Rob Browder

Immigration's job is to honor valid visas - stamping-in the proper "permitted stay," absent a legal-reason to deny entry. This visa is expressly-created for people to stay in Thailand long-term. That said - yes - immigration sometimes do not do this, following their own agenda. As long as they are prepared to use non-corrupt entry points or pay whatever agent-bribe per-entry (possibly "the catch" to come), it won't ruin their lives. If I were using it, I would set-aside 10K Baht/year for "agent re-entry fees" as a safeguard - approximately one-months' aircon-room-and-board here, for a single person. If it isn't needed later - great! It's a 5-year visa - not guaranteed to be available later, so it would be foolish to "count on it" beyond the initial 5 years. That said, there have always been other options; they just cost more in agent-fees. Under-50s have nothing to lose by using the DTV. It's easier than the ongoing ED-Agent method, which continues to facilitate the same "abuse" which the "crackdown" was purported to stop - only increasing the agent-fees immigration collects. Regardless of which visa/extension, the key is for expats to understand how immigration really works - not the fantasy-version of "just follow the rules, and you will be OK." I had to learn this the hard way with experience with marriage-extensions (and the marriage-process, itself).

No - that would not be advised, unlikely to work, and could get you in serious trouble to attempt a bribe. You pay their "agent" in-advance. Contact the agent for details. This has been ongoing for years - used to be called "vip service."

The person in question did not enter by land - so this never applied to his case. As to land-entries, we have posts on this forum of entry stamps, after that policy ended, and the " (1)" "(2)" counting is over. The only question is whether you enter at a "bent" entry point, or not.

Yeah, they have special visas because "it doesn't matter" - right? Each one of those spenders = multiple Thai jobs. I guess because they are not "hi-sos," who make most of the money from the GDP figure, they don't matter? Sad that you laugh at / ridicule those Thais - like immigration do. I watched friends / family screwed when immigration "cracked down."

Not exclusively, any more. When the 60-day exempt was announced, additional reasons now qualifying for their use were added - including visiting family. We know the 2-entry rule was rescinded, because this stopped being an issue entirely at non-agent-extortion points of entry. Prior to this change, they wrote (1) and (2) next to land-border visa-exempt entries, to count them, but not any more.

Yes, you can - by providing proof you met the requirements for your current extension, upon application for the next one. I would include not only the prior 12 months bank-statement, but also including the 2 months before application for the last one, just to be sure. ... How would she know you used an agent? Just because it was stamped from Jomtien?

If doing it by air, if that agent doesn't offer this service, you could use this - 2000 to 3500 Baht - would need to ask if you having a Non-Imm visa changes this amount (as with the Cambodian land-border agent): https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493 https://asq.in.th/thailand-fasttrack

The 2500 baht extra, is because your current stamp is not a "tourist" type. This case was previously reported as 2000 Baht, so I guess Thai immigration at the border-crossing they use has upped his pocket-money, or the agent is adding his cut. In any case, is not a new thing. As to 1500 baht agent-fee for the free service to move the stamp - it is worth it if you don't miss work, and avoid the possibility Immigration will make up some excuse/hassle when you get there.

I assume you are under 50, or retirement-extensions would be the easy way to go - agent or otherwise. Some of the Cambodian border-run agent reports indicate they charge a premium for those whose current/last entry was a Non-Imm type - was an extra 2K Baht, from memory, in addition to their usual charge. If it were today, I would do a border-bounce at a safe entry point like Nong-Khai / Vientiane. There have been no reports there thus far of any problems. Of course, predicting such SO FAR into the future (15 months - LOL!!) in Thailand is always problematic, given things change on a dime. The DTV may be another option (or not) by that time.

No, immigration would not, because their policies / treatment of us makes clear they don't care about the Thais our spending employs. But, the MFA, who issue "Visas" at Thai Consulates, does seem to care, hence creating this visa, to help all those with money to spend, who have been "locked out" of a way to stay in Thailand longer-term without being hassled and/or extorted via agents to stay here. I would expect immigration to hassle DTV re-entrants at some point - with an agent-workaround, of course - as-is at Bangkok airports now for "come too much" visa-exempt entrants. If that doesn't happen, be pleasantly surprised. If over 50, retirement-extensions are simply too easy to bother with the DTV. But for younger folks, much better than the alternatives - including the annual nightmare of a "married to a Thai" extension, where if your Thai wife doesn't leave in tears, it was a "very good year."

So your "agent" can take care of this part, is my guess - for more timely service, given the timelines given are long. Just a guess, but ...

In some cases, your local-office may not have agent service, but the district-office does, and they must "approve" marriage-based applications. They put the screws to every application which does not arrive with an agent-envelope. So, it may not be that your local-office is giving you a hard time for agent-money, but rather transferring the problems the district-office creates.

Yes, it is SPECIFICALLY for "Visiting Family" now - since they changed to the 60-day visa. And, there is no "2 limit" anywhere in immigration law since the 2x/year land-border rule was rescinded (was never a limit by-air). At non-corrupt entry points, these problems are never reported. The ONLY reason they hassle you at the airport immigration checkpoints, is they want everyone coming more often, or staying longer term, to pay them off per-entry via an agent like this: https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493 Sad that they have become so greedy for envelope-money, they are even hassling people who are not staying more than a week or so per-entry.

