Retirement renewal visa, Bank book twist

[Emster23]

Went in this morning to Jomtien immigration, had all my papers needed (I thought... but always seems a new surprise) for retirement renewal. Had my letter from bank less than 1 week old, copies of pages from bank book (going back to 2007). When I got letter also had them update book, which amounted to posting interest earned as of June.

 Not enough for Jomtien immigration: said I have to show balance as of today.... I said "that is my balance as of today. You have the letter showing >800k, bankbook shows no transactions since letter written".  Told me I had to go put 100 baht in, make copy and come back. Saw higher up, same story.... he finally said "My rule". So end of discussion. I go to bank, photocopy page, come back and finish up. Will see if given renewal tomorrow.

 SO... if going bank book route it may behoove you to drop some money in before they write letter just so you can have backside covered, if you are like me and just leave the money in there. I guess the concept of zero, as in zero transactions, just hasn't made headway here yet....

[NanLaew]

The rather arcane bank book update on the day of filing the extension is pretty much foolproof when coming across one of these 'my rule' paper shufflers.

 

What were you wearing BTW?

[oxforddon]

Not just his rule as I had this before in Bangkok. Fact is that even a day old letter or balance in book does not prove that you did not withdraw it all via ATM just before going to Immigration.

[digbeth]

Actually he's being thorough, if the account had an attached ATM card, the amount could've been gone and the amount shown in the book since it was last updated might be the interest being paid in god know how many months ago if you haven't touched the account at all,

 

Still letter from the bank with recent dates should've done it, but this is Thailand

[flagrantviolation]

I guess I'm lucky. Didn't have a problem with this but maybe that's due to me being an American? I think the rules vis a vis Thailand are more lenient for us.

[onemorechang]

6 minutes ago, flagrantviolation said:

I guess I'm lucky. Didn't have a problem with this but maybe that's due to me being an American? I think the rules vis a vis Thailand are more lenient for us.

 

I seriously doubt that .

Thank you for the giggle 

[pitrevie]

I had the same problem at Bangkok where my letter stating the balance was dated the previous day but they wanted the book updated to show that days balance. Same suggestion, withdraw 100 baht and update. What made it worse is that the lower floor at Chaeng Wattana was powered down and the Bangkok Bank was closed due to the power outage. I had to go two miles to get my book updated. However the lady dealing with me could not have been more helpful. It appears the letter confirming the inward transfer of funds is no longer needed just the letter confirming the balance.

[Henryford]

I thought this was fairly standard. I always get my book updated and my bank letter on the day i go to immigration. Not difficult.

[i claudius]

2 hours ago, Henryford said:

I thought this was fairly standard. I always get my book updated and my bank letter on the day i go to immigration. Not difficult.

I usually get mine the day before ,never had a problem in 10 years .

[peeba7]

Please do note for those that used rental receipts in the past, they are now requiring: copy of the ID of owner at rental location, and a copy of the blue book of the rental location and a third thing, it's on a small slip of paper they give you, i forgot the third thing, someone else chime in please.

[twix38]

just skimmed his thread,but put funds into FIXED DEPOSIT bank account (I am assuming you have not) then you get better interest and also I pressume not asked to pay -in on the day as it's a fixed account until maturity, so the bank letter balance should not be questioned as issued a week ago or less and the maturity date can be seen, so funds all still in account until maturity date. I do it for the better interest rate anyway, but it would also seem to make this problem go away. Unless Thai logic reasons differently. I have never been asked to pay-in on the day in addition to bank letter  

[Suradit69]

5 hours ago, Henryford said:

I thought this was fairly standard. I always get my book updated and my bank letter on the day i go to immigration. Not difficult.

Yes, generally the letter and the bank book update should be the same day as application or, a possible stretch to the day before.

 

Not a new twist as the O/P suggests. Pretty much has been the rule for a long time.

[Jingthing]

Well I did a fairly recent extension JOMTIEN and what I always do worked as usual.

 

What I do.

Withdraw something before I walk into the bank.

Get bank letter.

Bank letter balance matches bank book.

Go in the NEXT DAY. 

I give a year back copy of transactions, but actually only about 4 months is needed to fully show the seasoning period.

There is never any reason to give years of copies! Don't waste the paper!

I think what I do would continue to work at Jomtien.

[twix38]

get a fixed deposit account. Can do various periods (3mth, 6th month 1 year and often special deals 4mth, 7mth and 10month) so ok if need to spend some meantime before refixing and toping up 2months before renewal and have fixed date run through and over visa renewal month. Problem solved and  more interest earnt - and can get bank letter up to a week before.

[Jingthing]

13 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Yes, generally the letter and the bank book update should be the same day as application or, a possible stretch to the day before.

