Ask question

How can I successfully open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV visa?

DTV visa Bank account opening Thailand banking regulations Expats in Thailand Visa requirements Immigration issues Agent assistance for banking

Oct 10, 2024

6 days ago

Anonymous *************

ORIGINAL POSTER

DTV visa bank account opening update October 2024

I have the following documents:

- Thai driving license 

- Residency certificate 

- passport ofcoz

- My foreign bank account reference letter and bank statement 

- my home country ID card

- My foreign bank credit cards

- Thai speaking friend with me

- My US company incorporation certificate - I own the company 

Unbelievable, with all these documents, they all rejected me for no reason. The staffs were all rude to me.  I went to all the banks in Bangkok, HQs. You name it, all the banks. 

Some people at the front of the bank laughed at me. It's annoying me. I will go through with agent soon.

Does anyone being treated like this or anyone able to open bank account with DTV visa successfully?

2,685

views

10

likes

71

all likes

37

replies

1

images

23

users

TLDR : Answer Summary

The post discusses the difficulties faced by an individual trying to open a bank account in Thailand while on a DTV visa. Despite providing numerous documents, they were rejected by all banks in Bangkok and had negative experiences with bank staff. The community responses highlight the challenges of opening a bank account as a DTV visa holder, including the common requirement of a work permit, and suggest using an agent to facilitate the process. The current tightening of banking regulations in Thailand is also mentioned as a contributing factor to their issues.

DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

Take the basic DTV Qualification Test to see if you're eligible for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV).
For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
Explore recent discussions by using the DTV Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.

John **********

All? You need to remember that every branch of every bank has its own rules so just because you're rejected by one branch of one bank doesn't mean the next branch of the same bank will. Also did you have an official certificate of residence issued by an immigration office (not a TM30)

Like

Reply

Peter *******

If you go to Bangkok Bank in Phuket Town, they will only ask for your passport and require you to purchase insurance for 5,000 THB. This applies to any type of visa.

Like

Reply

Nick ***

when was this? They don't ask for immigration residency certificate?

Like

Reply

Reply to

Nick ***

Reply

กิตติศักดิ์ **********

I truly don't understand why you would go to all this hassle and stress when you can just pay an agent 2,000 Baht to handle everything and literally all you do is sign a few pieces of paper

Like

Reply

마리오 ***

It’s not “for no reason”. They rejected you because you aren’t complying with their requirements. Did you ask what the requirements are?

Beginning early this year the Thai gov started cracking down hard on money laundering due to international pressure. This in turn has caused the banks to significantly tighten their procedures for accepting and onboarding new customers. Good luck.

Like

Reply

Greg ********

This! Thailand also signed the CRS (Common Reporting Standards) so now your banking details have to be shared with your country of tax residency. That is a lot of work for little gain for many banks. How are the banks supposed to know where you are tax resident" - if it was me it would be put in the "Too much hassle" box and deny bank accounts

**********************************************************

Like

Reply

Reply to

Greg ********

Reply

Greg ********

To be fait the DTV is still only a tourist visa. Tell me which other countries allow yiu to open a bank account as a tourist these days? With all the scams and money laundering it is fighters in nearly all jurisdictions to open a bank account.

Like

Reply

JC ************

I got mine with the ED visa at krungthai

Like

Reply

Gre *****

@JC ***********

which city please?

Like

Reply

JC ************

Bkk

Like

Reply

Reply to

JC ************

Reply

Adrian ******

@JC ***********

same with me. In and out in under hour.

Like

Reply

Reply to

Adrian ******

Reply

Werner ************

DTV is treated as a tourist visa not resident visa - you will need to pay a agent, welcome to Thailand unless you have a resident visa most activities will require a agent

Like

Reply

Deepak *******

It is laughable with the list you presented. It is annoying, arrogance, and trying to assert privileges. No wonder banks rejected it. Pay the agent. Let them make some money also.

Like

Reply

Niall ***************

Like

Reply

Nikita ************

Try agents. It’s Thailand. People know people, etc.

