Is a passbook from Bangkok Bank showing monthly deposits a valid "proof of monthly income"

[KhunFred]

I am getting married soon and have been in Thailand for three years and have my Social Security direct deposited. Lately the deposit is around 43 thousand baht, MORE than enough to qualify me. My other income is in a credit union in the United States. Will the bankbook be accepted as "proof" since the "income affidavits" are no longer being accepted? I would really hate to go the visa service route or leave for Laos or the Philippines.

Edited December 8, 2018 by KhunFred

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, KhunFred said:

Will the bankbook be accepted as "proof" since the "income affidavits" are no longer being accepted?

They are still being accepted. Immigration has not stated they will no longer accept them.

Until immigration makes an announcement as to what will be accepted if you cannot get proof of income from your embassy nobody can answer you question with any certainty.

[steve187]

a few things come to mind, what nationality are you, what are you using to stay in Thailand at the moment ie. tourist visa, visa exempt etc. 

 

in order to obtain a yearly extension you will need a non imm 'o' visa to start the process.

 

once married you can get a 60 day extension on any entry, 

 

if you are likely to apply for a 1 year extension before end of May i would get an income letter now, 

[Moonlover]

21 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

33 minutes ago, KhunFred said:

Will the bankbook be accepted as "proof" since the "income affidavits" are no longer being accepted?

 

21 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They are still being accepted. Immigration has not stated they will no longer accept them.

Until immigration makes an announcement as to what will be accepted if you cannot get proof of income from your embassy nobody can answer you question with any certainty.

Strictly speaking, UJ is correct. However, many of us who have been using the monthly income method erstwhile, supported by a letter from the embassy, are assuming this will be will be the case.

 

I have already made preparations for 'proof by bank deposits' and I know many others have too.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Strictly speaking, UJ is correct. However, many of us who have been using the monthly income method erstwhile, supported by a letter from the embassy, are assuming this will be will be the case.

 

I have already made preparations for 'proof by bank deposits' and I know many others have too.

I think that will be the case but I cannot say with any certainty that it is correct.

I have had my income going directly into my bank account for several years already so no need for me to prepare for it.

[Moonlover]

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I think that will be the case but I cannot say with any certainty that it is correct.

I have had my income going directly into my bank account for several years already so no need for me to prepare for it.

Yes, so have I, but I've tidied it up a bit so that I don't have to show immigration all my banking business. For me that is too intrusive.

 

All they will see in my personal account will be my income arriving and immediately being transferred out again. (to our joint account)

Edited December 8, 2018 by Moonlover

[cleverman]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Yes, so have I, but I've tidied it up a bit so that I don't have to show immigration all my banking business. For me that is too intrusive.

 

All they will see in my personal account will be my income arriving and immediately being transferred out again. (to our joint account)

May not be a good idea to draw it ALL out or immediately. 

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, cleverman said:

May not be a good idea to draw it ALL out or immediately. 

Why?

It would be shown as a transfer another account. If needed that bank book could be used.

[phutoie2]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I think that will be the case but I cannot say with any certainty that it is correct.

I have had my income going directly into my bank account for several years already so no need for me to prepare for it.

Same here, my UK company pension paid into my Bangkok Bank account for many years. Trouble is it is a joint account so my wife has access when I am away. I have just received my BE income letter and will hopefully be able to use that for my last? extension based on retirement in April next year. 

After that it will likely be a marriage based extension and I take it immigration do not accept joint accounts? 

. 

[BobBKK]

This seems like great news?  the common sense accepting of the bank book with no letter. I really hope that's the way it goes and I get to release my 800,000 as I have over the 65k going in from UK.

[sunnyboy2018]

3 hours ago, steve187 said:

a few things come to mind, what nationality are you, what are you using to stay in Thailand at the moment ie. tourist visa, visa exempt etc. 

 

in order to obtain a yearly extension you will need a non imm 'o' visa to start the process.

 

once married you can get a 60 day extension on any entry, 

 

if you are likely to apply for a 1 year extension before end of May i would get an income letter now, 

I heard there might be a clampdown on marriages of convenience. Has anyone else heard about this? But anyway I regard the Visa Service route the best alternative as long as they have not been all shut down.

[Chicken George]

30 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

I heard there might be a clampdown on marriages of convenience. Has anyone else heard about this? But anyway I regard the Visa Service route the best alternative as long as they have not been all shut down.

The visa service route may put you in prison for a few years.. No good saying you did'nt know they uded fake documents.. Not a good idea anymore.

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

This seems like great news?  the common sense accepting of the bank book with no letter. I really hope that's the way it goes and I get to release my 800,000 as I have over the 65k going in from UK.

Well, quite apart from common sense, this is what both the British and the US embassies have been telling us all along. And they have both intimated that they will work with TI to smooth the way for us.

 

Personally, I have never been in doubt about this. I'm due a 90 day report next month so I'll be having a friendly chat with our I/O.

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, phutoie2 said:

Same here, my UK company pension paid into my Bangkok Bank account for many years. Trouble is it is a joint account so my wife has access when I am away. I have just received my BE income letter and will hopefully be able to use that for my last? extension based on retirement in April next year. 

After that it will likely be a marriage based extension and I take it immigration do not accept joint accounts? 

. 

You can have the account in your sole name, but your wife as an authorised user.

Our Savings account and Fixed Term account are both set up like that.

We both have a debit card for the Savings account.

Statements or letters from the bank show in my name only.

