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What is the experience of transferring funds to Thailand for long-term stay purposes and how does it relate to immigration requirements?

Aug 2, 2025
22 days ago
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Reporting latest experience. Yesterday transferred the monthly 65000 baht from my Australian bank account via Wise (Funds for longstay in Thailand) to my Bangkok Bank account. Transfer initiated at 9:40am, funds arrived in Bangkok Bank account sometime between 12:30 and 12:50pm correctly noted on the account as an international transfer, for immigration purposes. Transferred funds for rent and internet at around 1:30pm. Used QR Promptpay scan four times between 4:00pm and 8:00pm.

At 2:30pm ordered 12-month statement from bank app (for immigration purposes this coming week), which arrived via email at 4:30pm.

I'm on non-O retirement extension, BB customer for eight years.

Absolutely no problems, account not frozen or suspended.

Bangkok Bank and Wise not quite the ogres which some are suggesting!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The post provides a detailed account of an expat's experience transferring funds for a long stay in Thailand. The individual successfully transferred 65,000 baht from an Australian bank to Bangkok Bank using Wise, with funds arriving promptly within hours. The individual did not encounter any issues with their account or the transfer process, contrary to some negative perceptions about banking services in Thailand. The discussion includes various user comments sharing their experiences with money transfers, immigration requirements, and the need for a 12-month bank statement for visa extensions. Users highlight the reliability of Wise and Bangkok Bank, while cautioning about certain local immigration office requirements and variances.
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Jesper *******
I always need to send funds to Wise before 9am in order to received funds sane day (working day) after 2pm....for statements I always get 7mths from the app and get a 6mths and letter from bank counter...they always say 12mth statements but it's actually 13mths for example when u apply for extension in August you need to have statements from August'24 to August'25
Peter ***********
@Jesper ******
Not quite correct. You need to show 12 x 65k monthly transfers leading up to the extension application. I've done this at least a dozen times at CW and have only needed 12 months or statements showing 12 international transfers
Jesper *******
@Peter ********
assuming your extension last year was in August (1st 65k) and now you are doing your extension your 12mths covers only until July ...dont u need need statements for August as well? Or your 12x65k covers until July and u dont have to show the current deposit for August?
Peter ***********
@Jesper ******
Not that complicated. Some offices it's possible to obtain extension 45 days prior to expiry, so the actual months in question are not that relevant. The immigration office is looking for 12 monthly transfers for each month prior to application. If application is made, say on the 15th of the month, a transfer may or may not have been made for that month. If a transfer has been made they will look for 11 previous transfers, if transfer has not been made they will look for 12 previous transfers.
Luke ********
Crypto to bank account arrives in seconds :) best way to get money from abroad into a thai bank account
Peter ***********
@Luke *******
I think this is about getting it noted in your Thai bank account as an international transfer
John **********
Curious...do you have to transfer the same day every month for immigration to accept or can it be any day during a particular month for proof of funds on annual renewal?..thanks
Peter ***********
@John *********
No. It has to be within the respective month
Simon *********
When I used to transfer to Krungthai, it was almost always instant. But Krungthai no longer allow me to transfer mor than 50,000 per transfer, out and transfers in aren't listed as International, so switched my monthly transfers to BBK

My monthly transfers to Bangkok Bank usually clear at 2pm, but can take a few days if there's a bank holiday... The longest delay was 4 days, so had to adjust my pocket money transfers by 5 days.... Been no problems so far.

Bangkok bank lists all international transfers as International, regardless of the reason selected in Wise app and transfers out are not limited to 50,000 baht
Travis *******
We transfer about B150k/mo through wise and we don't have any major issues. Have a few day delay on larger payments but that is to be expected.

BB is on my list for Thai account to get setup next week. I haven't really seen people who have legitimate accounts have much issue.
Sue **********
Don‘t you have to to show besides the statement an original stamped and signed Letter from Bank as well plus a copy of the updated bankbook incl. a transaction made the day of appliction for Eos?

