good experience using thaivisa service for extension

[thaibeachlovers]

36 minutes ago, NancyL said:

Why do so many people miss the point that it's not necessary to use visa agents in the rest of Thailand to receive "expedited" service, only in Chiang Mai?  The other Immigration offices have pretty well been cleaned up.  To say that corruption is a "way of life" here isn't really true when it comes to receiving immigration services elsewhere in the country.

However, from reports on TVF other imm offices make it far harder to get a visa extension than C M does.

In future I'll pay agent to make it easy. Very happy with my last extension done with agency.

[evenstevens]

btw for those intrrested.g4t are still operating.very close by to promenada mall.

[sfokevin]

1 hour ago, evenstevens said:

btw for those intrrested.g4t are still operating.very close by to promenada mall.

 

Can you elaborate where?

[simoh1490]

FWIW Assist Thai Visa on Chan Klan has worked very well for me for many years, very reliable and easy to deal with.

[hml367]

7 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

FWIW Assist Thai Visa on Chan Klan has worked very well for me for many years, very reliable and easy to deal with.

They also have an office in the new Star Avenue complex on Hang Dong Road near the Somoeng intersection.

[simoh1490]

4 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Why do so many miss the point that a lot of people get satisfactory service in CM without using agents?


Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect

Agreed it is possible. BUT, I chose not to spend hours in transit to and from, and waiting for Immigration dept. to serve me, or command me to go make additional copies of something or other OR, go home and fetch some needless piece of paper that isn't even required, all of which have happened on a regular basis over the past twenty years here. As things stand, paying my visa agent £100 per year to take care of everything, combined with me needing only to spend less than five minutes a year in Immigration, seems like a tremdous value that I'm perfectly happy with, even if it were two or three times the price.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed as well as the reply. 

[Mark1066]

7 hours ago, NancyL said:

Why do so many people miss the point that it's not necessary to use visa agents in the rest of Thailand to receive "expedited" service, only in Chiang Mai?  The other Immigration offices have pretty well been cleaned up.  To say that corruption is a "way of life" here isn't really true when it comes to receiving immigration services elsewhere in the country.

Who said corruption was a 'way of life' here? I said it is a fact of life, which is a rather different meaning that in no way implies it is necessary to engage in corruption to get every single little thing done. My reason for mentioning it was simply to point out that oiling the wheels in certain areas in order to benefit from a faster, more accommodating service is an accepted fact of life in many Asian countries and there is no reason for people to bring their prissy Western attitudes here and look down on the locals. If you can find me half a dozen Thai people who are outraged that it is possible to expedite a visa application with a small sum of cash then maybe this discussion would have some merit. As it stands, it's just you and a couple of others trying to impose their alien values on a nation that simply isn't interested, which is a strange position to put oneself in.

 

Incidentally, as other people have already tried to point out to you but you appear to be ignoring them, visa agents are very popular in Bangkok too so what you are saying about CM being a special case is simply not true.

Edited December 3, 2017 by Mark1066

[Scott]

Inflammatory troll post and replies removed.  

[Thailand]

9 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Agreed it is possible. BUT, I chose not to spend hours in transit to and from, and waiting for Immigration dept. to serve me, or command me to go make additional copies of something or other OR, go home and fetch some needless piece of paper that isn't even required, all of which have happened on a regular basis over the past twenty years here. As things stand, paying my visa agent £100 per year to take care of everything, combined with me needing only to spend less than five minutes a year in Immigration, seems like a tremdous value that I'm perfectly happy with, even if it were two or three times the price.

Our last "extension of stay" in September cost us 600 baht (for two) over the norm by employing a line sitter. We arrived at 8.15  and left before 10am.

Our 90 day reports have been done by a combination of online and mail. A simple PDF file prints out the required documents, not exactly rocket science. 

So an annual visit of less than 2 hours for an additional cost of 2 baht per day ( I believe this is how the "agents" costs are quantified) over immigration charges

[simoh1490]

I've been extending my long stay visa here for over fifteen years so I've had a variety of experiences at renewal time, my worst, however, was in Phuket about eight years ago. I always renewed my visa about one month before the expiry date, just in case there were problems I would have some wiggle room since my bank was HSBC in Bangkok and I lived on Phuket island, this was especially useful.

 

In that particular year, I arranged for my bank to prepare their letter which was also accompanied by twelve months of account statements, just so they could see activity on the account, and I set a date and time when I would collect it - I would fly up one day, collect the letter, stay overnight in BKK and return the following day and visit Immigration. Those things done I made the application but Immigration rejected my income letter because it was not dated the same day as my application - I protested but they held their ground so I left, sensing they wouldn't change their position unless palms were greased. So I had to repeat the process, a new letter, another visit with a return to Phuket on the noon flight and into Immigration by 2:30pm - all went smoothly.

