'How To' - Requirements for visa extensions etc

[caller]

Well send pm as one copy hasn't had my acct blanked out

[lomuamart]

What a palaver. Have just spent 2 hours at KBank on Petchkasem Road getting my bank stuff sorted out for my upcoming retirement extension based on income.

I'll try and be brief.

First off, I told the young girl that I needed some papers for Imm. Straight away, she took my passport and bank book and did her photocopying and then proceeded to fill a form in. This was before I'd told her what I needed. It took me a few minutes, but it dawned on me that she was going to do the savings letter. I told her no, I needed credit advices etc. That didn't seem to make her happy to start with.

Explained that I needed monthly advices from September last year to this month. She ummed and ahhed and then called HO in BKK. I was asked to speak to them and was told that the previous 3 months advices would be free but the other 9 would cost 500 THB each. "What?". I told them that a friend had recently had his done at KBank Bluport and didn't pay a satang (don't know whether that's true, caller!!). That was the end of the converstion with HO.

The young girl then said she wanted 500 THB for all 12 - 6,000THB. At this point, I nearly lost my temper and was asking for names both at the branch and HO.

I was quickly passed over to an older lady with more experience. She was excellent. She spoke to HO again for quite some time and then told me that there would be no charge for all 12 advices. I was ever so 'umble and grateful.

She then proceeded to print off my last 12 months bank statements for which I was charged 200 THB - no problem there. And she was doing the bank letter confirming that the account was mine but together with confirmation of all last year's foreign deposits as well.

She then asked if I could come back at 3pm today ("yes, no problem") and then further asked whether today was the deadline. Well today isn't vital so I'll get the remaining stuff early next week. That lady was a godsend. Oh, and the bank letter will cost a further 100THB - big deal.

I would imagine that if the banks get inundated with these requests, it'll only be a matter of time before they insist on some hefty charges for the paperwork.

Anyway, that's it. Time for a cold beer to cool off and thanks again for your help, caller.

[PeteC]

This may be a silly thing to ask, but with KBank (or any bank here) on-line banking can't you go in yourself and print off the statements you need? Maybe too much to ask for them to have data available like western banks do where it's easy to go back a year or more and see/print your statements.

[lomuamart]

I think I probably could have done that, but the statements I have are stamped, signed and dated by the bank.

[Big Boy]

Apparently not. In my case, the bank has to phone HQ. I am given the phone, answer some security questions, and we identify the transaction in question together. The document is then e-mailed to me 3 days later, and I print it.

Meanwhile, corresponding transactions in the UK (not needed, but I prefer to have for belt & braces reasons) are all available for download via Internet Banking. You just have to remember the old adage, "Same, Same But Different."

[lomuamart]

Not sure whether you're referring to the advices or bank statements, BB.

But I've just gone into my KBank internet and it look like I can print off statements going back to February 2019 easily enough. There's a calendar thingy that gets me back to July 2018 but I can't work out yet if it'll display the statement.

[Big Boy]

Don't they automatically print your Kasikorn statements for you when you get your letter anyway? Kasikorn have always done that for me. They always make a point of saying they should charge for the service, but have let me off this time. The bank always certify every page of my statements. Maybe caller can clarify if that was a requirement i.e. I've never requested it, they just do it.

Sorry, I assumed you were looking for a little more than just a statement.

[T.O.M.]

^^ Sometimes I get the feeling that some posters actually enjoy making life as difficult as possible for themselves...
You are both Thai married....why...for crying out loud...don't you go for an extension based on marriage?
400k in the bank...3 months a year....2 months prior to filing and during the 1 month consideration period....
The application for the extension based on marriage is a pain....but only once a year.....Instead of spending hours in bank offices trying to get the correct paperwork...and still worry about, if immigration will accept it....
All it takes for you to fail...is a new more strict boss at HH immigration....who has got his very own interpretation of the rules regarding the income route......

[lomuamart]

Being as it was the first time that the extension was done this way, it was difficult to know just what I was going to be up against with the bank. Subsequent years will hopefully be a lot easier. Just order the paperwork and that's that.

