A minor (but annoying) surprise on visa extension day

[mikesil]

This may be of interest to those who use the money-in-the-bank method.

 

I have a so called "fixed" account which sits undisturbed and exists for no purpose other than to be shown to TM (Immigration) annually. Well this year, as we all know, there are a couple of new wrinkles. First, the bank letter must be dated on the same day as the visit to TM. Second, a deposit must be made on that same day, presumably to show the account is still alive (totally redundant with the bank letter, IMHO). So, this morning, on the way to TM, I stopped off at the bank, put 20 baht on the counter, and asked to make said deposit.  Response: "Sorry, we don't accept deposits of less than 2000 baht for fixed accounts".

 

Not a tragedy, just annoying.

[Pilotman]

I take out 1,000 Baht on the due date so that the due date is noted in the letter and in the bank book, never had an issue with it. Mine is a savings account, not sure if that makes a difference. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Pilotman

[wgdanson]

6 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I take out 1,000 Baht on the due date so that the due date is noted in the letter and in the bank book, never had an issue with it. Mine is a savings account, not sure if that makes a difference. 

OP was talking about a 'fixed' deposit account, which if I believe correctly, you cannot ADD to initial amount or withdraw. So how can you do a transaction on the day you go to IO?

[samtam]

Which IMM office?

[KiChakayan]

3 minutes ago, samtam said:

Which IMM office?

The pertinent question would be "Which bank"..  ????

[mikesil]

6 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

OP was talking about a 'fixed' deposit account, which if I believe correctly, you cannot ADD to initial amount or withdraw. So how can you do a transaction on the day you go to IO?

Fixed accounts in Thailand are not exactly like Certificates of Deposit in the US.  One of the differences is that you CAN add --- I'm not sure about withdraw (maybe with a penalty).  I knew this beforehand, but felt sandbagged learning about the 2000 baht minimum 30 minutes before my visit to TM.

 

Yes, I know it's still my money even though I'll never see it again.  Hope my heirs and descendants use it wisely.

[mikesil]

8 minutes ago, samtam said:

Which IMM office?

 

4 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

The pertinent question would be "Which bank"..  ????

Khon Kaen offfice;  Bangkok Bank

[Number 6]

What the hell is TM?

[Briggsy]

3 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

What the hell is TM?

T stands for truat. M stands for meuang. Samnak ngahn truat khon khao meuang. TM = Immigration Bureau.

 

????

[Matzzon]

53 minutes ago, mikesil said:

Not a tragedy, just annoying.

It´s also nothing new. This has been posted many times before on Thai Visa.

[wgdanson]

22 minutes ago, mikesil said:

Fixed accounts in Thailand are not exactly like Certificates of Deposit in the US.  One of the differences is that you CAN add --- I'm not sure about withdraw (maybe with a penalty).  I knew this beforehand, but felt sandbagged learning about the 2000 baht minimum 30 minutes before my visit to TM.

 

Yes, I know it's still my money even though I'll never see it again.  Hope my heirs and descendants use it wisely.

Do you mean that you CAN add to a fixed account in Thailand or USA.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Do you mean that you CAN add to a fixed account in Thailand or USA.

As mentioned previously, you can make a deposit at any time. Various banks may have different minimum deposit for an FD a/c. I think my KK bank is 1000 min. I will chuck that in on day of extension.

[EricTh]

Just tell immigration that this is a fixed deposit and not savings so we cannot update the balance on that day. 

[DaRoadrunner]

I have come up against this before with those lovely people at CW Immigration. I had to go to an ATM machine and get a statement slip from the machine. Some pathetic IO's have to have their little moment of power.

[wgdanson]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

As mentioned previously, you can make a deposit at any time. Various banks may have different minimum deposit for an FD a/c. I think my KK bank is 1000 min. I will chuck that in on day of extension.

O r take Bht 1000 out!   LOL

[Pib]

Quote

Second, a deposit must be made on that same day, presumably to show the account is still alive 

OP,

 

A deposit or withdrawal does not actually have to be done.  What the IO is looking for is the passbook to be updated to reflect the date you are applying for the extension.   The balance does not have to change up or down....the passbook just needs a transaction "date" update to reflect the current date. 

 

With Bangkok Bank fixed accounts (like you have) the bank can do a Balance Forward (B/F) transaction that simply causes the current balance to be printed in the passbook with the current date.  The teller clerk does this...forces the B/F transaction.    

 

I used Bangkok Bank fixed accounts for around 3 years for my annual extension of stay renewal.  Never deposited or withdrew even one stang on the day I was applying as the Bangkok Bank teller simply did a B/F transaction....takes the teller like 5 seconds to do it.  

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, wgdanson said:

OP was talking about a 'fixed' deposit account, which if I believe correctly, you cannot ADD to initial amount or withdraw. So how can you do a transaction on the day you go to IO?

That's why I wrote that I didn't know if it was different as I had a savings account. 

[david555]

58 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

The pertinent question would be "Which bank"..  ????

and more which employee ...

[Puchaiyank]

I don't know about any other expats...but I came to Thailand to amuse Thai immigration...a kind of easily accessible plaything...to tweak periodically and laugh when it jumps around in pain...

