Rob Browder

Where ... "mass crackdown" (envelope-money scams) "should be on a retirement visa" (why "should"?) abusing (abusing what / how?) I can see the day coming up when Immigration starts denying old folks coming into Thailand if they see them on a DTV (breaking the law by denying-entry for a non-legal reason? Well, it wouldn't be the first time.) ... as they will see this as them abusing the system (by following the law as written?). Is it "Illegal" to do remote-work when old? Immigration would clearly PREFER if folks didn't get visas from the MFA, and just paid off their agents for "extensions of stay," instead. I would not be surprised if those with DTVs had to start paying off agents for "VIP" / "Pre-Clearance" entry at the known-bad entry points to re-enter, but this is nothing new at those entry-points. Better to just avoid them.

Yes, both capital-city airports are now running rackets - either pay the extra, or avoid them. They are shameless, due to no chain of accountability. And forget the crazy Poipet/Aranyaprathet crossing entirely. The crossings to Laos near Chaing Mai have recently started-up a little racket also - though, a night out to avoid the "extra fee" isn't the end of the world.

The Thai govt WANTS us to come and spend money here - see the change to Visa-Exempt to 60 days and the DTV - because our spending creates Thai jobs. Immigration just want a "cut of the action," or they make up non-legal reasons to deny entry at known-bad entry points.

That's great news. I am glad your immigration office will issue you a "Certificate of Residence" (CoR) and your wife's bank will accept it to allow you to open an account on a tourist-type entry. Some immigration offices and banks have a long, oft-reported policy of not being helpful with this. I would still suggest you bring a copy of your marriage-certificate to the bank, in addition to the CoR from Immigration (and your wife, of course).

Only if you enter via one of the known-bad entry points - in which case, one needs to pay them via their agent for "no hassle" entry.

It would make more sense to get the dependent-visas/extensions AFTER you get your 1-year extension, and let them do a TR or Visa-Exempt during your 90-days. That will give time to get the legalized birth-cert for the child. Also be aware that minor-children cannot be arrested/fined/deported for overstay. One should still get their process done correctly but, if a bit over-time, overstay is not the same risk as it would be for an adult. A translation-agency or other poster may be able to provide details on the process of legalizing a foreign birth-certificate (I am assuming they were not born in Thailand).

It would seem that no agents are reported to provide this service at Mukdahan, or at other law-abiding points of entry, because there is no need for them. At Mukdahan, I have not seen any reports of denials of entry based on the excuse of "coming too-often" / staying too-long," which is not a legal reason to deny entry. Even if you were denied-entry, you would just walk back to Laos, and cancel your Laos exit stamp. Contrast to being locked-up at one of the Bangkok airports for failing to pay-up via their agents.

Neither of those legal reasons mention "staying in Thailand too long," so when Immigration states this as the reason to entrants, they are admitting violating Thai law - especially when combined with no evidence presented to justify either valid-reason for the denial, and no list of acceptable documentation or opportunity to prove a "means of support." It is not a "coincidence" that, at the known-bad entry points - the ONLY locations where these types of denials of entry occur - they offer an "agent" service for repeat-entries. It is possible that DTV holders will be subject to such extortion tactics as well, though hopefully this will not expand to currently safe (= law-abiding) points of entry. As to those violating the terms of any visa / engaging in criminal activity, these should be prosecuted on a case-by-case basis. Set an example, and put them through the ringer, and that solves this problem. Criminals, and everyone else, being coerced to pay off immigration via agents does not solve this problem. Using some isolated cases, blown up in "the news," to justify continuing extortion schemes, is reprehensible behavior.

He will need to show that to get the 1-year extension, so need to find out - and he needs to get it if he doesn't have it. No need to "go home," regardless. Until he gets custody papers, visa-exempt with border-runs is currently permitted "unlimited," for now, at safe-crossings and agent-assisted crossings. Only if flying-in or at Poipet/Aranyaprathet are there reports of denied-entry. Of course this might change in the future. Also, "Visiting Family" is now a specified legal reason for using visa-exempt entry. He could bring the kids birth-certs with his name on them with him, in case of an issue.

