How to apply for a card in Thailand when buying a property in Phuket

Introduction

Congratulations, you have become the proud owner of resort real estate on the paradise island of Phuket. By owning property in Thailand, you can obtain a bank card in your name. Owning a Thai card comes with a range of superb benefits, namely:

1. Payment via QR code in stores and restaurants.
2. Ability to receive deliveries from Lazada and Shopee without waiting for a courier for 3 hours, as cash purchases require payment before the parcel is released to you.
3. You can make online purchases in other countries with currency conversion at the current exchange rate.
4. And most importantly - you can receive rental income directly onto your card from leasing out your property!

Obtaining Property Documents

Before applying for a card, you need to obtain the complete set of documents confirming your property ownership, namely the Blue Book and Chanote.

Obtaining a Thai Residency Certificate

Once you have all the property documents, don't rush to the bank immediately to apply for a card. First, you need to visit the immigration center and obtain a residency certificate. Without this certificate, you won't be able to initiate the card application process at the bank. Also, check the validity period of your visa. A mandatory requirement for this document: your passport must have a visa valid for more than 30 days from the date of document submission.

The address of the immigration center in Phuket is here.

Bring the following documents with you:

• Chanote
• Blue Book
• Passport
• 450 THB in cash. (300 THB for residency certificate processing and 150 THB for document copies)

Once at the immigration center, go through the door under the stairs on the first floor and queue up opposite the "Information" sign. At the information desk, inform the immigration center staff that you have acquired property in Thailand and want to apply for a Thai bank card. The immigration center staff will inquire if you have your Chanote and Blue Book with you, and upon a positive response, they will provide you with a form to fill out your personal information and the address of your new property.

You will also be asked to provide photocopies of the following documents:

• 2 copies of the passport's main page (page with photo)
• 2 copies of the passport page with the visa (the visa must be valid for 30+ days)
• 1 copy of the Blue Book main page
• 1 copy of both sides of the Chanote
• 1 color photograph

You can make photocopies and take a photograph at the immigration center (confirm the exact location with the staff). The approximate cost for all copies will be 100 - 150 THB.

After gathering all the documents, return to the information desk and submit them to the specialist. A fee of 300 THB will be charged for document processing. Then, you'll be asked to wait while they prepare the Thai residency certificate. Once the document is ready, your name will be called over the microphone, and you'll be handed the certificate.

Applying for a Bank Card

Before visiting the bank, make sure you have a Thai SIM card registered in your name. The SIM card must have mobile internet access, as you'll need it to connect to the banking app and complete the initial account verification.

Also, write down and bring your Tax ID number (TIN). According to the new regulations, you'll need to provide your TIN when applying for the card.

With all the documents in hand, you can proceed to apply for the card.

The choice of bank is a personal matter. Generally, there's not much difference between banks for foreigners. The main differences lie in the interfaces of the bank's mobile applications and not all banks require mandatory life insurance to be issued in your name when applying for a card, which costs around 5,000 THB. (The insurance is valid for 1 year and covers up to 100,000 THB of medical expenses. However, it does not cover chronic illnesses).

Once you've decided on a bank, head to the nearest branch and take a queue ticket for card issuance. The largest concentration of bank branches per square meter is on the 3rd floor of Central Shopping Mall. If you're still undecided on the bank, we recommend going there and exploring all the branches.

When you meet with the bank specialist, provide them with the complete document package and follow the manager's instructions. You'll be asked to sign a considerable stack of documents, but don't be alarmed, it's all necessary for obtaining the card, and there's no other way around it.

Regarding expenses:

• Plastic card fee: 500 - 800 THB
• You'll need to deposit 500 THB immediately into the card account to have some balance.
• Life insurance: 5,000 - 6,000 THB

We hope this article has been helpful to you. When purchasing property with Undersun Estate, you can rely on our managers to accompany you through all the procedures until you receive your Thai bank card in hand.