Bangkok Bank letter/statement + Bank Book Update

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Brian Davis
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Bangkok Bank letter/statement + Bank Book Update

Post by Brian Davis » August 24, 2020, 7:44 pm

I'm trying to give correct advice to a contact who is applying for a visa extension based on marriage, income method. Without going into details, he's being 'messed about' with e.g. different information today to that given just a week ago. With, ahem, previous history, the suspicion is that a donation from him could make these various issues disappear! Obviously, the less opportunities offered to Immigration to query things, the better.

He banks with the Bangkok Bank and discovered only today that his local branch would only issue a 6 month statement and a yearly one had to be ordered from Bangkok itself. My understanding is that Udon Immigration insists on the letter/statement being dated the same day one applies at Immigration. How is that achieved, if Head Office dates the letter/statement earlier - OR does the local branch date them?
Similarly, I believe the bank book needs to be updated the same day, which may involve some amount being paid in. I believe he said it was a direct credit account only (funds from the US), so maybe a problem there too?



Tom & Jee
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Re: Bangkok Bank letter/statement + Bank Book Update

Post by Tom & Jee » August 24, 2020, 8:50 pm

The above you are writing is for a visa marriage based on the 400000 in the bank . When you apply based on income doesn't have to be the same day 1 year statement

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Brian Davis
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Re: Bangkok Bank letter/statement + Bank Book Update

Post by Brian Davis » August 25, 2020, 8:57 am

Tom & Jee wrote:
August 24, 2020, 8:50 pm
The above you are writing is for a visa marriage based on the 400000 in the bank . When you apply based on income doesn't have to be the same day 1 year statement
Thanks for your reply, Tom. On behalf of my friend, I hope you're correct, but we'll see if other members comment. I use the same marriage/income arrangement, but bank with SCB, which gives a one year statement at local branch level. I've always arranged the bank letter and statement, bank book update on the same day, but that's as much about me not wanting to be messed about by Immigration. Unless the guidance leaflet given out by Immigration has changed, when referring to dates, it doesn't draw a distinction between an application based on lump sum and one based on income. i.e. paragraph 6 "The Bank must issue a letter of verification(Bank Statement), stating the current balance of the saving deposit account.(Bank Statement should be made the same day as application of visa extension is submitted)."

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sometimewoodworker
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Re: Bangkok Bank letter/statement + Bank Book Update

Post by sometimewoodworker » August 25, 2020, 9:49 am

Brian Davis wrote:
August 25, 2020, 8:57 am
Tom & Jee wrote:
August 24, 2020, 8:50 pm
The above you are writing is for a visa marriage based on the 400000 in the bank . When you apply based on income doesn't have to be the same day 1 year statement
Thanks for your reply, Tom. On behalf of my friend, I hope you're correct, but we'll see if other members comment. I use the same marriage/income arrangement, but bank with SCB, which gives a one year statement at local branch level. I've always arranged the bank letter and statement, bank book update on the same day, but that's as much about me not wanting to be messed about by Immigration. Unless the guidance leaflet given out by Immigration has changed, when referring to dates, it doesn't draw a distinction between an application based on lump sum and one based on income. i.e. paragraph 6 "The Bank must issue a letter of verification(Bank Statement), stating the current balance of the saving deposit account.(Bank Statement should be made the same day as application of visa extension is submitted)."
You are conflating 2 different documents from the bank The Bank must issue a “letter of verification” is a letter confirming that the account is yours and the balance the date it’s issued, which in Udon must be the date you apply.

The bank statement shows all transactions on the account for the period required. If using the income method and if you are one of the 3 nationalities that can’t get an embassy letter it will be 12~13 months and will be very unlikely to be dated the day you apply as many banks have to order this period from HQ as the computer only holds 6 months locally.
For marriage with a 400k deposit the statement is only for 3~6 months as that is all that is needed.

The leaflet given by immigration is general guidance only it is not definitive and you will notice some creative spellings and “use” of English.

Also if your friend is not British, American or Australian he/she maybe/will be required to use an embassy letter. Many offices will only allow embassy letters for other nationalities, they “IOs” will not accept bank statements of deposits if the embassy will issue a letter.

FWIW he is not being messed about, he didn’t get complete information, possibly because he didn’t ask. The statement is a known requirement as is the fact that it can take 2 weeks to get.
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Brian Davis
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Re: Bangkok Bank letter/statement + Bank Book Update

Post by Brian Davis » August 25, 2020, 6:28 pm

Thanks for your contribution sometimewoodworker. I feel suitably reprimanded and can now tell the difference between a letter and a bank statement. My excuse is that as I receive both from my bank at the same time, dated same day, I suppose I regarded them as a joint process.
So, it seems that as many statements obtained from banks cannot be dated the same day as applicants visit Immigration and it follows these are presumably accepted by Immigration Officers without hassle, I can tell my contact he needn’t be concerned about rejection, on that issue anyway. He has to present himself there soon, so we’ll see.
“The leaflet given by immigration is general guidance only it is not definitive and you will notice some creative spellings and “use” of English.” Yes, agreed, but it could be so much better, comprehensive, couldn’t it? One would think Immigration is a big enough concern to, at least, employ a native speaker or somebody who would ensure the English was, at least, clear, if not absolutely grammatically correct. Is there a concern that if the guidance is too precise, detailed, it would remove the ‘flexibility’ Officers enjoy? Rather like that sentence somewhere that says something like they can ask for what they want and final decision is the Officer’s. I’ll leave it to readers to consider how that flexibility works!
“FWIW he is not being messed about, he didn’t get complete information, possibly because he didn’t ask.” Agreed, in part, but why the implication that he was at fault? Let’s be honest here – you can get a different answer from one Officer to another! We could fill a few pages with mistakes made by applicants. The failings of Immigration Officers, to do their jobs honestly and properly could fill volumes. It was not the bank statement or letter involved in the ‘messing about’. Other matters such as what can/cannot be included in the required photographs. The main point was that he went in one week to check what he’d put together and was told all was ok, except two minor things. Double-checking a week after, there were more issues highlighted. I call that being messed about. Perhaps no surprise that the Officer involved previously ‘helped out’ and is possibly wanting to show how ‘flexible’ he could be again.

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Re: Bangkok Bank letter/statement + Bank Book Update

Post by sometimewoodworker » August 25, 2020, 8:21 pm

My bank charges 100 baht for a document, I have to pay 200 so I realised there were 2 documents involved. No reprimand intended or implied.

I didn’t imply that he was at fault that was your inference from what was written, it was not intended. He may well not have known the questions to ask.

Immigration is quite good at answering a direct question “Is this document/picture OK?” But not good at “please look at what I have is there anything missing?” questions. That is why I take pictures of my complete pack of paperwork when I have had it checked, that means that if there is anything extra required (2 documents this time) is not because I forgot it, it’s because they are new documents from immigration or there has been a change that nobody has reported.
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