Answered2 years ago
What documents do I need to open a Bangkok Bank account with a retirement visa in Thailand?
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!
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.
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Steve **********
I had to do the accident insurance when I got my Thai bank account, it was inexpensive
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
David **********
No agent used I have a one year extension for visa and didn't use an agent
David **********
I didn't need insurance they want to sell it to you but you don't need it
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
Dave *********
Get a agent 4k job done
Brandon ************
@Dave ********
the price now is 12-15,000 for a bank account from an agentDave *********
@Brandon ***********
they must have seen you comingDave *********
Ii paid 4k in pattaya last September...Bangkok bank with debit card
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.
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
There must be good commission and probably not regulated so they can tell lies and get away with it
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.
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.
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
Brandon ************
@Chad *******
The price is 12-15,000 now with an agent
Timothy *******
I thought the insurance scam was only for people under 50yrs old trying to open an account
Lester *********
OP@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.Chris **********
Seeing an agent is always a good idea regardless of immigration leasing or whatever. Facebook groups do not always offer the best advice.
Brandon ************
@Chris *********
Agents now charge between 12-15,000 for a bank account, so...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.Brandon ************
@Chris *********
no, the minimum is 12,000 now. They don't charge less than that. The days of 3-4,000 are gone
Jack ********
Find another bank boss
Garry ********
Go to an agent, pay a little bit but all gets sorted for you
Brandon ************
@Garry *******
Very expensive nowChris **********
@Garry *******
best advice on here
Jeff *******
@Garry *******
Some people prefer to go the legal routeGarry ********
@Jeff ******
he says he has all the right stuff so what would be illegal about it,Dave *********
@Jeff ******
what a knobJeff *******
@Dave ********
I've heard it saidChris **********
@Jeff ******
pretty defamatory comment. There are a lot of good helpful legal agents out there.Jeff *******
@Chris *********
How the fuck is it defamatory when the agent route IS illegal??
David ***********
That insurance is quite common. I only had to get it for the first year
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.
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.
Graham *****
@Sherry ****
thought married visa was only *****
0
Ken *********
@Graham ****
it is
Garrett ***********
@Sherry ****
Get the Non-O outside Thailand.
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.Lester *********
OP@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
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..
Ishbel ***********
@Sven *******
where was this bank the Kasikorn pls?Sven ********
@Ishbel **********
phibun mangsahan (ubon ratchatani)Ishbel ***********
@Sven *******
Perfect thankyou as I will be there in August so thats very helpful
Somkit ***********
@Sven *******
hi mate, was this in bangkok?Sven ********
@Somkit **********
No, in phibun mangsahan (ubon ratchatani)
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.
Tony ******
@Drew ****
not compulsory at all it's just a way for them to up sell you a productGarrett ***********
@Drew ****
It's not compulsoryDrew *****
@Garrett **********
I’m only repeating what the Branch told me. Maybe it’s a Farang tax 🤷♂️
Ran ****
@Drew ****
true!
Nongnuch ********
@Drew ****
you can cancel it so you won't get automatically charged for the yearly renewalNongnuch ********
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
Lester *********
OP@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 555Nongnuch ********
@Lester ********
insure you for what? Health insurance? What a farce.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 payLester *********
OP@Nongnuch *******
Health and life. It was a jokeLester *********
OP@Nongnuch *******
Yes I was aware that she was having a giraffe
Tom ********
@Nongnuch *******
correct .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.
I guess the home owner already have done a TM.30 registration for you at the immigration.
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.
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.
Ralph *******
@Kevin ******
That’s very nice to know. Thank you.Brandon ************
@Kevin ******
Which immigration office, and when?
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.
Kevin *******
@Brandon ***********
Pathum Thani and this was in September of 2024.Ralph *******
@Jan *****************
Probably not!Lester *********
OP@Ralph ******
Yes we are doing all that after the holidaysRalph *******
@Lester ********
Yes I understand. Just that it’s a legal requirement to file it within 24 hours.Jan ******************
@Ralph ******
In any case, @Lester ********
that's the first task.
John **********
I suspect what they meant by a TM30 stamped by immigration was a residence certificate
Lester *********
OP@John *********
Yes I suspected that alsoActivity
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