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, Pib said:

OP,

 

A deposit or withdrawal does not actually have to be done.  What the IO is looking for is the passbook to be updated to reflect the date you are applying for the extension.   The balance does not have to change up or down....the passbook just needs a transaction "date" update to reflect the current date. 

 

With Bangkok Bank fixed accounts (like you have) the bank can do a Balance Forward (B/F) transaction that simply causes the current balance to be printed in the passbook with the current date.  The teller clerk does this...forces the B/F transaction.    

 

I used Bangkok Bank fixed accounts for around 3 years for my annual extension of stay renewal.  Never deposited or withdrew even one stang on the day I was applying as the Bangkok Bank teller simply did a B/F transaction....takes the teller like 5 seconds to do it.  

Which imm office do you attend?

I have attended CW 7 YR.

The first every time I did extension I went with my Thai gf. Had the bank letter etc. IO insisted needed to see activity on the day. The gf ran off to bank in CW building and made 100baht deposit. Was accepted even though my bank letter was from day prior and balance did not match. Anyway now I do letter and activity on the day I apply cw for extension

Edited August 15, 2019 by DrJack54

[Pib]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Which imm office do you attend?

I have attended CW 7 YR.

The first every time I did extension I went with my Thai gf. Had the bank letter etc. IO insisted needed to see activity on the day. The gf ran off to bank in CW building and made 100baht deposit. Was accepted even though my bank letter was from day prior and balance did not match. Anyway now I do letter and activity on the day I apply cw for extension

I use CW (Bangkok) immigration office.   And I had the fixed accts at the Bangkok Bank branch  in the same building (downstairs from immigration).  Each year when the teller began preparing the letter one of the first things he/she did was insert my fixed acct passbook into the passbook update machine at their teller position....made a few keyboard entries....and then the B/F transaction was printed in my passbook.  Then the teller continued on with preparing the bank letter, etc.  Approx 15 minutes later I'm on my way upstairs to immigration to apply for my extension renewal.

 

[Mahseer]

Not KK but I asked Bangkok Bank in Chiang Mai to update my fixed deposit account yesterday to show the 800k was still intact and they did no problem.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Mahseer said:

Not KK but I asked Bangkok Bank in Chiang Mai to update my fixed deposit account yesterday to show the 800k was still intact and they did no problem.

Yes thankyou. You and Pib  post above have clarified situation with FD a/c. This Nov will be my first extension using FD at CW. 

When the new requirements came about I opened FD and just put 1 mill baht (to be safe), leave it there for good.

BTW having spoken to someone doing same for long time who is married... Has his wife with access to account but not on ac name. Hope that makes sense. Handy if you get hit by bus as gf/wife could have access. Realize this not visa related but some might wish to look into it.

[Pib]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

 

BTW having spoken to someone doing same for long time who is married... Has his wife with access to account but not on ac name. Hope that makes sense. 

It's called Power of Attorney.   I did the same thing with my wife when having the fixed accts at Bangkok Bank.  When the interest rate rolled way off 4 or so years ago I just switched to a Krungsri Mee Tae Dai acct paying almost the same as a fixed acct but not having the fixed acct restrictions...did the POA on that acct also.   As you know, POA on a bank acct only costs Bt30 for the govt stamp/fee and easy to do.   

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

It's called Power of Attorney.   I did the same thing with my wife when having the fixed accts at Bangkok Bank.  When the interest rate rolled way off 4 or so years ago I just switched to a Krungsri Mee Tae Dai acct paying almost the same as a fixed acct but not having the fixed acct restrictions...did the POA on that acct also.   As you know, POA on a bank acct only costs Bt30 for the govt stamp/fee and easy to do.   

Ta. Has to be wife?

 

[Myran]

The problem with posts like these are that you're presenting the quirks of your local immigration office as a global fact. This might be the case where you're staying, but it's not the case in many other.

[Pib]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Ta. Has to be wife?

 

Nope...can be anyone...but they need to go in with you to sign the bank docs....also, a new passbook is prepared which still only has your name on it as the sole acct owner but on the back page were you sign the person you are adding with the Power of Attorney also signs.  You know...that page where the signatures can only be seen under a blacklight.

Edited August 15, 2019 by Pib

[gk10002000]

haha.  and of course as some have posted, some IO's are asking so if this money is in there untouched, what are you living on?  Show us more money incoming, or other transfers or whatever

[DrJack54]

3 hours ago, Pilotman said:

That's why I wrote that I didn't know if it was different as I had a savings account. 

So why post. You have savings ac. Assisting op how exactly.

[KittenKong]

6 hours ago, mikesil said:

I have a so called "fixed" account which sits undisturbed and exists for no purpose other than to be shown to TM (Immigration) annually. Well this year, as we all know, there are a couple of new wrinkles. First, the bank letter must be dated on the same day as the visit to TM. Second, a deposit must be made on that same day, presumably to show the account is still alive (totally redundant with the bank letter, IMHO).

Actually neither of these is currently a requirement at Jomtien Immigration. I always get my letter a day or two before going for my extension, and I dont update my bank book because it is a time deposit account. Jomtien Immigration have no problems with that.