90 Day Bank Check

[thewayhelooks]

Just did mine this morning. Easy peasy. In and out in five minutes. One point worth noting, I was told at the front desk at Jomtien Immigration to proceed to counter 8, as getting a number from the desk was not necessary. Eight is the main Retirement Visa desk and towards the far end of the counter, I found a lady with a computer with a piece of paper attached to it reading 90 Day Bank Check. Next to the pillar in fact. No one else in line.
As usual lately, it takes longer to walk to and from my car than being inside Immigration.

[Gaybutton]

You are not being clear what you are talking about. Are you referring to doing the retirement visa with 800,000 baht and then having to return 90 days later to prove the 800,000 baht hasn't been touched?

[thewayhelooks]

Apologies. The B 800,000 method.

[Undaunted]

I also used the 800,000 method when I renewed my 1 year visa at which time I was told to return in 90 days with my updated passbook, when I returned I asked need I do this every 90 days and was told no next time when you do your yearly visa.

[Gaybutton]

next time when you do your yearly visa.

Just remember to make sure that if you have to dip into the 800,000 baht after the 90 day verification, you never let the account fall below 400,000 and make sure it is back up to 800,000 at least two months before the expiration date of the visa or when you apply for renewal, whichever comes first.

What I have not seen addressed is what happens if the 800,000 baht remains in the account for the entire year, but you forget to show your bank book at 90 days.

[fountainhall]

And what happens if you are out of the country for 2 or 3 weeks either side of the 90 days? In the past that meant you did not need to do a 90 day reporting as the arrivals card was sufficient. What happens now to the 90 day bank certification? No one seems able to tell me! So many unanswered questions!

[thewayhelooks]

All I would suggest to fountainhall is visit Immigration if you will be out of the country and explain the situation. I know there could be a variety of answers. But if, when you return, you show your passbook that there was B 800,000 there from the time you renewed your visa until the day you were supposed to do the 90 day bank check, that might be acceptable. Who knows? It's worth trying I guess.

[Gaybutton]

And what happens if you are out of the country for 2 or 3 weeks either side of the 90 days?

I agree with thewayhelooks. If it were me, I would go to immigration, updated passbook in hand, before my trip. They'll tell you if you need to come again upon return.

[Bob]

Another variation here in Chiangmai - we have no follow-up checks of the 800k. Now, as to what we have to show for the next annual extension is unknown to us.....perhaps showing a copy of the bankbook activity for the whole year as well as the standard bank letter? We also wonder if the standard bank letter will be altered to say anything about how long the account stayed at 800k and that the account never dipped below the 400k level.
For myself and several friends I know up here who do the 800k method, we essentially permanently park the 800k (renewing the term whenever) so the new rules have had no effect on us.

[Gaybutton]

Another variation here in Chiangmai

That is precisely the problem. We're talking about national policy, not individual immigration office policy. Why are things done differently in all the immigration offices? Why aren't these things done uniformly in all the immigration offices? All these differences do is create even more confusion. It's difficult to know what to expect anymore.