As far as easy or difficult is concerned, I'd always prefer getting the extension there and then rather than having to flaff around dragging my wife up to Imm, getting photos etc etc and then waiting a month for a decision.

Once this year is over, I'll still do things the retirement way. Personally, I think it's easier (other than the bank hiccup today).

And the bank called a couple of hours ago to say everything was ready. Couldn't be bothered to go again today so said I'd be there on Monday. And it all cost 300 THB, done in a day, instead of 2,540 THB for an Embassy letter and waiting for 10 days or so. That was easy.

Yes, a new Imm boss could well interpret the income method differently in the future but that's Thailand. It's equally possible that he/she will look at savings for marriage extensions in a different light as well. If you think that's not possible, you're kidding yourself.

[Big Boy]

[HHTel]

Whilst at immigration today, I glanced at the notice that says to inform the head of immigration of any bad or impolite treatment. E-mail provided.
What caught my eye was his name.......SUTTIPONG PUTTIPONG!!!

[Big Boy]

After my incident at the beginning of the year when they were too busy taking selfies to talk to me, I actually tried it. Surprise, surprise, I'm still waiting for a reply.

[caller]

(don't know whether that's true, caller!!). That was the end of the converstion with HO.

Well, that was very interesting.

I think it's clearly a case of 1st year teething problems. But how can a bank that is probably the most widely used by expats, not get their act together and provide guidance to branches? On saying that, mine seemed well clued up, but it still entailed liaising with head office and in the end, the branch manager dealt with my case and did it very well. She even gave me her card in case immigration had any issues with the paperwork.

And no, I wasn't charged one satang, although I don't think a charge would have been unreasonable.

Don't think I will complain about the Bluport branch in future. It was frustrating at times, but at least they understood what I needed and although I too had to go back to collect stuff, I always felt they were genuine in trying to help me.

[caller]

Re: the above, Ii stand corrected, I was charged 300 baht, but my other half paid it. Do forgive me, but I have had a pig of a time recently - eye infection (viral), followed by ingrowing toe nail (again) followed by my tripping on a carpet indoors and basically ripping and tearing everything from my Achilles to my higher calf before spraining the same ankle later the same day! I couldn't have managed without my other half being here for a few days. The rest of the time I was intolerable - lol!

[smiles]

I promised some time ago that I'd post my experiences at HH Immigraton when I got my annual Extension as the new rules certainly get folks into a tither.
So that happened yesterday, and here's my story:

Where did this happen?: At the newly opened Hua Hin Immigration Office. (That being the 5th home of this particular office.)

What did I take with me?:

(1) My passport (check).
(2) A complete photocopy of the passport's many precious innards (check).
(3) A head shot of my handsomeness ~ some would say. (check).
(4) A notorised Letter of Income from the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok. (check).
(5) An Immigration TM-7 Form showing how much I love Thailand and would never leave. (check)
(6) A small map showing where our home is located. (check)

And here are the forms that I bought but were totally ignored.

(7) A notorised letter from my bank (Krungthai) showing 800,000 Baht in my account, and which had been sitting there for 3 months. (check): "Not need".
(8) An Immigration TM-30 Form showing my (and you-know-who) whereabouts of my lodgings in HH. (check) "Not need. Have map"
(9) An Immigration TM-47 Form showing my love for the number "90". (I was very close to my 90-day so I added that into the pile). (check) "Not need. In computer" (check).

Time spent at Hua Hin Immigration: from walking upstairs, have a sit down, get called over, lots of vigorous stamping going on, takes my 1900 Baht, short wait for my fixed up passport, walk downstairs ... 18 minutes. I kid you not.

POSTSCRIPT: Granted ... the place had only 3 other customers. The staff looked rather tired. Hua Hin might CERTAINLY be off a different group than ~ for instance ~ Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai. I have little knowledge of those places Immigration-wise.
I still would recommend taking more "stuff" than less. This is my story, at this time. It may well be different next year.
And of course there is a small number of Embassies who have stopped issuing notorised letters of income. Unfair, but that's the way it is ... a pain in the ass for sure.

One thing I'll be doing here in Hua Hin Imm will be going in the afternoon rather than mornings. No more crunch-time for me.