2K to 3.5K - maybe 500 Baht more if long history, per this agent-post: https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493 You mean, when Immigration "ruined it," by denying entry for false-reasons, to push folks into agent-assisted visas, crazy-priced "elite" visas, and agent "pre-clearance" (formerly called "VIP Service") for serial visa-exempts? That move caused entire blocks of shops in tourist areas to go bankrupt - more with each "crackdown" - but they got their envelopes, which is all they care about.

You could still open a bank-account in Pattaya with an agent - perhaps after flying in, before going to KK. Alternatively, you could TRY this (no guarantee): Go to your wife's bank, show the bank-transfer you just made, your marriage certificate, and explain that you need to apply for a Non-O Visa with the 400K in your name for Immigration, and that you will be living here / need the account permanently. If they say "no," ask/offer to buy their "insurance" if that will help (is what the agents do - the bank-rep gets a commission on it). It's worth a try.

At worst, one might have to pay for agent-assisted entry, if coming into the known-bad entry points, including Bangkok airports. The known-good entry points tend to follow the law, and therefore respect Visas and visa-exempt rules issued by the MFA.

When doing your 90-day reports in-person, they may not have updated the system to reflect your current TM-30 location. The "online" system seems to be correlating data from these two separate systems / databases. When you go in-person to do your 90-day report, they may just process it, again, without touching the TM-30 data. You could ask them about the error-message, and maybe they will oblige to correct the problem (or not - mixed reports on this).

I would say, they didn't foresee the political re-alignment of the Thaksin faction with other parties, in response to FF - and that this would result in a compromises / policy-changes on visas (and other things). Thaksin was in-power when the "elite" visa was created, and "crackdowns" on visa-exempt entries soon followed, which helped drive sales.

As usual, pretending the obvious answer is "a conspiracy theory" - implying immigration don't take payoffs via agents (why do such services exist?) - and that payoff money would not motivate their actions. I agree that, as an over-50, he could live easier by just paying 12.5K Baht to an agent (25K if on a tourist-entry) and be done with it, but if he wants to pay "by the entry" for some reason, that is do-able, also.

No where in Immigration law is there a reason to deny-entry for staying in Thailand "too much." I would also recommend he get a Non-O, but he can use the service I linked above to stay in Thailand indefinitely on Visa-Exempts, to Immigration's delight. That service availability and "how immigration really works" vs actual laws is 100% on-topic.

Sort of - but it works in reverse. You pay a small fortune for "permission" to be a repeat-customer - spending your hard-earned money in their mall.

My under-consideration period was through 30-days after my existing permitted-stay - not 30-days after my date of application. I applied 30-days before my existing permitted-stay ended, so waited 60-days after successful document-submission, before they would give me my "final stamp" from immigration. Others have reported delays in receiving their final stamp beyond the expected time-frame, though this is uncommon. Be sure to inquire at immigration on this point, so you don't go through all of this, only to have to leave before getting your 1-year extension.

When reporting on immigration corruption and motives, there is a cadre here who try to make-believe Immigration is only carrying out their duties with pure intentions. They often label user's 1st hand reports of problems as "fake / made-up," "he must have been dressed poorly," etc. They also reject the OBVIOUS and logical explanation for WHY immigration does what they do - payoffs, usually via-agent - labeling these "conspiracies." Those who believe their gaslighting, ***-kissing appeals to "authority," often suffer needlessly when dealing with immigration later.

Another "conspiracy theory" about Immigration's motives and actions confirmed.

Travelers checks are acceptable. When I was under 50, I also didn't like carrying a pile of cash around, so bought 20K Baht worth of travelers' checks for this purpose. Bangkok Bank sells them, last time I checked.

Where "tolerant" means happy to be paid-off via agents to "skip" the actual documented rules for many different extensions - edu, retirement, etc. In the case of serial visa-exempt entries, there is no "bending" of the law to come repeatedly. But, laws don't matter given no system for accountability, so they use false-reason rejection-stamps to force repeat-customers to pay them through services like this: https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493

It's to get another agent-fee out of those who used agent-money for their extensions - must pay the agent, again, for this "free" service.

Edit: (nevermind - he was talking about getting a CoR)

I had to wait in that TM-30 queue last year, but they only required the printout of my online-submission and passport face-page copy, then gave me the "receipt" for my passport. Asking for the lease seems to be new (or an error by the clerk).