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What should I do about the additional two months required by Bangkok Bank for my Non-O retirement Visa extension?

Aug 27, 2025
2 days ago
Poon ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
My Non-O retirement Visa 2nd extension is due in a month, I am based in Chiang Mai and currently banking with Bangkok Bank. As required by Immigration I have seasoned my 800K for two months prior to applying for a bank certificate in preparation for the renewal. However, according to some recent posts I obviously fall short of the additional two months that Bangkok Bank started to impose in July.

Could someone with recent renewal experience offer guidance on how to navigate this predicament? I would greatly appreciate any advice.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is preparing to renew their Non-O retirement Visa in Chiang Mai and has concerns about the new banking requirements imposed by Bangkok Bank, which necessitates evidence of maintaining 800,000 THB for an extended period. They seek advice on how to manage this situation considering they have only seasoned their funds for two months.
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.
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Brandon ************
The first thing is that you need to make sure you meet the basic requirements for your extension. That means you met last year's requirements. Your 12 month bank statement will have to show that you kept your balance at 800,000 for 3 months after you received the extension, and then never let it drop below 400,000. If you can't show that, you're already done. Nothing else matters, you won't get a new extension.

If you did meet that, and now you've brought your balance back up from 400k to 800k before you will be applying for this extension, then you're going to have sign a document for Bangkok Bank. That letter gives them permission to freeze your 800,000 for 4 months. Once you sign that letter, they will give you the proof you need for immigration. If you don't sign the letter, you don't get the proof. It shouldn't matter much since you already have to keep the money in your account for 3 months after your extension, so the bank will now just be requiring you to keep it an extra month after that.
Malcolm *****
@Brandon ***********
is it not also required to have your balance at least 800k for the two months prior to applying for the extension?
Brandon ************
@Malcolm ****
that's an immigration requirement. We're talking about a new bank requirement. There are different
Malcolm *****
@Brandon ***********
Understand. Your initial post starts with needing to “meet the basic requirements of your extension”
Brandon ************
@Malcolm ****
and in that I listed 800k for 3 months after previous extension, never drop below 400k, and bring back to 800k. Since the op specifically says they already did the 800k for 2 months before, I didn't specifically call it out
Poon ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
I am going to the Chiang Mai immigration office next week to apply for my extension. If I apply for the bank certificate and one-year statement today (Bangkok Bank needs five days to produce the one-year statement, according to my last visit with them a year ago), and I update my bankbook on the date of renewal next week, will it be acceptable to immigration if the dates on these documents are a week apart?
John **********
@Poon ***
I normally get the bank letter on the day I pick up the statements and then go to immigration but up to 7 days old is ok
Poon ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
thank you!
Brandon ************
@Poon ***
I think that's normally the only way it can be done for Bangkok Bank, because of the statement delay.
Martin **********
@Brandon ***********
I not understand this. I have requested the year statement, by the app. Got it a few hours later. I circle, my monthly international transfer, then got to the bank, and got everything in the afternoon.
John **********
@Martin *********
that seems to work ok for monthly transfers but often doesn't if you use the 800k method as it only provides the current month and the previous 11 months which might not go back as far as the prior extension
Brandon ************
@Martin *********
I'm not sure what you're asking. A statement alone is not enough for immigration. You need a bank letter. And now Bangkok Bank will only give that letter if you've had the money in your account for 4 months or if you sign a document that lets then freeze that money for 4 months if it hasn't been there long enough.
Poon ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Poon ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
Thank you so much Brandon! Really appreciate it!
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