There are a couple points near Chiang Mai which are now offering either agent-service (reported 4K Baht) for immediate-return OR you must stay out 1 night, and provide an exit-ticket plus "show the money" (10K baht) upon entry. In years past (pre-covid), some Malaysian entry points were also requiring it, including with a Tourist Visa. They now also are reported to have a "same day return" agent-service for visa-exempt border-bounces.

I saw the same thing I have observed for over a decade here, repeating. Some call this "pattern recognition." They just buy immigration's agent-services now to stay - including with any "side-hustle" income, so why would this make any difference? The bribe-system via agents is already here, so I don't see how this makes it worse.

If I were under 50, I would get the DTV over dealing with immigration for marriage-based Non-O extensions. I also used the Non-O-ME Visa from Laos in the past - much better than when Covid forced me to deal with immigration for "extensions." If you decide to go with the marriage-based extension, consider you need to be in Thailand during much of the process - and as you are now on a visa-exempt, that would include the 90-day Non-O "Visa" from Immigration process (home-visits, etc), then the 12-mo "Extension" with more of the same. You could inquire with immigration as to whether they are willing to accommodate your travel-schedule during this, for which you already have airfare, etc purchased.

Re: a 60-day "visit wife" extension from immigration: - You can only get a 60-day extension from immigration in-country if you have NOT received one of those after your last entry to Thailand. Re: Border-Bounce for 60-day Visa Exempt entry: - If you do a "border bounce" for a Visa-Exempt entry, you would then need to apply for a Non-O "Visa" at Thai Immigration, which will give you 90-days. In the last 30-45 days of that, you would apply for the 1-year "Extension" of that Non-O Visa. Re: Applying somewhere you do not live right now: - You would need to provide pictures of you and your wife at the home where you apply, in addition to the other documents. Pictures will need to include the house-number, with both of your out-front, and inside the house. Take 20+ pictures, and let the IO pick-and-choose their favorites. - You and your wife plus Thai witnesses with their house-registrations and Thai-IDs, testifying you live there together (varies by immigration-office), would need to be available at that home for a "Home Visit" from Immigration after your 90-day Visa application and/or again after the 1-year application. Re: Using Income to support immigration's "permission to live with your Thai wife" visa: - If using "Income" instead of the 400K "money in the bank" for your extension, Immigration will put the screws to you - demand a pile of company documents needed for a Non-B extension IN ADDITION to the Marriage-based documents they require. - You would need to do that TWICE - fresh company documents and your tax-documents each time - for the Non-O 90-Day "Visa," and subsequent 12-mo extension. - Use/borrow/whatever the 400K, if you possibly can, to avoid that - would need it in an account in your name on the day of application for the 90-Day Visa, and 2+ months continuous before you apply for the 12-mo extension, then leaving it there until 30-days after your 90-day Visa end-date - so, from the day you apply for the 90-day visa, then leave it there for 4+ months.

I would bet many have - or never switched to the LTR for this reason. Unless you can benefit from the tax-exclusion provision from the LTR, I see no reason anyone would use it over an easy Non-O based on retirement. If bringing a lot of "new-money" (earned after Jan, 1 2024) into Thailand every year, and it is not pension-funds protected by a dual-tax treaty, then the LTR could make sense.

The change to 60-day visa exempt also changed the stated-reasons for using it to including visiting Thai family. But, if doing a VE entry, I would return via a known safe entry-point like Nong-Khai, or use one of the Cambodia-border visa-run agents.

Retirement = easy. Based on Marriage to a Thai, only a few will handle it all - and tends to be expensive. In another thread, it was claimed these guys can do it: https://mythaivisa.com/

Keep in mind: If you use your own money, you can DIY on future extensions with your bank-account statement, even if it doesn't save much in agent-fees for the 1st year.

A "hard time," because your in-person application does not include the agent's envelope of money. There is a misnomer they "care" about "legit" - but this is not their motivation, and learning this is the first step to being prepared to live here. I suggest trying to do it in-person. Some degree of "dance monkey dance" may be carried out as punishment for not using the agent - but also maybe not. Only if they block you, would you need to consider alternatives - local agent or other (see my previous reply). If you apply early, you will have plenty of time to deal with any problems. The fewer days you have left on your permitted-stay, the more "leverage" they have to mess with you.

If you want to try to use your salary, you are going to need the entire gamut of documents required for a Non-B extension PLUS the marriage-based extension documents. That includes a pile of company documents, your tax-statements, etc. It's a huge PITA which should be avoided if at all possible.

Don't count on it. I haven't received a reminder for the last 2 online reports. Thankfully, I have my own reminder-system. There was a flurry of erroneous reminder-emails being reported here - then people saying they didn't get reminders at all. I think this was related to when the system was tied to TM-30s.

A blue-book comes with a condo-purchase, but one's name is not listed in it. One can get a yellow-book even for an apartment-lease, and that process differs in difficulty by Amphoe. Having a chanote does not remove the obstacles some amphoes create - "certified" long-form birth certificate showing parent's names, witnesses, and similar. The time to issue it after they accept your documents also varies per-amphoe. I would check with your amphoe as a first step, and see if they have a list of needed documents.