 

Not a new twist as the O/P suggests. Pretty much has been the rule for a long time.

Well, we're talking about Jomtien and actually it's well known that at Jomtien they accept letters as old as one week old.

I don't agree the day before is a stretch there at all. It is totally usual.

Also a Friday before Monday on a weekend (or similar gap for holiday) won't be a problem. 

My point -- DO NOT go to extra stress to get a same day letter or transaction at Jomtien based on this one topic. 

If there is really some kind of general change about that, we'll know later. I don't believe that has happened yet at all. 

[mokwit]

This is how I do it at CW, with thanks to Partington for pointing this wrinkle out to me on TV.

Get letter and bank book update day before and immediately after pay in Bt1000 (coz atm can always pay out 1000 can't pay 100 if no 100 notes)

Next morning day of application withdraw 1000 and then update passbook and get photocopy of. They see the +/- 1000 but don't query it.

 

 

[Suradit69]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Well, we're talking about Jomtien and actually it's well known that at Jomtien they accept letters as old as one week old.

I don't agree the day before is a stretch there at all. It is totally usual.

Also a Friday before Monday on a weekend (or similar gap for holiday) won't be a problem. 

My point -- DO NOT go to extra stress to get a same day letter or transaction at Jomtien based on this one topic. 

If there is really some kind of general change about that, we'll know later. I don't believe that has happened yet at all. 

 

Well the O/P said he got the bank book updated and the letter less than a week before going in to Jomtien and he claims that " Not enough for Jomtien immigration: said I have to show balance as of today.... "

 

I always get the letter and bank book update the day of or the day before and have never had a problem. He says he got both less than a week before and had a problem. As with most things, I suppose it depends on who you're dealing with when you submit your application.

 

I don't depend on the bank balance since  my monthly income exceeds the minimum required, but get the letter to cover all bases. Maybe they don't really care about my bank info under the circumstances.

 

 

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, mokwit said:

This is how I do it at CW, with thanks to Partington for pointing this wrinkle out to me on TV.

Get letter and bank book update day before and immediately after pay in Bt1000 (coz atm can always pay out 1000 can't pay 100 if no 100 notes)

Next morning day of application withdraw 1000 and then update passbook and get photocopy of. They see the +/- 1000 but don't query it.

 

 

That's great, but again such banking gymnastics are NOT needed at Jomtien.

Follow what I did, day before, and if it doesn't work at Jomtien I'll eat at McDonalds (which I hate). No hats for me.

This is the kind of report that starts rumors and causes people stress without credible basis. 

[Jingthing]

 The OP didn't say exactly how old the letter was. Perhaps even within a week it seemed too stale for them.

 

Anyway, I suggest day before or Friday before Monday and do a transaction same day BEFORE the letter, with matching balance book and letter, and I would be totally SHOCKED if that doesn't work at Jomtien. 

 

Many people take a kind of vague report and assume there has been a major policy change. I don't believe it in this case. If I'm wrong, we'll know eventually.

[twix38]

lol

 

just do a fixed deposit account, <deleted>. Easy and a higher interest rate!!

Can be arranged to mature when funds next needed and to be in fixed account at time of Immigration letter and reporting, and for 2 or 3 months prior as required, with any funds either withdrawn  at maturity dates throughout year and/or topped up. Then this whole question of timing of bank letter AND having to pay-in is irrelevant.  Seems some don't want to earn extra interest and have peace of mind!! additionally reduces fraud possibilities as cannot be withdrawn by 3rd parties or at ATM as bank will have trouble explaining how it was possible  on a FIXED account. All that's needed is pre-planning in order to budget at maturity dates chosen so as to have spending funds and top up prior to 2 months before annual retirement visa date. I find it extremely easy and hassle free these last 6 years and earnt much more interest than having it in savings account.  Good luck   

[UTH001]

On 11/16/2016 at 1:03 PM, flagrantviolation said:

I guess I'm lucky. Didn't have a problem with this but maybe that's due to me being an American? I think the rules vis a vis Thailand are more lenient for us.

 

What a lot of rubbish!

[nahkbin]

For the past two years I have had to have my bank letter done, with update, on the date of extension.

[Suradit69]

54 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Well I did a fairly recent extension JOMTIEN and what I always do worked as usual.

 

What I do.

Withdraw something before I walk into the bank.

Get bank letter.

Bank letter balance matches bank book.

Go in the NEXT DAY. 

I give a year back copy of transactions, but actually only about 4 months is needed to fully show the seasoning period.

There is never any reason to give years of copies! Don't waste the paper!

I think what I do would continue to work at Jomtien.

 

"

Withdraw something before I walk into the bank.

Get bank letter.

