Opening a Thai bank account for Immigration purposes.

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Eagle said:

I read somewhere that you have to have at least 30 days left on your visa to get a 'residence certificate'.

No idea where you read that.
The odd Immigration office does place unusual requirements as an obstacle, like Bangkok that insists you must have submitted a 90-day report beforehand, but at most IO's it's not an issue.
 

1 hour ago, Eagle said:

A English friend here in Chiang Mai who has been here for 20+ years said it's fairly easy to get this and being married to a Thai with our own house should make it even easier.

Provided you've filed a TM30 notification with your local IO, then obtaining a residence certificate should be straightforward.

Gone are the days when a copy of your wife or landlords Tabien Baan (house book) and ID card was sufficient as proof of address to open a bank account. These days they require more evidence, such as a residence certificate issued by Immigration, or a Yellow Tabien Baan (house book) issued to foreigners by your local Amphoe.

Although the British Embassy Bangkok provides a limited range of notarial and documentary services for British nationals in Thailand, they do issue confirmation letters of proof of Thai address if requested.

 

[Eagle]

1 hour ago, Faz said:

No idea where you read that.

I got the information from here: https://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-getting-a-residence-certificate-p81

but this is probably outdated because it also talks about a 'departure card' which to my understanding is no longer in use. I believe that refers to the TM6.

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Eagle said:

I got the information from here: https://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-getting-a-residence-certificate-p81

but this is probably outdated because it also talks about a 'departure card' which to my understanding is no longer in use. I believe that refers to the TM6.

I believe the author mentions 30 days due to the fact CM apparently require 2-3 weeks processing time.
That's probably to justify a fee for the residence certificate, which should be free.

The fact you mention opening a bank account suggests you're looking to stay 'long term' in the future?

[Eagle]

1 hour ago, Faz said:

The fact you mention opening a bank account suggests you're looking to stay 'long term' in the future?

Probably not more than 6 months at a time. Nothing is definite at the moment. I'm not sure yet about committing to stay long term. 

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Eagle said:

Probably not more than 6 months at a time. Nothing is definite at the moment. I'm not sure yet about committing to stay long term. 

Depending on the method of how you stay for up to 6 months at a time, you could apply for a residence certificate or a Yellow house book and Thai ID card for foreigners.
Either of which will be accepted as proof of address for a number of things, such as opening a bank account or purchasing motorcycles/vehicles.

[Karolyn]

If one has legal ID or residence in another ASEAN nation, can that be used to open a bank account in Thailand? 

[KhaoYai]

On 7/9/2023 at 5:47 PM, Karolyn said:

If one has legal ID or residence in another ASEAN nation, can that be used to open a bank account in Thailand? 

I doubt it.  It can be difficult under any circumstances at any bank.  The norm is that you hold either a work permit or a retirement visa.  I had difficulty when I held a Multi Entry Non O based on marriage but managed to open an account eventually. You can visit one branch of a particular bank and be refused, then visit one just a couple of miles away and be accepted.  It can even depend on who you ask in a branch.

If you don't fit the requirements, you've probably got more chance in Pattaya than anywhere else - I've heard of people opening and account on a tourist visa there. But be aware, if you use your account out of the branch's area, you are likely to incurr charges for transactions.  I get charged 20 baht for using an ATM out of my bank's area.

[Thai_Law]

If anyone needs assistance with this, click on the link for our post to learn more: 

 

[laurent69]

One question. Do we know if there is a minimum amount in the bank account for the Thai bank to report it to the country of origin on 30 June 2024 as per New CRS guidelines?