@Peter ********

is it a rule in Thailand? We were certainly surprised by it at our first 90 day check in person!

And don’t forget they close down for the lunch hour from Noon to 1pm! 😜

@Tara *******

I think it should be. All ducks are now in a row…. Our 90 day check went okay at the immigration office, but a word of advice: take a screen shot if any official appt you make in Thailand, as we did make online appts at the (huge) Thai Immigration office in Bangkok, at 11am and 11:05am, but since we couldn’t show “proof” for my husband’s 11am appt on our cell phone (only mine came up), they wouldn’t allow him to get a queue ticket for his appt, and there was no way they could check the appts?? Nope. So mine took 5 min, and he had to get a non-appt queue ticket (nearly 60 numbers away from being called!). We waited about 30 min (that place is like the biggest DMV you have ever seen/Hell on earth) when a worker came out and informed us we all had to leave the waiting areas at noon—they close down for lunchtime!😳. Luckily it was right before Songkran holiday weekend, so there was a big indoor fair with lots of food booths and retail stuff, so that was good. He went back at 1pm to wait, I shopped and ended up buying a swimsuit and two colorful Songkran shirts (60b😜!). He took about 30 more minutes and was done with no problems. But no “proof” of appt, I guess it doesn’t matter exist…

@Tara *******

I’ve heard there’s one in Chiang Mai and in Bangkok. It’s like a red tape thing here in Thailand, and every branch is different in their requirements, I think it’s outdated and nobody is sure, so instead of losing face and admitting they aren’t sure, they say they can’t do it. We were aware of this and were always outwardly polite! I was told conflicting advice beforehand from many sources, that the US Embassy needed to notarize your passport (not true), that you needed a “residence certificate” from the Thai immigration office (also not true, we actually went there and that’s a form a foreigner needs to buy or sell a vehicle!), and we even looked into a visa agent for help in opening a bank account, and they asked for 10,000baht EACH, or almost $300usd x 2 = $600! We were like, NO way! And if we are over 50 with retirement visas, why would we need a work permit?? Sometimes…things in Thailand just don’t make sense. You just play along with it. For example, it says right on the affidavit we signed and was notarized: The US Consulate does not guarantee or check the information! I think it’s the official seal they want, on something. Even that was questioned when we went to Bangkok Bank, the teller said she then needed to call the Consulate and confirm that it was official—even when we had our printed copies of our appts in hand, along with our notary payment receipts from the Consulate, and even online Visa card payment information…at that point we said thank you and went to Kasikorn Bank nearby (this was at huge CentralwOrld mall). Even then we waited over two hours until everyone else was helped before they opened our bank accounts. Our staff member was professional and fluent in English, and everyone had to stay after hours before we were finished, but it got done!

We wondered why they make it so difficult to just open bank accounts just so we can deposit 800,000baht (retirement visa requirements) and let it sit there??

Best of luck to you!

Note: we are RETIRED, so we didn’t have a work permit (but we did have our stateside Thai Consulate approved Non-Immigrant O-A papers in hand, plus passports (and matching stamps), our TM30 copy from our landlord as well as our 12mo th lease, our USA driver’s licenses, and copies of everything to boot!

And we were rejected at 9 different Thai bank branches of the 4 most popular ones. It was utterly confusing not knowing exactly what document you need!

For US Citizens, you need to make an online US Consulate appt to Notarize an Affidavit of your Thai address—literally you will raise your hand and swear I front of consulate employee and they will notarize and charge you $50 for each! THIS is what Thai banks require, the consulate staff member in Bangkok confirmed she had to do the same, as well as manager of the whole facility—Thai banks do not discriminate!! (and be sure to take a screen shot and a make a printed copy of appt confirmation for showing front door security—and it’s tighter than TSA—check online, but no laptops or even extra phone batteries are allowed!)

