What form do I need from immigration to open a bank account in Thailand on an ED visa?

Oct 21, 2020
4 years ago
Justin *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I just tried to open a bank account at bkk bank. They said I need a form from immigration. I am on an Ed visa. Does anyone have any idea what form this is and what I need/need to do to get it? Do I need a card or id from my school?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
To open a bank account in Thailand on an ED visa, you may generally need a certificate of residence, which can be obtained from the local immigration office. Requirements can vary by bank and branch, with some banks only requiring a letter from your educational institution and your passport. It's advisable to check multiple branches or different banks as policies differ. Some users suggested having a Thai-speaking companion can help navigate the process.
Nick ********
Just go to UOB with 50,000 baht and a passport they open a bank for you
Donal *********
I did it last January. Very simple with just ten minutes in immigration and half an hour in BK Bank signing forms. See my earlier comment.
Rob **********
Certificate of residency, available from any immigration office
Steven **************
If you know a Thai teacher they can vouch for you and you can open an acct. At any bank with 2000 Bhat deposit
Donal *********
Go to emigration with

(1) Your passport

(2) photocopies of all the relevant pages of your passport.

(3) letter from your landlord.

(4)some Thai Baht

They will stamp a form which you can bring to Bangkok Bank who will then open an account for you.
Jalill ********
I just told my school that I wanted to open a bank account and they gave me a letter to give to the bank. It took them about 2 days and cost me like 150 baht I beleive
Eric *******
yeah Bro,

Your bank only need A CERTIFICATE OF RESIDENCE, that's proving both your address and the fact that you're here "long term".

You're on a ed visa so you can get this document easily from the immigration office. It will cost you 300 Thb there.

But prior to this, you need to make sure your landlord registered you online on the dedicated immigration website as his tenant (immigration will check on it and you can't get any certificate of residence until it's done).

At the immigration, you'll need 2 passport pictures, copy of your passport pic page, copy of your last stamp on the passport (related to your ed visa), and copy of your departure card ,
Jay *****
Individual branches even of the same bank will have different rules. Within each branch, one worker will tell you different requirements from the worker at the next desk!

Personally, on an Ed visa I was asked to pay 12,000 insurance before I could open an a/c with Kasikorn, so I opened with Bangkok bank with just a certificate of residency & 600 baht fee for the card.
Steve **********
You went to wrong branch.
Don ******
I went through this process a couple months ago, because I got tired of going to different banks trying to find one that didn’t require it. The form you need is an affidavit. It can be found here:
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745&sdata=JCb8DZjcJ18fgOjICIrHZ%2B%2By3Sts4QXNFNXg05cw%2Bd0%3D&reserved=0

You will also need to schedule an appointment with your embassy. Depending on which country you’re from this can be easy or take some “squealing” to get an appt. When I did mine the US Embassy wasn’t allowing appts, but if you lobby and tell them you need for a bank account and visa, they will grant you one - I had to bitch a bit to get my appt. There is a $50 (USD) fee (US Embassy). I would bring any additional documents you have that are relevant, like WP or ED visa to Bangkok bank as they may or may not ask for it.
Terary **********
Shop around for bank managers. I had a tourist visa and was able to open a bank account.
Hugh ********
Keep trying, go bank to bank and in different places. They dont seem to know their own rules lol
Peter *******************
truth is that it’s random, just keep trying different banks until your lucky... going to main branch is known to provide more luck
Thea **********
Bangkok bank it’s difficult I tried it last year I am on Ed Visa the requirements were too much I ended up opening krungthai wt just a letter from the school and passport
Али **********
Krungsri is easier
Reiner *********
It’s called certificate of residency
Puggs **********
I opened my SCB account on a tourist visa nearly 10 year's ago and have never had a single issue. They have a great App too, if that's any help.
Tod *********
and while that is anecdotally interesting you do realize that 10 years in thai time is a coons age ago :O
Puggs **********
@Tod ********
whatever
Vasileios *************
Worst bank in Thailand imo.