Like

Reply

Robert *******

Have DTV but will want to open bank account once we get there. Is it possible to hire an agent in Chiang Mai to help you open a bank account. Don't need anything else, just a bank account with ATM card, online banking and ability to transfer money from HSBC Hong Kong periodically. What would be typical fee for an agent to do that?

Like

Reply

Henrik *****

Never sell your soul to an agent.

Like

Reply

Paul ****

but agent help you with the hassle. not thing about soul but easy life . and I am a agent .

Like

Reply

Robert *******

we managed the DTV process on our own and are good in terms of visa, but the nightmare of running around to 20 banks seems unthinkable. If the bank account is opened in my name and address, how would the agent have control over me in the future.

Like

Reply

Henrik *****

Check out if foreign tourists can walk in to a bank in you country, and walk out with a account, before you critizie the Thailand banks for doing the excact same thing as banks everywhere else.

Like

Reply

Reply to

Henrik *****

Reply

Henrik *****

You simply haven’t stayed in Thailand long enough.

Reconsider if a Thai bankaccount is need-to-have or nice-to-have.

Banks in Thailand are like everywhere in the world, interested in having good stable custormers, that have a permanent address, a steady easy traceable income, and use the account all year round.

That is why the banks are reluctant to give accounts to people on short time ( read: tourist ) visas, and who only spend part of the year in Thailand.

Don’t expect to get a residence certificat, until you have stayed at a permanent adress in at least 3 month, since that is what the residence certificat should confirm.

Furthermore the added attention on whitewashing of money, is an added burden on the banks, so even depositing large amounts isn’t a guaranteed way to open an account.

The value of a resident certificat, had gone down, since Immigration Officers are giving them to people that are not on a longterm visa, or have stayed severel months at 1 adress in Thailand, so even if it is a formal requirement, the bank make up their own assesment of the stability of the want-to-be customer.

***********************************************************************************************************************************

*****

9-thailand-to-implement-stringent-compliance-regulations-for-new-bank-accounts?

Like

Reply

Stephan ***********

Yeah, but what kind of account we are talking about? Savings account, right... no loan, no interest, no real credit card, just debit... you can only use/work with the money that is in the account, there is no risk for the bank in any way. So why they make it so hard these days? Because we are all up for money laundering? Come on...

It wasn't that easy 10-15 years ago already, but now it's almost impossible without an agent. And this is the next point... you cannot, because you are probably a bad guy, but if you let an agent do it and/or buy an insurance from the bank then you are suddenly good enough? Ridiculous...

Funny somehow... they are totally in love with Non-Imm-visa... copy passport, copy visa, copy drivers license and you are good... 15 minutes and you'll have your account. So... Non-Imm = good guys, all other visa = bad guys? What a nonsense...

Residency Certificate... you can get an address confirmation letter from your Embassy/Consulate... they just confirm that you stay at the address that you'll tell them... and you are good for many banks...

They make it unnecessary hard to open an account without any valid reason... that's what it is now... sadly...

And don't forget this silly situation they create here for applying for a Non-O... you need an account to be able to apply for the visa, but without the visa you can't open the account... here you go... Catch-22...

Like

Reply

Henrik *****

It is not harder to open a bankaccount for a foreigner in Thailand than a foreigner opening a bankaccount anywhere else.

And as long as people are stupid enough to support korruption by using agents nothing will change.

Like

Reply

Reply to

Henrik *****

Reply

Rab ******

You are on tourist visa -_- get proper visa if you want to have bank account

Like

Reply

Goaerg ******

I think everyone who's trying a DTV visa should travel to Thailand first with TR visa then open Thai Bank Account (There is a Bank that can open with TR visa) then go to lao or Cambodia to apply DTV.

Like

Reply

Joyce ****

Base on my experiences of trying to do this for over a year, no matter how many legalized documents you have, they won’t open it for you unless you have a work permit.

