Money transfer for buying a condo: documents in Thailand 2026

Start a money transfer for a condo purchase by agreeing on the recipient, currency, payment purpose, and bank confirmation for registration. After the funds arrive, check the actual amount in baht and the details in the documents. The crediting of funds alone does not close the payment stage of the transaction: the confirmation must link the payment to the buyer and the unit.

Here we cover the main scenario: a foreign buyer acquires a condo unit in a condominium in full ownership (freehold). For long-term leasehold, land, purchase through a company, and certain categories of foreigners, the procedure may differ. Your own Thai account is one possible route, but not the only one; documented import of foreign cash and money transfer services also require separate agreement.

Current as of October 2026. Terms may change, so agree on the route with your bank and lawyer before the main payment. If you are just preparing for a transaction, start with the step-by-step guide to buying property in Thailand.

What to check when buying a condo for full ownership

Start with your basis for buying and whether the unit can be registered in a foreigner’s name. The money route, bank verification, and documents for the Land Department are connected but serve different purposes.

As of October 2026, the official Bangkok investment portal states that the foreign share must not exceed 49% of the condominium’s total floor area. This refers to floor area, not the number of units. To verify the quota, a letter from the condominium’s juristic person is provided for; include obtaining such a letter in your transaction preparation.

There are also separate grounds for purchase. The Thai government portal describes the possibility for a foreigner with permanent residency status to buy a condo with baht without requesting a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form. This exception cannot be applied to all foreign buyers.

The general summary from the Bank of Thailand allows transfers and the import of currency with no limit on the amount. This does not cancel the documentation of payment for a specific unit. More details on the differences between purchase scenarios are explained in property laws for foreigners.

Where to send money and how to choose a banking route

First, identify the recipient according to the contract. Bangkok Bank allows condo payments to be sent to the developer’s account, so you do not have to open your own Thai account for each purchase. If you choose a personal account, study in advance the requirements for opening an account at a Thai bank.

For a transfer from Russia or through a third country, ask both banks the following questions:

• Do they service the specific sender and the sender’s bank?
• Is the chosen currency accepted?
• Who will be the recipient on this route?
• What documents are required for the bank’s verification?
• What confirmation will be issued after the funds arrive?

Check the availability of the transfer and the suitability of the confirmation for registration separately. General ways to transfer money to Thailand will help you compare the options, but the purchase decision depends on the specific transaction.

Currency, account details and payment purpose

Legal guidance from the company Siam Legal describes a route in which foreign currency is transferred to Thailand and converted into baht domestically. It applies to the condo purchase under consideration; exceptions for certain buyers do not disappear.

Before sending, check:

• account number and recipient name;
• international bank transfer code (SWIFT);
• bank name and branch;
• the buyer’s name as spelled in the passport;
• details of the unit and the contract;
• currency, amount and payment purpose.

To agree with the bank, you can use an illustrative payment purpose: “Purchase of condominium unit [unit], [project], [buyer]”. Insert the unit number, project name and buyer’s name. This is an example, not a mandatory universal wording.

Do not replace the purpose of the purchase with a general description such as “personal transfer” or “gift.” The purpose must help link the money to the contract; agree on the final wording before sending.

Bank confirmation of the transfer and the FET form

Foreign Exchange Transaction Form (FET) is a term that appears in descriptions of condo purchases. The practical purpose of the confirmation is to show receipt of funds and link them to the buyer and the payment for the unit.

The Thai government portal states that the certificate must be obtained directly from the bank. Before the transfer, find out the name of the document, the request procedure, and whether it is suitable for registering your transaction. Do not count on automatic issuance: include requesting the confirmation in your own action plan.

After receiving it, check:

• buyer’s name and details of the parties;
• amount and currency;
• date of receipt;
• payment purpose and link to the unit.

The bank may check the source of funds, while the Land Department checks the documents for registration. These are different procedures: bank verification requirements cannot be substituted with conditions for issuing a certificate.

Under the Bank of Thailand’s exchange control regulations currency transaction details must be reported to the bank for any amount, while the bank requests supporting documents for transactions from 200,000 USD or equivalent. The 50,000 USD threshold for the FET form, which appears in older descriptions, is not specified in the current rules.

Do not choose between the Foreign Exchange Transaction Form (FET) and other confirmations based solely on the transfer amount. The name of a document alone does not settle whether it is suitable; the content and issuance procedure must be agreed.

Wise money transfer service: confirmation and new terms

The Wise money transfer service describes the option to request from the recipient bank a letter on the international receipt of funds (Confirmation Letter of International Fund Transfer). This procedure is set out in the official Wise guide for transfers to baht. Being able to obtain the letter and being able to use it for registration are separate questions.