[thaipo7]

OK  I know what I speak about.  You can stay in Thailand with a deposit each month of at least 65,000 Baht in a Thai bank per month.  It can not be 50K one month and 75K the next month for an average.  Has to be at least 65,000 Baht each and every month.  It really sucks for us long term people who spent so much money for homes and supporting a family for years and not ever being a burden to the Government of Thailand.  Personal opinion.

[Shoeless Joe]

I have 2 pension income streams paid monthly into my Kasikorn ban account with a combined total of circa B80,000 (one is approx B57,000 and the other approx B23,000). I can show this has been happening regularly every month for circa 7 years. Do you think TI will be OK with this if the "Bankbook Route" is approved?

 

Regards,

 

Joe

[Lacessit]

It is possible Thai Immigration may reject a bank book alone, on the basis the extension applicant could simply be withdrawing and redepositing the same funds every month. IMHO further proof would be required, such as evidence of an international transfer. Perhaps the FTT notation may be acceptable.

[robertson468]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Well, quite apart from common sense, this is what both the British and the US embassies have been telling us all along. And they .have both intimated that they will work with TI to smooth the way for us.

 

Personally, I have never been in doubt about this. I'm due a 90 day report next month so I'll be having a friendly chat with our I/O.

It would be great if you can report back on the result of your chat with the IO.  Thank you

[cleverman]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Why?

It would be shown as a transfer another account. If needed that bank book could be used.

Correct as always, but he indicated that he does not want immigration to know all about his banking. One other thing, this being Thailand, if, and a big if, they were not happy with him drawing his money out straight away from his nominated bank account, who knows what then!

Edited December 8, 2018 by cleverman
Add

[cleverman]

I was married to a Thai for 6 years, didn't have a joint account but I let her use my atm card. The account was drained when she took off with another mug. 

[Thaidream]

25 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

It is possible Thai Immigration may reject a bank book alone, on the basis the extension applicant could simply be withdrawing and redepositing the same funds every month. IMHO further proof would be required, such as evidence of an international transfer. Perhaps the FTT notation may be acceptable

We are speaking of  proving income which is what the Embassy Affidavit was supposed to do.

 

Transferring into or placing 65K in a Bank account does not prove income.  It only proves one can obtain 65K per month from some source.  It is the source that is important , because without a firm source such as a Pension; investment income or some other type of firm legal income that can be proven the income method will not work simply by showing a bank account. 

One must be able to show a pension letter; investment income letter or some other type of proof which shows a source and then backed up by a bank account -either foreign or  Thai- showing the same exact amount- month after month.

[JLCrab]

10 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

One must be able to show

If they ask for it

[Thaidream]

1 minute ago, JLCrab said:

If they ask for it

Yes- however, without the 'proof'- there is no check and balance in the system  It would not surprise me if Thai Imm did not independently  send out verification letters to the sources of the income one claims- not every person- but a representative sample.

[JLCrab]

I think whatever procedure is put in place, if any, the IMM folks will want to have next to zero involvement with source documents.

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Yes- however, without the 'proof'- there is no check and balance in the system  It would not surprise me if Thai Imm did not independently  send out verification letters to the sources of the income one claims- not every person- but a representative sample.

How many entities would reply such a request? Many countries have privacy laws that would not allow them to provide such information.

I think proof will be that the funds were transferred from abroad.

[Thaidream]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

How many entities would reply such a request? Many countries have privacy laws that would not allow them to provide such information.

I think proof will be that the funds were transferred from abroad.

I agree and I am certainly not advocating it but if done- it will show Thai immigration  the reason why the Embassies could not do it either. They won't get the information.

However, I do believe they (Thai Imm) will ask for the backup docs, which should be no problem since all Income has a source and documentation.

A US citizen can show   Letter from Social Security and a 1099 Tax document showing the same amounts as well as a direct deposit into a bank account showing the same amount. All 3 pieces of 'proof' will all show the same amount.  This is as close to verifiable income they can hope for.

 

If a citizen has investment income- a letter from that source showing amount; plus a  1099 showing the same amount and then a direct deposit or copy of the check would suffice.

 

All  legal income can be proved.

[JRUSA]

2 hours ago, Chicken George said:

The visa service route may put you in prison for a few years.. No good saying you did'nt know they uded fake documents.. Not a good idea anymore.

Just curious, do you have proof they use fake documents..

[Russell17au]

5 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

I agree and I am certainly not advocating it but if done- it will show Thai immigration  the reason why the Embassies could not do it either. They won't get the information.

However, I do believe they (Thai Imm) will ask for the backup docs, which should be no problem since all Income has a source and documentation.

A US citizen can show   Letter from Social Security and a 1099 Tax document showing the same amounts as well as a direct deposit into a bank account showing the same amount. All 3 pieces of 'proof' will all show the same amount.  This is as close to verifiable income they can hope for.

 

If a citizen has investment income- a letter from that source showing amount; plus a  1099 showing the same amount and then a direct deposit or copy of the check would suffice.

 

All  legal income can be proved.

Just think about this. the same documentation could have been provided to the embassies as proof of your income for the income letters, but that would have been too easy.

[JLCrab]

7 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

However, I do believe they (Thai Imm) will ask for the backup docs,

I do not think they will want to look at any of that stuff -- more likely they will have you sign a document attesting (somehow) to the source of your funds with the understanding that you can be arrested for making a false statement to an RTP IMM official on the spot.

[Lacessit]

6 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

Just think about this. the same documentation could have been provided to the embassies as proof of your income for the income letters, but that would have been too easy.

When I went the income route last year, I had my tax return as supporting evidence for the stat dec. Consulate official didn't even want to look at it. Lazy buggers.