Just go to Kbank
Ronald *********
Take a fair bit of cash and ask the manager can they help
George *********
You will find that K Bank is much more accommodating to your needs.
Anton **************
Try different branch or ask your school to call him his one
Danny *******
Why not just ask then what form you needed?
Marlies *********
Could be proof of residence, that‘s what they required from us
Claus *********
Paul Durkan bullshit. Period.. according to Bank of Thailand law, everyone can open a bank account, but they impose different practices to make it difficult in some branches. Ask them to call their English hotline .. they can explain . Bangkok bank have that.
Laura *******
Normally in bkk bank u can open even with a tourist visa. Try another bkk bank or another worker 🤦‍♀️
Hristo ***********
I opened my account on ED Visa with letter from the school 4 years ago. GL.
Hamid *******
My son had a ED visa, the bank required a letter from the University, and they opened the account
Robert ********
The requirements depends on which level of bank employee you ask. Most don’t know and don’t want to get into trouble so just spout any shite to get rid of you. For BKK

1. Go to a main branch that has a manager.

2. You only need your passport and visa.
Chris *********************
Kasikorn bank straight forward easy
Otto *********
Just try another bank or another branch. The requirements are different from bank to bank and from branch to branch. Best chances are in a (former?) tourist area. Good luck.
Bob **********
It's a residence certificate you need a TM30 in your passport but you can try another branch there all different
Peter **************
I got a Bangkok Bank account after I enquired at the desk, at the Pattaya Nua (North Road) Branch

All I had to produce was my Passport and 5,000 baht to open the account

Good Luck
Steve **********
@Peter *************
you mean deposit 5k right. ?
Ronald *********
Justin *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks everyone. This was very helpful.

A secondary question for those who are following along.. for basic use (payments, transfers, qr code) are all banks pretty much the same?
Steve **********
@Justin ****
nope. Law is same. People and branches different
Sam *****
@Justin ****
no Bangkok bank aren’t the best they take a long time to set up lots of things. I just recently opened a K bank account and they seem much better it was all done and dusted in 1 appointment and I can access every service
Kool *******
@Justin ****
, no. There are many different ATM cards, and what they are authorized to do at each bank. Kasikorn is not the same as Bangkok Bank. Bangkok Bank now has 4 different cards, and only one of them has MC and can be used online. Don't be concerned about the number of ATMs. Bangkok Bank cards can be used in any ATM, with no extra fee. You can also bank online with Bangkok Bank, but it takes setting it up at the bank. Kasikorn has an ap also, and is easier to set up for online banking. I have both Kasikorn and Bangkok Bank.
Jane ***********
I have Bangkok Bank and I wouldn't recommend them - I find they have the least number of ATMs nationwide and I wasn't able to set up online banking with them. I've heard good things about K bank. BTW I didn't need a form from immigration, Visa was sufficient.
David *******
You need a letter from your school.
John ****************
What did the bank tell U ??? Why ask the 'wingnuts' here??????????
Chaz ************
I have both a Bangkok Bank and krugthai account both with nothing more than a copy of a tourist visa I had at the time. From my experience its not the banks but different branches that want certain criteria. Try a few different places.
Steven **************
@Chaz ***********
yea ok. A copy of a tourist visa opening an acct at a Govt Bank. That I would like to see.. you either had someone vouch for you who speaks Thai. Or your a bullshitter who speaks fluent Thai ..Krungthai is Govt Regulated ( all acceptance goes thru main office) Bangkok Bank yea. As each bank is a bank to its own with main offices. Next you'll say you got a MasterCard at GSA Bank
Chaz ************
@Steven *************
i certainly don't have to prove myself, but hey give me a valid reason why I'd lie. I'm merely trying to help the author of the post. To add to information I've held my Bangkok Bank account for about 15 years but due to the fact that I only ever had a tourist visa I wasn't allowed Internet banking. Therefore @ five years ago I initially went into kasikorn bank but could not open an account and then crossed the road to krungthai bank explained the situation in English and without a Thai friend and they happily open me a new account with Internet banking. Which is why I advised the author of the post to ask at different branches.
Steven **************
@Chaz ***********
ok I had a Bangkok Bank acct since 2012 firstly on a tourist visa and access to internet banking is part and parcel of the acct. They can't deny you internet banking with the acct.. as for Krungthai acct as I said in earlier statement.. not on a tourist visa. Unless you didn't read the rules and regulations which if you did you would have realised the person who allowed it would skim your acct. So you can read Thai or looked at the transcribed not translated which said you have a Krungthai provicianal acct.(in other words you get charged money for withdrawing money in another province ) and your acct. Is open to all bank employees. .now you can use phone app. To withdraw money without charge but it still goes through personal tellers....who left their housekeeping job and will leave again next month with your details..... Prove me wrong...I mean no malice at you directly but people think a provincial acct. Is the same as a nationwide acct...it's not
Chaz ************
@Steven *************
your statement is a contradiction of your first statement. Firstly you said i couldnt and haven't opened an account and that I'm a bullshitter yet your second post suggests that I may have a provisional account and not nationwide. My suggestion is that in future posts try to help the author with his issue rather than try to pick holes and discredit someone else's advise. I also mean you no malice just sensible advice.
Eddie *******
The form