Our immigration does not accept 12 month statement from mail or app.
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Sue *********
Updated bankbook yes. I do that at CW in the basement as soon as I get there. I do get a letter confirming the account, but they haven't requested it for about the last five years. I still err on the side of safety and get one anyway. CW never used to accept the monthly statements from the app, but since they brought in the 12-month statement facility it's been fine
Max *************
@Sue *********
If using monthly deposits,you won't need a bank letter,just a 12 months bank statement. And, you're correct,several immigration offices don't accept a print-out from a bank app.
Martyn ***********
People need to remember that 99.99% of people only post when there's a problem, this gives a false impression.. There's 1000's a day that go smoothly and never have problems, but they aren't going to post that...
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Martyn Rollinson That's true. Human nature is to complain rather than commend. In the 16 years I've been here on retirement visa/extensions I've never had a single problem. I use CW office, and have never once had to return. The last
***
years I've used the appointment booking system, so I'm in and out in an hour. Many people actually create their own problems
Jo **********
@Martyn **********
this is very true and important. Also with immigration problems. People post when something is wrong then everyone thinks they will have problems
Chan *******
I never trust wise transaction time.

But my experience don’t do transactions during Saturday and Sunday! I tried few times to do transactions during sat or sun, money arrive tue or wed. 😤
John **********
Check that the statement from the app goes back as far as your last extension. I've had immigration refuse it in the past because it fell a few days short
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
It covers the 12 x monthly transfers I've made since the last extension
Max *************
@John *********
Yeah, you're correct. If it just goes back exactly 12 months, you will fall short.
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Max ************
I make one transfer per month. The requirement is to show 12 monthly transfers prior to the application for the extension.
Max *************
@Roberto ********
I know the requirements.Which immigration office do you belong to?
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Max *************
@Roberto ********
I remember a few years back when print-outs from bank apps weren't accepted at CW. That office doesn't make changes in requirements very often.
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Max ************
Correct. That was the old monthly statement facility. Since Bangkok Bank app introduced the 12-month statement (possibly to cater for this exact situation) it's been fine. I remember years ago they insisted each page of the statement was actually rubber-stamped! Times have changed and they are now a little more "streamlined"
Max *************
@Roberto ********
There are still several offices where print-outs aren't accepted. It will probably take a while until it's accepted everywhere, if that even happens.There are offices out in the sticks that never ever makes it easier for expats.
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Max ************
They're really not much different to those which I used to get from the branch.
Max *************
@Roberto ********
It makes sense.
Peter ***********
@Max ************
I do read of some pretty way-out stories from some provincial immigration offices. Why do they try so hard to make life difficult for expats?
Max *************
@Peter ********
That's a good question. If CW accepts print-outs from for example Bangkok Banks bank app,make it officially ok in every immigration office.But, then other banks print-outs must look the same. I haven't compared Bangkok Banks and KBanks print-outs. I'm way to lazy. 😎
John **********
@Max ************
with Bangkok Bank you get the current month and the previous 11 months. So if you ask on the 1st of August it will go back to the 1st of September last year, hence my warning
Max *************
@John *********
Yes, you're correct, I know.
Richard ********
Never had a real issue, except during vivid the long term funds dropdown used but came as a local transfer on my account so I contacted wise and they tagged my account to send as that only, no matter the drop down selected and now you are not even asked to select it anyway.
Julian *******
I have had no issues with bb or wise in five years now. My only issue is the artificially high baht
Antal ********
I transferred recently yesterday 20k Baht to a KBank account from Wise THB account. It was about 5 seconds. The fee was 113 Baht. I change money on Wise to THB and I transfer THB and it is always almost instant.
Roberto *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Antal *******
This relates to having the transfer noted as an international transfer, which is required for immigration. These usually take a little longer due to the fact that they are "intercepted" by Wise to ensure they are duly noted. I'll amend my original post to reflect this, otherwise we're going to be inundated with people saying it should only take seconds
B **************
No jo jo K mo
Michael *******
Used Wise for 7 years alongside SCB always been reliable, never more than a few hours for monthly transfer in many cases minutes……..
Mark ********
@Michael ******
The only problem with SCB is they don't label the transfers as coming from overseas, which is why most 65k transferers will use Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn
Michael *******
@Mark *******
not in my experience
Mark ********
@Michael ******
They don't. That's a fact
Gerg **********
@Michael ******
I used to have good luck with wise, but it started taking up to a week to get my money, so I switched to Remitly, and it’s almost instantaneous now.
Michael *******
Odd that, should be the press of a button - a number of my social circle all use WISE from UK never any issues - major banks hate wise of course so maybe they try to stymie them in certain locations …..different strokes for different folks…..
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