Immigration and Banking

[Undaunted]

I have been doing my I year (retirement) visa myself form19 years never had an issue until now. After waiting over an hour to get a ticket for the queue finally my number was called, the officer checked all my papers with a fine tooth comb and told me no good bank letter not original and though I sold my condo and now rent and had a copy of my landlord’s information she said no good this condo is in a company name go away, come back Wednesday with correct information. My landlord is in Spain but sent me an email with company info and I got a fresh letter from my bank. I returned today went straight to her she looked startled why you not wait queue I recounted her telling me to return to her Wednesday she wouldn’t hear it with the problem with Iran and how it has affected air travel hundreds of tourists are trying to get extensions hence all the people. Having had enough I asked one worker where is the office for the big boss he showed me and the boss is quite nice told me to return Friday and he will put me in front of the queue.

[Gaybutton]

she wouldn’t hear it

Whoever she is, she has no business treating you that way or coming up with requirements you have never had to meet before. I hope you brought that up with the "big boss". Sounds like they have the wrong person working there, especially since Thailand supposedly is trying to attract long term expats. This is another example of why I always recommend trying to get the visa extension as far in advance as possible, so there is time to deal with unexpected problems before the visa expires.

Do you use the 65,000 baht per month method or the 800,000 baht method?

[Undaunted]

Do you use the 65,000 baht per month method or the 800,000 baht method?

Thankfully there is considerably more than the 800,000 requirement.

In the future regardless of the fact that I meet all requirements I will pay an agent to do it for me thus avoiding these nightmares.

[Jun]

In the future regardless of the fact that I meet all requirements I will pay an agent to do it for me thus avoiding these nightmares.

Of course, this is why immigration makes it difficult.

[Dodger]

CREDIT ADVICES - ....... For the following 6 years I provided the bank statements and two bank letters (see below) to Immigration. I have never provided, nor ever been asked by Jomtien Immigration for credit advices in each of those 6 years and had no difficulty in renewing my annual extension.

This was always the way it worked for me as well, but, as we all know, not all bank branches provide the Bank Statements and/or Bank Letters to all customers as in the past, thus the reason I cover my ass by obtaining my own Credit Advices. At least that's the approach I've been taking.

Also, due to changes in the Wise international money transfer process that you guys have been talking about since last year, the Bank Statements, in-and-by-themselves, apparently no longer show the location (country) where your fund transfer is originating. Of course this is the most important thing that Immigration wants to see - so it only makes sense (to me anyway) to obtain Credit Advices which show the source and country where your money transfers originated.

When I extended my visa last October the Immigration agent (Chonburi) who was reviewing my documents spent most of his time looking at 3 things; 1 - U.S. Social Security Statement (showing last 12 months of payments), 2- Copies of my Bank Book (showing last 12 months of foreign deposits), and 3- Copies of Credit Advices (last 12 months). I was fortunate enough to also have a Bank Letter, only because the BKK Bank agent was doing me a favor, but he never even looked at it.

Immigration has to deal with a myriad of different forms and documents during the visa extension process and the easier you make if for them the better. At least that's always been my approach. I actually use a yellow highlighter and clearly mark the last 12 foreign deposits and number them 1 thru 12 I then do the same thing on each of the 12 credit advice forms making it extremely easy for the agent to cross-reference these transactions - and I'm unusually done in 5 minutes.

Also, as a side to all this, I would NEVER use an International Money Transfer Service that did not document where (which country) the funds originated. With all the focus on international money laundering right now you would think an experienced service like WISE would already know this.

[Dodger]

....... I returned today went straight to her she looked startled why you not wait queue I recounted her telling me to return to her Wednesday she wouldn’t hear it.......

Sounds like my ex-wife (Darcy Vader).

[2lz2p]

Also, due to changes in the Wise international money transfer process that you guys have been talking about since last year, the Bank Statements, in-and-by-themselves, apparently no longer show the location (country) where your fund transfer is originating. Of course this is the most important thing that Immigration wants to see - so it only makes sense (to me anyway) to obtain Credit Advices which show the source and country where your money transfers originated.

Also, as a side to all this, I would NEVER use an International Money Transfer Service that did not document where (which country) the funds originated. With all the focus on international money laundering right now you would think an experienced service like WISE would already know this.

Funds transferred by Wise direct to either Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn will be recorded as a foreign transfer (Bank bank will use the FTT code to show it was a foreign sourced transfer. If KBank Statements are ordered in English they will show "Trade Finance Deposit & Trade Ref no. IR#########" - but if ordered in Thai, the entry in the description column in Thai will translate to "foreign" in English). When I next renew, I will have Bbnk statements for the first 2 of the 12 preceding months and KBank statements in Thai for the remaining 10 months.

Although the bank statements do not show the source of the transfer, I have never had a problem with Jomtien Immigration wanting to know the source. They have been satisfied with the bank statements and bank letter listing the foreign deposits.

Although Dodger prefers to use Credit Advices when renewing his annual Extensions and it was acceptable documentation to Immigration, I just wanted to clarify to others that it is not mandatory and Immigration will accept bank statements and the bank letter listing foreign deposits in their Thai bank account.

[Dodger]

.......When I next renew, I will have Bbnk statements for the first 2 of the 12 preceding months and KBank statements in Thai for the remaining 10 months.

Please let us know how it goes.

Good luck.

[2lz2p]

.......When I next renew, I will have Bbnk statements for the first 2 of the 12 preceding months and KBank statements in Thai for the remaining 10 months.

Please let us know how it goes.

Good luck.

I expect it to go as it has in for the past 6 years that Immigration has required evidence of foreign deposits of at least 65k into your Thai bank account. I usually do report on this Board my experience each time I time I successfully renew my annual retirement extension.

When doing this posting, I also recommend folks use Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) checklists located on their website - they have one for retirees using the 800k & 65k methods as well as one for those married to a Thai (400k & 40k method). They usually keep it up to date for Jomtien Immigration based on their member and other Expat reports - https://pcec.club/CHECKLISTS-Extensions-of-Stay.

[Gaybutton]

They usually keep it up to date for Jomtien Immigration

I'm glad of that. Around here that is not always so easy to do . . .