There may be the odd one here or there that would do it but it’s very rare.

Another option is to open a Wise account, this way you can do payments in Thailand and also transfer money etc.

Like

Reply

Greg ********

Retirement or Spouse Visa also possible to open an account

Like

Reply

Joyce ****

some banks would do it on retirement visa but I’m not of age to get the retirement visa

Like

Reply

Greg ********

The only way is to use an agent. The banks have clamped down recently due to a few things. One is Thailand signed the CRS (Common Reporting Standards) agreement recently and this puts extra conditions on them ie reporting to the country of tax residency of account holders. So for exam0le if I was still Tax Resident in UK my Thai banks woukd have to report to UK each year my banking. The other issue is the number of scams taking place. This is especially true where the scammer compounds are based in Burna and Cambodia. There was a case where a man killed his wife and family after his wife lost everything to scammers. Banks need to be careful who they let open accounts. This also effected SIM cards and how many a person can have

Like

Reply

Joyce ****

very informative! Thanks 🙏

Like

Reply

Reply to

Joyce ****

Reply

James *********

also possible to open with an education visa

Like

Reply

Joyce ****

@James ********

I’ve tried with this visa as well but they all said I need work permit

Like

Reply

James *********

- Krungthai had no problem opening an account for me previously with only an Ed visa.

Like

Reply

Travelling ********

@James ********

Can you give us the details of Krungthai?

Like

Reply

James *********

@Travelling *******

If I recall I brought a letter from immigration to open a bank and took this and my passport. It was straight forward.

Each bank has different stipulations as many have previously said so I would just continue trying.

Like

Reply

Reply to

James *********

Reply

Elías ********

or you pay to an agent, but then, money wise, it might not be worthy

Like

Reply

Reply to

Elías ********

Reply

Kaung **********

I still don't see anyone successfully opening a bank account with DTV so far. If you seriously need to open a Thai bank account, you can try with an agent and normally they open with Bangkok Bank.

Like

Reply

Reply to

Kaung **********

Reply

Can DTV visa holders open bank accounts in Thailand?

8 comments

9 days ago

Why won't Thai banks open accounts for DTV visa holders?

179 comments

13 days ago

Can you open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV visa?

5 comments

13 days ago

Can I open a bank account in Pattaya on a DTV visa?

23 comments

18 days ago

Can you open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV visa?

45 comments

19 days ago

Can I open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV Visa?

8 comments

20 days ago

How easy is it to open a bank account in Thailand with a Destination Thailand Visa?

42 comments

25 days ago

Can someone with a DTV open a bank account in Thailand?

29 comments

a month ago

Has anyone opened a bank account in Thailand using the DTV Visa?

4 comments

a month ago

How can I open a bank account in Bangkok with a DTV visa?

29 comments

a month ago

How can I open a Thai bank account with a DTV Visa?

11 comments

a month ago

Can a DTV visa holder open a bank account in Thailand?

24 comments

a month ago

What should I do about difficulties applying for a DTV visa at the Thai consulate in Malaysia?

98 comments

a month ago

Can you open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV visa, and which banks are accommodating?

14 comments

a month ago

Can you open a bank account in Thailand on a DTV visa, and if yes, how?

5 comments

a month ago

Can I open a bank account in Chiang Mai with a DTV visa?

176 comments

2 months ago

Can I open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV visa?

71 comments

2 months ago

Can you open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV Visa?

9 comments

2 months ago

Can I open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV Visa?

2 comments

2 months ago

Can I open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV visa?

3 comments

2 months ago

Can I open a bank account in Thailand with a DTV visa?

25 comments

2 months ago

How can I open a bank account in Bangkok with a DTV Visa?

9 comments

2 months ago

Can I open a Thai bank account with a DTV visa at Kasikorn Bank?

19 comments

2 months ago

Can you open a bank account in Thailand on a DTV visa?

3 comments

3 months ago

Data protection policy Terms and conditions Disclaimer Privacy policy Refund policy

The asq:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.