020, all I need is to show the 800K in my bank book ?

That is exactly what I am saying. There is no rule that states it has to come from abroad.