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What documents do I need to open a Bangkok Bank account with a retirement visa in Thailand?

Bank AccountThailandExpatsTM30Residency CertificateInsurance RequirementsRetirement VisaVisa RulesUdon ThaniBangkok BankKasikorn Bank
Apr 6, 2025
22 days ago
Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just been to Bangkok Bank in Udon Thani and asked for a simple bank account. I had my passport and 90 day retirement visa and driving licence. I’m 56 and retired and in a relationship. My girlfriend rents a home nearby. I was told that I also need a TM30 stamped at immigration office and long term rental agreement. She also tried to sell me Insurance for 50k baht for 12 months, as she said it would help my application. This is just a post for information purposes but feel free to add comments that may help!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Opening a bank account in Thailand can require several documents depending on the bank branch and the individual's circumstances. Required documents generally include a passport, a valid visa (such as a retirement visa), proof of residence (like a rental agreement), and a TM30 residence certificate stamped by immigration. Additionally, some branches may require the purchase of insurance policies as a condition for account approval, which varies by location and individual cases. Some users have suggested hiring agents to navigate these requirements, reporting fees ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 baht for their services.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
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Steve **********
I had to do the accident insurance when I got my Thai bank account, it was inexpensive
21 days ago
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Julian *******
It’s extortion, buy an insurance policy and you get a bank account. It’s disgusting, they charge a yearly fee for the account anyway
21 days ago
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David **********
No agent used I have a one year extension for visa and didn't use an agent
21 days ago
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David **********
I didn't need insurance they want to sell it to you but you don't need it
21 days ago
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David **********
Bangkok bank requires a letter from immigration to open a bank account but immigration needs a tm30 and will issue a residency certificate and give you a letter for bangkok bank. I just did it at khonkaen and now have a bkk bank account
21 days ago
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Dave *********
Get a agent 4k job done
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Dave ********
 the price now is 12-15,000 for a bank account from an agent
21 days ago
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Dave *********
@Brandon ***********
 they must have seen you coming
21 days ago
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Dave *********
Ii paid 4k in pattaya last September...Bangkok bank with debit card
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Dave ********
 do you have any idea how much has changed since last September? You're not going to find an agent anywhere that will even talk to you for 4k now. 12k is the minimum and only in Pattaya if you're lucky.
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
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Tom *******
They are trying to sell insurance at every opportunity

There must be good commission and probably not regulated so they can tell lies and get away with it
21 days ago
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Vince **********
In 2021 Bangkok Bank across from T21 in Pattaya demanded that I buy an insurance policy for 16,836 baht (still have the receipt) before they would even consider opening an account for me. Went to the Bangkok Bank branch in Jomtien near the IO and got an account opened in an hour and no insurance required. The incredible lack of consistency from one office to the next can be a real PITA.
21 days ago
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Andy **********
I have heard of people being pressured into buying those bank insurance policies, just to be allowed to open an account, like many insurance policies you usually have a 14 day cooling off period, once your account is open and you have got everything you want, just cancel it, I've heard of people doing this, but I personally would read all the terms and conditions first, to make sure there aren't any implications for doing so.
21 days ago
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Chad ********
Pay an agent...I paid 3,000 baht...done in 25 minutes...there's no need for insurance at all... but had Thai wife
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Chad *******
 The price is 12-15,000 now with an agent
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
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Timothy *******
I thought the insurance scam was only for people under 50yrs old trying to open an account
21 days ago
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Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Timothy ******
 Apparently not. I’m aware of all the scams, my post hopefully just gives a bit of an insight into what to expect when opening a bank account in Thailand, after the criteria has been tightened up. Basically, you need a qualifying visa, passport, immigration approved residency status or another qualifying document such as marriage certificate etc etc.
21 days ago
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Lester *********
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Chris **********
Seeing an agent is always a good idea regardless of immigration leasing or whatever. Facebook groups do not always offer the best advice.
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Chris *********
 Agents now charge between 12-15,000 for a bank account, so...
21 days ago
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Chris **********
@Brandon ***********
 yes that's true and some charge less than that and some charge more than that. I am just stating my personal preference instead of facing the lineups the bureaucracy and the time involved in doing it oneself.
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Chris *********
 no, the minimum is 12,000 now. They don't charge less than that. The days of 3-4,000 are gone
21 days ago
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Brandon ************
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Jack ********
Find another bank boss
22 days ago
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Garry ********
Go to an agent, pay a little bit but all gets sorted for you
22 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Garry *******
 Very expensive now
21 days ago
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Chris **********
@Garry *******
 best advice on here
21 days ago
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Jeff *******
@Garry *******
 Some people prefer to go the legal route
22 days ago
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Garry ********
@Jeff ******
 he says he has all the right stuff so what would be illegal about it,
21 days ago
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Dave *********
@Jeff ******
 what a knob
21 days ago
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Jeff *******
@Dave ********
 I've heard it said
21 days ago
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Jeff *******
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Chris **********
@Jeff ******
 pretty defamatory comment. There are a lot of good helpful legal agents out there.
21 days ago
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Jeff *******
@Chris *********
 How the fuck is it defamatory when the agent route IS illegal??
21 days ago
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Jeff *******
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David ***********
That insurance is quite common. I only had to get it for the first year
22 days ago
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Greg *********
I only needed my passport, retirement visa, rental agreement, and TM30 to get my Bangkok Bank account in Bangkok. Nothing mentioned about insurance. I did have my Thai wife with me who did most of the talking.
22 days ago
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Sherry *****
How did you get 90 day without showing your 800,000 in a Thai bank? Maybe I did it wrong, every case seems to be different.
22 days ago
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Graham *****
@Sherry ****
 thought married visa was only
*****
0
22 days ago
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Ken *********
@Graham ****
 it is
21 days ago
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Ken *********
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Garrett ***********
@Sherry ****
 Get the Non-O outside Thailand.
22 days ago
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Jan ******************
@Sherry ****
 You can apply from home just with income or funds as Lester explains and also in Thailand if your embassy in Bangkok offers to give you a affidavit letter regarding income.
22 days ago
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Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Sherry ****
 You don’t have to when you apply from your own country. The 800k is if you then extend for another year whilst in Thailand
22 days ago
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Lester *********
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Sven ********
All depends on where you apply for a Bank account. I did 2 days ago with kasikorn Bank with minimal paperwork needed. No need for any paper from immigration. Only my paspoort, my non o visa 90 days and marriage certificate..
22 days ago
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Ishbel ***********
@Sven *******
 where was this bank the Kasikorn pls?
22 days ago
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Sven ********
@Ishbel **********
 phibun mangsahan (ubon ratchatani)
21 days ago
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Ishbel ***********
@Sven *******
 Perfect thankyou as I will be there in August so thats very helpful
21 days ago
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Ishbel ***********
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Somkit ***********
@Sven *******
 hi mate, was this in bangkok?
22 days ago
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Sven ********
@Somkit **********
 No, in phibun mangsahan (ubon ratchatani)
21 days ago
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Sven ********
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Drew *****
I was recently charged 5500 baht for insurance with Bangkok Bank when opening an account. It’s compulsory now, and not worth the paper it’s written on.
22 days ago
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Tony ******
@Drew ****
 not compulsory at all it's just a way for them to up sell you a product
22 days ago
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Garrett ***********
@Drew ****
 It's not compulsory
22 days ago
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Drew *****
@Garrett **********
 I’m only repeating what the Branch told me. Maybe it’s a Farang tax 🤷‍♂️
22 days ago
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Drew *****
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Ran ****
@Drew ****
 true!
22 days ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Drew ****
 you can cancel it so you won't get automatically charged for the yearly renewal
22 days ago
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Nongnuch ********
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Nongnuch ********
the insurance they try to sell you as a by-product, can be a yearly accident insurance and shouldn't cost you more than 5000 THB. . . . . .for 50,000 THB she is having a caroussell ride with you
22 days ago
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Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nongnuch *******
 My wife explained that because I am only 56. They wanted to insure me for 50k a year until I am 63 and then no more payments until I die but covered for 500k. Not sure I m going to make it to 63 555
22 days ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Lester ********
 insure you for what? Health insurance? What a farce.
22 days ago
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Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nongnuch *******
 Health and life. It was a joke
22 days ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Lester ********
 you would be lucky if a Thai private insurance company pays any Satang in case you need them. Often, they will find an excuse like you having suffered from pre-existing conditions so they don't have to pay
22 days ago
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Nongnuch ********
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Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nongnuch *******
 Yes I was aware that she was having a giraffe
22 days ago
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Tom ********
@Nongnuch *******
 correct .
22 days ago
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Tom ********
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Jan ******************
Get a residence certificate from the immigration and bring the rental contract for your GF’s home and go back.

