Bank Letter Question for Immigration

[Charlieb]

I extended my retirement visa last week based on 800K in the bank. I went to Bkk Bank and got a letter at a cost of 100 baht. My extension was completed in 20 minutes, no questions.
Two days later a friend went to do his extension also based on 800K in the bank. He went to Bkk Bank (different branch) and they asked him if wanted 3 months or yearly statement. He said three months. He got both the bank letter and statement at a cost of 200 Baht.

When he went to Immigration they would not accept the letter or statement telling him he needed a yearly statement. He presented his bank book along with the letter to prove he had not been below 800K but that was no good.
He went back to the bank and they tell him it will take a week to get a yearly statement. He is now waiting for that.

Have I missed something? has something changed at Immigration since I was there last week? All I had to show was my bank letter and my bank book. Has that changed? Anyone else experience this?

[anefarious1]

I would have been surprised if your friend's experience matched your own. What you've described sounds normal.

[Bandung_Dero]

My last renewal I took a 12 month bank statement and Bank Book as per the year before but told to go over the road to KBank and get a letter AND the last bank book transaction had to have todays date on it (go figure) so I withdrew 100 Baht.

Goal posts moving day by day with more hoops thrown in for good measure!

[sometimewoodworker]

The one year statement is usually required, as the need is to prove that the account did not fall under the required minimums.
It is likely that one of 2 things happen with you.
1) your account is different from your friends and had no transactions during the year.
2) you were lucky with your IO as the letter and 1 year statement is standard.

The bank cost for your friend’s documents are also normal. 100 for each document. So 100 for the letter and 100 for the statement. It is also usual for a 1 year statement to take a week as the local computers can only access 6 months. Your friend may well need to pay another 100 for the 1 year statement.

Edit; a transaction on the day of renewal is not unusual, not requiring it is.

[stereolab]

The one year statement is usually required, as the need is to prove that the account did not fall under the required minimums.
It is likely that one of 2 things happen with you.
1) your account is different from your friends and had no transactions during the year.
2) you were lucky with your IO as the letter and 1 year statement is standard.

The bank cost for your friend’s documents are also normal. 100 for each document. So 100 for the letter and 100 for the statement. It is also usual for a 1 year statement to take a week as the local computers can only access 6 months. Your friend may well need to pay another 100 for the 1 year statement.

Edit; a transac tion onthe day of renewal is not unusual, not requiring it is.

I extended my stay (retirement - 800k)yesterday in Nong Khai, the KTB provided both the letter and a one year statement in about 20 minutes. Immigration require a full copy of the passbook in addition, why exactly this is required is a mystery as the only important data belongs to the period between last extension and the renewal date. Off course all the passport, yellow book , route map etc copies , ( all unchanged) come under the category of mindless bureaucracy ,ten years and counting.

[jackspratt]

We can only guess what bank documents the agents are presenting when they represent their impecunious clients doing dodgy extensions.

[Giggle]

The rule/law is whatever the IO decides at the moment of determination, with you sitting across the counter.

Anything advice spewed forth by the all-knowing sages of Udon Map are worth exactly the price you paid for it -- nothing.

Those who have been here decades and have never had the same extension experience twice recommend merely starting with the same documents required last year, and go from there. Don't use logic. Don't think that checking-in the day before your extension will clarify what documents are needed. It will not, and you will simply be wasting your time. Expect the IO to make marginal, arbitrary changes just to watch you squirm. Don't give them the satisfaction of squirming.

In the end, nobody gets denied.

[Charlieb]

I guess woodworker has the answer. I keep a separate bank account for the visa. It draws some interest so I have it updated periodically. Other than that no withdrawals or deposits.

[fdimike]

FYI Kasikorn Bank will provide a 1 year statement on demand at the bank while you're sitting there. Cost is 100THB.

[Bandung_Dero]

Correct, but owing to the current goal posts can I suggest before one goes into the Imm office they go to an ATM, make a transaction, buy a 12 month statement, get a letter of balance and have the antiquated bank book updated. For Kbank customers its about 30 metres opposite and over the road.

BTW, doesn't matter where you home branch is.

[Bandung_Dero]

We can only guess what bank documents the agents are presenting when they represent their impecunious clients doing dodgy extensions.

Just a brown envelope to the bank, Imm office etc., obviously the contents vary on the location one wants the stamp to come from. Udon is about 20% higher than Southern offices.
Jack, we both know many locals use the services of an Udon individual and what they are being charged. Extras like 90 day reporting are charged accordingly.
I'm yet to figure how the agent depositing 800K into the customers acct. then withdrawing it immediately makes it work??