@Brandon ***********

My husband and I had to do this two

months ago: 1. Make an online appt with the US Consulate for a NOTARIZED AFFIDAVIT OF YOUR THAI ADDRESS, basically you solemnly swear in front of Consulate staff that this is your Thai address and they notarize it for the lovely price of $50usd EACH. It states right on the form that they make no guarantees of this information, it’s just some red tape that Thai Banks insist upon. The nice staff person said she and even the manager of the whole facility had to do this, and it’s the most common thing American citizens need from them! Each person needs one appt, and be sure to take a screen shot and make a physical copy of your appt information, security will check for this at the queue to their roster, or you will not be allowed past this point! Also, security is super tight, more than TSA, check website, but no laptops, chargers, etc. Your cell phones will need to be turned off and checked in At security front desk.

We went to 9 different branches of the top 4 Thai banks trying to open bank accounts for our Non-Immigrant O-A Visas (Retirement), and yes, they all told us different things, or vague things. We also brought in originals and copies of our US Passports, USA driver’s licenses, TM30, our 12mo th lease agreement, Official Thai Consulate letter granting us the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa (which we applied for stateside, with financial information and FBI criminal checks!)

Some banks asked for our work permits (none: we are RETIRED). Some said they just don’t do them. Even with the consulate notarized affidavits in hand, we were told at Bangkok Bank (CentralwOrld) that the teller “needed to call and confirm with the consulate employee”, even tho we had our consulate appts printed up and consulate notary receipts, AND had confirmation of the visa charges online…but the consular offices were closed by then. We knew then it just wasn’t gonna happen and then waited for over 2 hours at Kasikorn Bank where we finally did open two separate bank accounts…but they waited until the very end of the day—after every local had been served before us. They did stay well after closing, and the staff member was very professional and nice, however. It was…difficult and frustrating to say the least.

We just did that exact thing this morning using our Charles Schwab account, it cost $15usd!! Wise would have cost a LOT more!

@Eric ******

I want to say that we have been to 6 different bank branches trying to open Thai bank accounts for our retirement visas. We have passports and a long term lease and a TM30 copy from our landlord. No go at bank branches at Big C Extra on On Nut, Terminal 21 SCA bank branch, and no go at Bangkok branch at CentralWOrld mall. It’s like they ask for our Work Permits (we are RETIRED) and then freeze up. We even headed to Thai Immigration after the 5th rejection, did you know they only give a Residence Certificate for Drivers Licenses and Selling a Vehicle??? So go in that, we were told we have to go to the US Embassy for a “paper” that certifies our Thai address. We try one more time and head to the embassy, and they only take appointments, no walk ins, but are given instructions how to make an appt and an email contact # for consular staff. We have not yet been able to make an appt, as they somehow only open “on a rolling basis” (so we are checking 3x day). Apparently according to our email question, you need to pay $50 to someone in the Consulate Notary Services who will notarize your official “Thai address”, but guarantees nothing. I am convinced it just satisfies the Thai bureaucratic need for red tape, something “official” that states your Thai address. We have been hassling with this for WEEKS now. You’d think Thai banks would want foreigners to park their 800,000 baht in their banks!! 😡

@Eric ******

I want to say that we have been to 6 different bank branches trying to open Thai bank accounts for our retirement visas. We have passports and a long term lease and a TM30 copy from our landlord. No go at bank branches at Big C Extra on On Nut, Terminal 21 SCA bank branch, and no go at Bangkok branch at CentralWOrld mall. It’s like they ask for our Work Permits (we are RETIRED) and then freeze up. We even headed to Thai Immigration after the 5th rejection, did you know they only give a Residence Certificate for Drivers Licenses and Selling a Vehicle??? So no go with that, we were told we have to go to the US Embassy for a “paper” that certifies our Thai address. We try one more time and head to the embassy, and they only take appointments, no walk ins, but are given instructions how to make an appt and an email contact # for consular staff. We have not yet been able to make an appt, as they somehow only open “on a rolling basis” (so we are checking 3x day). Apparently according to our email question, you need to pay $50 to someone in the Consulate Notary Services who will notarize your official “Thai address”, but guarantees nothing. I am convinced it just satisfies the Thai bureaucratic need for red tape, something “official” that states your Thai address. We have been hassling with this for WEEKS now. You’d think Thai banks would want foreigners to park their 800,000 baht in their banks!! 😡

@Damian *****

this is an excellent read