They want is a residence certificate.
Joe ********
Ask your school to give you the correct paperwork then it’s a piece of piss
Lorenz *************
Open to krungthai is better . Just bring paper from school and lease from your house.
Ace ****
Just try a different branch. I just opened mine with Ed visa, you will need a letter from your school and your rent contract. Once I got those, it was easy
Paul ********
I have a BKK Bank account. Opened it a few years ago at the branch outside the Mall Bang Kapi with nothing more than my passport. 🙂
Monti ********
Residency certificate.
Kennan ********
I had the same dilemma at BKK bank. Went to Kasikorn bank and all they needed was a letter from my language school. Super easy. Saved me a trip to the embassy and a 50 dollar fee.
Steve **********
@Kennan *******
opened 2 years ago st Bangkok Bank. Passport and electric bill with my name.

10 minutes.

Some branches have a few hurdles I'm told
Jay *****
@Kennan *******
Kasokorn wanted a work permit & 12,000 baht for insurance, I refused & went to BKK bank & opened a/c super easy & cost me only 600 for the card.
John *********
@Kennan *******
no embassy needed .just imm .
Kennan ********
@John ********
Bangkok bank wanted a letter from my embassy specifically. I clarified that with them multiple times to be sure I understood them correctly. At least the branch I went to.
John *********
@Kennan *******
suprised at this . Changes from bank to bank . Had mine 30 years . Times they are changin .shop about .🙏🙏
Divya *********
Try Kasikorn they are pretty good.
Frederick *********
I think the best advice when trying to open a Thai bank account with any bank, is to take a Thai speaking friend with you. I had no trouble at all opening an account by just letting my Thai partner do all the talking.
Steve *********
@Frederick ********
absolutely! My Thai partner did all the talking, I did all the signing!
Jane ***********
Yeah I agree. It was actually a requirement to have a Thai referee when I opened one 5 years ago.
K ****************
In my case, university ID and a paper from university was needed in that specific branch. You can discuss with your school
Sam *******
Kasikorn just want see visa and passport
Shaun **********
I went to three different branches of Bangkok bank in Khon Koen all varied on what documents needed. Finally got one using only my passport and Thai driving license.
Steve **********
@Shaun *********
passport and min 500 baht deposit in act.

Bangkok Bank.
Shaun **********
@Steve *********
even the bank I finally got an account with wanted me to bring the Captain of the village. He was on route but when I got to the bank it was a different server and she said didn’t need the Captain , my license would do. So it’s not just different branches it’s whoever you are seen by at the bank. 😀 cannot win.
Tod *********
I would say just try another branch. The decision as far as what criteria a bank requires for you to open an account is decided by that branch manager.

Just try another branch and you will find one that will let you do it with just a lease and your passport
Tod *********
The branch you are applying at is requiring you to get a certificate of residence from the immigration office.

In Bangkok you get it out at Muang Thong Thani Immigration office in section B, BUT you need to have filed at least one 90 day report in order to get it AND you need to have a TM30 receipt (that you or your land lord filed) along with your lease.
Steve **********
@Tod ********
Go to Bangkok Bank with your passport containing uour visa. Smile...
Martin ********
Papers from your school should be enough but maybe this bank also requires a resident letter from immigration as “proof”of address.
Paul *********
I have bkk bank. Only needed work permit.

(Samui though )
Paul ********
@Paul ********
he is a student so don’t work
Paul *********
@Paul *******
Oh. Speed reading lol

Take a Thai friend normally works. Even seen tourists get a bank account here before who are travelling long term and don't wanna pay atm fees. TIT anything is possible
Paul ********
Paul ********
I think he needs a residence certificate and the paperwork is from your condo manager
Claus *********
@Paul *******
bullshit. Period.. according to Bank of Thailand law, everyone can open a bank account, but they impose different practices to make it difficult in some branches. Ask them to call their English hotline .. they can explain . Bangkok bank have that.
Paul ********
I’m with Bangkok bank and that’s what I was asked for
Stuart *********
You don’t need anything from immigration to open a bank account. However each bank and each branch have their own rules. If that branch won’t let you open an account go to another or try a different bank.
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