[marcus1]

6 weeks ago went to renew my retirement extension using the 800K in bank as I have been doing for the last 10 years.
Supplied bank letter and bank book showing 12 months balance above 800K for the whole year.
Told can not do without a 12 month statement.
Asked why..??
New law they said....!!!
500 Baht I can fix..!!
OK...No problem I said...Just show me the new police order as regards the new law and at the same time I made it known that I follow all new police orders of the police immigration act.
20 minutes later...extension done and no 500 baht paid.
Stand firm guy's.
There is no such order for a monthly statement using the 800K method.

[Doodoo]

Macus
Which office wanted to enforce the new regulation??

[sometimewoodworker]

6 weeks ago went to renew my retirement extension using the 800K in bank as I have been doing for the last 10 years.
Supplied bank letter and bank book showing 12 months balance above 800K for the whole year.
Told can not do without a 12 month statement.
Asked why..??
New law they said....!!!
500 Baht I can fix..!!
OK...No problem I said...Just show me the new police order as regards the new law and at the same time I made it known that I follow all new police orders of the police immigration act.
20 minutes later...extension done and no 500 baht paid.
Stand firm guy's.
There is no such order for a monthly statement using the 800K method.

You are completely correct about the fact that the police orders (I’m not totally sure that they actually qualify as law, but as near as makes no matter) do not specifically state how you are required to prove that your account has never dropped under 400k or 800k during the required periods.

You are however forgetting the statement in all immigration information that the IO can require any documentation that the IO deems necessary, this means that the IO can require a 12 month bank authenticated statement if they want.

So demanding to see the requirement for a 12 month statement will not get it because the way to prove minimum balances is not spelled out.

That you have been supplying documents for 10, 15 or 20 years makes no difference as you should be well aware.

The past is a poor guide to the future in Thailand. Somebody else’s experience doesn’t mean you will have the same.

I won’t speculate as to why the IO caved on the requirement.

[FrazeeDK]

I use K Bank. The first year I had to provide the letter I went to the branch in Central Mall. They hadn't an utter clue and what they provided was not accepted by Immigration. I then went to the K Bank near Immigration where the staff knew exactly what I needed...

[Centi]

For over ten years I have been doing the annual renewal for pensioners in on the basis of capital proof.

On September 2, 2021, I was rejected. They now want a 12 month statement from me.

Went back to Bangkok Bank for this. Was informed that it will take a week to get the statement. Tried to get the statement immediately without success. As I have read in the meantime, apparently other banks are able to provide this statement on the same day, which would be normal for me. The annual extension with bank statement of the last 12 months was issued the following week.

[Bandung_Dero]

What's with Bangkok Bank. If they are in the stone age when it comes to statements what are their other short comings. I know a number of expats who have dumped them over a number of issues mainly to do with in house customer service!
12 month Statement from KBank takes about 10 mins from sitting with the bank official.

[anefarious1]

What's with Bangkok Bank. If they are in the stone age when it comes to statements what are their other short comings. I know a number of expats who have dumped them over a number of issues mainly to do with in house customer service!
12 month Statement from KBank takes about 10 mins from sitting with the bank official.

In house customer service! I experienced it first hand. Someone sees you have a million or 2 in your account and all of a sudden people are showing up at your house UNINVITED AND UNANNOUNCED, MORE THAN ONCE, to try to sell you insurance.

[Bandung_Dero]

Sorry about your experience but when I said "in house" I was referring to conduct within the local branch.

[Hoopoe]

What's with Bangkok Bank. If they are in the stone age when it comes to statements what are their other short comings. I know a number of expats who have dumped them over a number of issues mainly to do with in house customer service!
12 month Statement from KBank takes about 10 mins from sitting with the bank official.

yep add me to your list , main branch udonthani , got the letter confirming funds in bank not once but three times they got it wrong ,,then they tried to charge me again on the second day (phone call from immigration saying the bank letter was still wrong so having had to drive 50 miles again to get there) another 100bht as it was a different day ,nope get a manager here now ,finally correctly worded and bank codes ,waited 1 month as extension based on marriage (under consideration bollocks ) emptied the account and moved to SCB i've never had a problem with them , this time they did mention the yearly statement ,i didn't bother as the account is a 2 year fixed rate ,immigration questioned this ,it was accepted without a yearly statement ,