I guess the home owner already have done a TM.30 registration for you at the immigration.
22 days ago
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Kevin *******
@Jan *****************
 FYI…immigration would not provide me a residence cert while on the 90 day non-o retirement visa. Kbank did accept a rental agreement though.
22 days ago
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Thomas *******
@Kevin ******
 same as Nong Khai. No CoR on the 90 day non-o. Bangkok bank in Tha Bo said I needed yellow book which I don't have and they denied me. Kbank in Tha Bo did the account with passport, 90 day photocopy, driver's license and tm30 receipt from immigration. Took a few phone to the higher ups as the Evisa was new to them.
21 days ago
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Ralph *******
@Kevin ******
 That’s very nice to know. Thank you.
22 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Kevin ******
 Which immigration office, and when?
22 days ago
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Kevin *******
@Brandon ***********
 Pathum Thani and this was in September of 2024.
22 days ago
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Peter **********
@Kevin ******
 I asked for a residence certificate in Bangkok in July last year and they refused because my tm30 from the hotel was under 15 days. They explained that the tm30 from hotels (in Bangkok) must list an expected stay of more than 15 days.

We moved to the Isan village two days later and did all the paperwork there. I opened the bank account at a Kasikorn branch in Robinson in about an hour of checking documents and everything.

I did the same at SCB and it took more than three weeks.

Then we went to Bangkok Bank and the girls refused to open an account; told me it’s impossible. I asked for the supervisor and they told me the supervisor was out on location with a client. Then I pointed to a man across the office and asked “Who is that?” and she answered “It’s the supervisor”. 🤣🤣🤣

I walked to his desk, told him I wanted to open a savings account. an FCD account and would talk about investments in 2025. One hour later I had a bank book and the number of the FCD account. The bank book of the FCD account followed one week later.

TIT.
21 days ago
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Peter **********
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Ralph *******
@Jan *****************
 Probably not!
22 days ago
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Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ralph ******
 Yes we are doing all that after the holidays
22 days ago
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Ralph *******
@Lester ********
 Yes I understand. Just that it’s a legal requirement to file it within 24 hours.
22 days ago
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Ralph *******
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Jan ******************
@Ralph ******
 In any case,
@Lester ********
 that's the first task.
22 days ago
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Jan ******************
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John **********
I suspect what they meant by a TM30 stamped by immigration was a residence certificate
22 days ago
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Lester *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 Yes I suspected that also
22 days ago
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Lester *********
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