Bank letter balance matches bank book"

 

At my branch of Bangkok Bank when I ask for the letter they always update the book before producing the letter so the most recent balance check  in the book and the balance shown in the letter match both in amount and date without the need to do a last minute transaction. 

[expat_4_life]

This has been going on for 3 years in Bangkok and I had always obtained my bank letter the day before I went to immigration.

 

However it is now my practice to obtain the letter the day before, get my book updated, and visit the bank on renewal day to

get my book updated yet again because of this policy.

 

There is no need (at Bangkok Bank) to make a transaction, book can be updated to show the balance as of the day.  Luckily

in Bangkok all the major banks are represented on the basement floor and it makes obtaining a book update easy.

[Suradit69]

On 11/16/2016 at 1:03 PM, flagrantviolation said:

I guess I'm lucky. Didn't have a problem with this but maybe that's due to me being an American? I think the rules vis a vis Thailand are more lenient for us.

 

As an American I find your comment embarrassingly arrogant and in the past week or so there's been no shortage of reasons to feel embarrassed by American arrogance.

[Suradit69]

41 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

 The OP didn't say exactly how old the letter was. Perhaps even within a week it seemed too stale for them.

 

Anyway, I suggest day before or Friday before Monday and do a transaction same day BEFORE the letter, with matching balance book and letter, and I would be totally SHOCKED if that doesn't work at Jomtien. 

 

Many people take a kind of vague report and assume there has been a major policy change. I don't believe it in this case. If I'm wrong, we'll know eventually.

 

He did say that they told him " I have to show balance as of today.... " which isn't especially vague. As to doing it the day of or the (business) day before, that's what I originally suggested before you felt compelled to announce that you'd eat at McDonalds if the day before wasn't OK. 

 

If there's been any stress introduced to the thread, that alone has us all sitting on the edge of our settees gnawing at our finger nails.

[Jingthing]

14 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

 

"

Withdraw something before I walk into the bank.

Get bank letter.

Bank letter balance matches bank book"

 

At my branch of Bangkok Bank when I ask for the letter they always update the book before producing the letter so the most recent balance check  in the book and the balance shown in the letter match both in amount and date without the need to do a last minute transaction. 

Yes, of course they do.

In my scenario as well.

I just think it's a good idea to have a same day transaction as the letter.

 

As follows:

Do a transaction

Update book (bank will do)

Get letter

The balances will match.

Does NOT need to be same day at Jomtien. 

[pitrevie]

13 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

 

"

Withdraw something before I walk into the bank.

Get bank letter.

Bank letter balance matches bank book"

 

At my branch of Bangkok Bank when I ask for the letter they always update the book before producing the letter so the most recent balance check  in the book and the balance shown in the letter match both in amount and date without the need to do a last minute transaction. 

 

I don't think you are correct there. If a book is updated and your last transaction was several days before then that is the date that is the last date shown on the bank book, at least it is with the Bangkok Bank. I actually got my letter the day before going to Chaeng Wattana so they had to update my bank book, the last transaction date was the 12th, the letter was dated to reflect the balance in the account on the 15th which in fact was the same as three days previously and that was the letter along with my bank book that I presented to immigration. However despite the letter showing the previous days date I was advised to withdraw some small sum and show the balance on the book as of the day I presented it on the 16th. Just my luck the power to the ground floor was down so I could not use the Bangkok Bank in the immigration building and had to go about 2 miles to another branch.

[EddieBaBaBoBo]

I just had the same experience as OP at Chiang Rai Immigration: bank book last entry was in July and I got the letter from my bank verifying funds today. Had to go back to my bank and add THB100 and get photocopy of updated book. I found out during my return that the big boss only visits the CEI office on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I was unable to get my visa renewal today. Guess I will see on Monday if I need to add another THB100 and get a new letter.

Also, this is the first time they asked for copies of every stamped page in my passport plus copies of my Thai GF's house book and ID.

[Emster23]

Hmm... I was dressed conservatively... I've been getting retirement visa there for ten years, and this was first time they'd demanded this. I got updated same day as letter was written, which amounted to listing interest (which was posted for June... didn't look closely). My copies of bankbook went back ten years, and deposit has never even gotten close to less than 800k 

I don't have ATM card for Thai bank. Letter was given Friday, went in on Tuesday morning (before banks open)... I suppose I could go on some binge over weekend and blow a wad of dough. I'm a yankee doodle dandy, and given that whole pier 3 flap US has had with Thailand, seems being US might be more of a negative mark... the requirements for renewing visa paper I got doing my last 90 day check in clearly states 7 days or less on age of bank letter.

 Some years back I tried the fixed deposit and they told me that fixed deposit was not acceptable, so went to pass book.

 They always seem to come up with a new twist no matter how well you might be prepared.