 

A few years later in Chiang Mai I produced all the necessary documents for renewal but was then asked for my lease, in order to prove my residence, it had never been asked for previously - go home and get it she said. One hour in traffic, find the lease, one hour back, hot, sweating, panicked, concerned - the visa was subsequently issued. I posted the experience here on TVF and nobody believed it, not until later when everyone realised it was the start of a crackdown on address confirmation and they too were asked for proof. So yes, a visa agent works well for me and even if Immigration was next door to my house and the cost of an agent was ten thousand baht, I'd probably still use them, at my age I need the security and service they provide.

[NancyL]

9 hours ago, Mark1066 said:

....(snip) If you can find me half a dozen Thai people who are outraged that it is possible to expedite a visa application with a small sum of cash then maybe this discussion would have some merit. As it stands, it's just you and a couple of others trying to impose their alien values on a nation that simply isn't interested, which is a strange position to put oneself in. ....(snip)

Actually, yes I know more than half a dozen Thai people who are outraged, or rather very concerned and embarrassed that the people they represent have to go through this process in Chiang Mai and not elsewhere in Thailand.  They are the various foreign Honorary Consuls.  They hear the complaints of the citizens of the countries they represent and have had meeting after meeting with Immigration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Governor's office, etc, etc, about the issue.  And there are Thai people within those Thai gov't offices very concerned about the problem, also.  After all, they are trying to encourage foreigners to retire to Chiang Mai and the state of the local immigration office isn't very consistent to their message of "Welcome, we want you to enjoy retirement life here".

[evenstevens]

10 hours ago, Mark1066 said:

. As it stands, it's just you and a couple of others trying to impose their alien values on a nation that simply isn't interested, which is a strange position to put oneself in.

 

 

^^^^^ you are on the money,   sadly you will always a few Retiree,s   who  continually whinge and bitch about   the services or doings of C/mai Immgr Dept ,where the largest majority of Retiree,s lead a very happy life, here in C/mai  under the same rules etc etc , applied by the  C/mai Immgr Dept,

My view is that the  few whingers and bitchers have nothing better to do with their time ,being a retiree here in C/mai, poor lost souls

a nippy early morning to all

Edited December 4, 2017 by evenstevens

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, NancyL said:

Actually, yes I know more than half a dozen Thai people who are outraged, or rather very concerned and embarrassed that the people they represent have to go through this process in Chiang Mai and not elsewhere in Thailand.  They are the various foreign Honorary Consuls.  They hear the complaints of the citizens of the countries they represent and have had meeting after meeting with Immigration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Governor's office, etc, etc, about the issue.  And there are Thai people within those Thai gov't offices very concerned about the problem, also.  After all, they are trying to encourage foreigners to retire to Chiang Mai and the state of the local immigration office isn't very consistent to their message of "Welcome, we want you to enjoy retirement life here".

With all due respect, I find it very difficult to believe that any Thai national would be genuinely outraged and embarrassed at the idea of paying money to get things done in Thailand, other than perhaps those who have led a very closeted or privileged life, simply, such a phenomena comes with the territory.

[Mark1066]

4 hours ago, NancyL said:

Actually, yes I know more than half a dozen Thai people who are outraged, or rather very concerned and embarrassed that the people they represent have to go through this process in Chiang Mai and not elsewhere in Thailand.  They are the various foreign Honorary Consuls.  They hear the complaints of the citizens of the countries they represent and have had meeting after meeting with Immigration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Governor's office, etc, etc, about the issue.  And there are Thai people within those Thai gov't offices very concerned about the problem, also.  After all, they are trying to encourage foreigners to retire to Chiang Mai and the state of the local immigration office isn't very consistent to their message of "Welcome, we want you to enjoy retirement life here".

That's not really what I asked you though is it? I asked you if you could find me half a dozen Thai people who are outraged at the fact it is possible to expedite a visa extension by paying more, not to find me half a dozen Thai people who are outraged that it is necessary.....Also I am a little confused because not so many posts ago, you insinuated that it was not necessary to use an agent in Chiang Mai and it was only lazy, white-haired old men who liked being fussed over by young Thai women and were averse to a little queuing that chose to use the agent in Promenada. Are you now retracting that statement and saying that it is necessary to use an agent? It really would help if you could maintain a static opinion when discussing these matters instead of moving the goalposts every time you come to the realisation that your position makes no sense.

Edited December 4, 2017 by Mark1066

[Bill97]

Been doing it for years, it is automatic and unacknowledged.


Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

 

 

 accompanied by twelve months of account statements, just so they could see activity on the account, .

Why?