Before paying, find out which confirmation will be issued specifically for your transaction. Then agree on it with the specialist who is preparing the registration. It is wrong to rule out the service categorically as an option for the purchase, but you also cannot promise a result.

As of October 2026, the operator of the Wise service announced new features for personal accounts with a registered Thai address between March and October 2026. Availability depends on the specific account.

The described changes provide for automatic conversion of relevant incoming funds into baht. This condition cannot be applied to all transactions: topping up from your own foreign account is described separately. The announced limit 800,000 baht per day applies to outgoing transfers from baht to foreign currency, not to the inflow of funds for a condo purchase.

A change to a payment service product does not mean a change to property registration requirements. Put simply, the convenience of a transfer does not yet answer the question about documents.

Cash and digital assets: different payment methods

Bangkok Bank describes documented import of foreign cash for a condo purchase: declaration at Thai customs and presentation of the customs document to the bank when exchanging for baht. Therefore, cash for a condo purchase cannot be ruled out entirely.

Cash declaration threshold. Bank of Thailand requires a customs declaration for importing or exporting foreign cash currency above 15,000 USD or equivalent, while Thai Customs page referring to a 2008 Ministry of Finance notification, states above 20,000 USD. The sources differ, so follow the lower threshold and declare amounts above 15,000 USD.

This route differs from handing money to the seller without bank confirmation. Agree in advance on the exchange procedure and the subsequent certificate. A customs declaration does not automatically become a substitute for a registration document.

With digital assets, separate direct payment in cryptocurrency, the sale of the asset, and the subsequent bank transfer. The Bank of Thailand states that digital assets are not legal tender. This position does not prove that any banking route after the sale of an asset is impossible, and it does not describe the full list of current restrictions.

If you are considering such a scenario, first agree on the documents for the sale, the source of funds, and the bank receipt. An intermediary’s promise that “the money will arrive” does not replace agreeing on the confirmations for the purchase.

Documents and step-by-step procedure before registration

It is more convenient to prepare a money transfer for a condo purchase in a sequence that covers both sending and the documents after the funds are credited. Do not start with the payment and leave the certificate for later.

1. Define your purchase scenario and agree on the recipient.
2. Obtain the account details and the bank’s requirements for confirming funds.
3. Prepare your passport, contract, and the documents requested for the transaction.
4. Check the currency, purpose and recipient before sending.
5. Check the receipt and the actual amount in baht.
6. Request bank confirmation and check the details.
7. Prepare the agreed set of documents for registration and final settlement.

Include in the transaction working folder your passport, sales contract, payment confirmations and the bank document. To verify the foreign quota, the official Bangkok investment portal provides for requesting a letter from the condominium’s juristic person.

You may also need:

• bank statement — to confirm receipt of funds;
• proof of address — if requested for the transaction;
• power of attorney — if a representative is involved;
• documents on the source of funds — upon the bank’s request;
• bank check — if such payment is agreed in the contract.

This list is not exhaustive. Determine the need for additional documents for your transaction and representation; a bank check is not required for every transaction.

Keep the confirmations of sending, receipt and all corrections together. Electronic copies are convenient for cross-checking, and agree on the format for submitting documents in advance. Do not discard them after registration: they help preserve the payment history for the unit.

Fees, exchange rate and transfer timing

As of October 2026, the Bangkok Bank fee for receiving an international transfer is 0.25% of the amount, minimum 200 and maximum 500 baht per transaction. The fee schedule is provided in Bangkok Bank’s official guide for condo buyers. This is the recipient’s fee, not the total cost of the route.

Ask about the costs before sending. The OUR option (sender pays the charges) does not guarantee an unchanged amount credited. After receipt, compare the baht received with the contract obligation.

Agree on the expected timing with the banks for your specific route and the contractual payment date. Allow time to check the status and obtain confirmation.

Keep transfer costs separate from the costs of the transaction itself. They are covered in the guide on taxes and fees when buying property.

Installments, third-party payer and crediting errors

For installment payments, link each payment to the contract, unit and buyer. Keep confirmations for all tranches.

If a relative, partner or another person pays, agree in advance on the parties and the documentation. A third-party payer does not automatically mean a prohibition, but an unagreed difference between the payer and the buyer may make it harder to confirm the payment.

Check for incorrect purpose, name mismatches, shortfalls after deductions, and delayed receipt. If a problem arises, act in sequence:

1. Get the payment details and proof of sending from the sender.
2. Check the status with the receiving bank.
3. Agree on correcting the details or on a top-up payment with the bank and the contract party.
4. Check the updated confirmations before registration.

Do not send a second main payment until the status of the first one is clarified. A penalty or loss of deposit may depend on the specific contract; it is not a universal consequence of a delay.

A separate risk is losing confirmations. Keep them together with the contract, including documents on corrections and top-ups.