It's not necessary to use the account the visa money is in. You could open that bank account  3 months before applying for extension. All that is required is a deposit of a few baht same day as extension to double prove the money is in there. Apparently the letter is not sufficient proof.

Another reason I use an agency, as if I queued up and was seen before 10am I couldn't put a deposit in on same day. I won't use the machine outside bank in case it gets trapped in the machine.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

 since my bank was HSBC in Bangkok and I lived on Phuket island, this was especially useful.

 

In that particular year, I arranged for my bank to prepare their letter which was also accompanied by twelve months of account statements, just so they could see activity on the account, and I set a date and time when I would collect it - I would fly up one day, collect the letter, stay overnight in BKK and return the following day and visit Immigration. Those things done I made the application but Immigration rejected my income letter because it was not dated the same day as my application - 

Could have avoided all that trouble just by opening an account on Phuket to keep visa money in.

Certainly cheaper than flying up just to get a letter.

[BuddyDean]

In CM, you can use fixed deposits, and most banks have no way of updating them on the day of your letter, unless you add 50K.  I get copies of my book stamped and dated along with the letter.  ATM can't attach to fixed deposit accounts, so that doesn't need to be ruled out, like it does with savings accounts.  Banking in BKK and getting extensions in Phuket may actually win this weeks Hardway Club:  Stories of Retiree Martyrdom Award for wasting a ridiculous amount of time, money, and travel.  No wonder you use an agent.

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Why?

It's not necessary to use the account the visa money is in. You could open that bank account  3 months before applying for extension. All that is required is a deposit of a few baht same day as extension to double prove the money is in there. Apparently the letter is not sufficient proof.

Another reason I use an agency, as if I queued up and was seen before 10am I couldn't put a deposit in on same day. I won't use the machine outside bank in case it gets trapped in the machine.

Because that's what they asked for.

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Could have avoided all that trouble just by opening an account on Phuket to keep visa money in.

Certainly cheaper than flying up just to get a letter.

The issue is the vagaries of Immigration Dept vs the use of visa agents, not my choice of banks!!!

Edited December 4, 2017 by simoh1490

[scottiejohn]

4 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Been doing it for years, it is automatic and unacknowledged.


Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect

What have you been doing for years that is automatic and unacknowledged?

The mind boggles!

[Bill97]

What have you been doing for years that is automatic and unacknowledged?
The mind boggles!

Read the post just before my post and consider mine as a response to it!


Sent from my iPod touch using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[scottiejohn]

34 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

The issue is the vagaries of Immigration Dept vs the use of visa agents

With a visa agent you do not get (or need)a second trip.

My classic recently was regarding a TM30 problem re absent lanlords, etc which my visa agent could not assist (too difficult to explain why here, please no suggestions of do this/do this/you should etc).

The IO told my partner that she had to change (fake) the rent five year rent agreement we had which was signed 3/4 years ago to this year or no change of TM30 etc etc.  So back home onto Photoshop and job done. got TM 30 sorted then agent could do the rest with the real rent agreement and retirement docs etc.

The cost of multiple round trips to Prom/Immigration anywhere and all the hassle involved  is more than offset by the cost of a few quick free trips to the agent and the once a year (visa agent accompanied) trip to IM.

[leonardjones625]

I didn't even know ThaiVisa had an immigration agency. 

 

On 11/30/2017 at 6:13 PM, Mark1066 said:

I've always paid 500 baht for that service with an agency at Promenada and I don't have to come back the next day.

 

Can you please tell me more about this service, Mark? Is it G4T?

[simoh1490]

3 minutes ago, leonardjones625 said:

I didn't even know ThaiVisa had an immigration agency. 

 

 

Can you please tell me more about this service, Mark? Is it G4T?

I think the OP refers to Assist Thai Visa on Chan Klan in CM although it's not 100% clear throughout the thread, Thai Visa Forum isn't a visa agent, as far as I know although it wouldn't surprise me if they did one day get into that business.

[BuddyDean]

My system.  Four color shaded files and one binder.  Cost:  26  THB.  Clear:  for the application and photo.  Pink:  P for passport copies, including TM30, departure card, and last 90 day report.  Blue:  B for bank letter, and stamped copies of bank book.  Yellow:  Y for Yellow Book copies and/or anything else that may prove address.

 

My interview took seven minutes.

Edited December 4, 2017 by BuddyDean

[Dante99]

50 minutes ago, BuddyDean said:

My system.  Four color shaded files and one binder.  Cost:  26  THB.  Clear:  for the application and photo.  Pink:  P for passport copies, including TM30, departure card, and last 90 day report.  Blue:  B for bank letter, and stamped copies of bank book.  Yellow:  Y for Yellow Book copies and/or anything else that may prove address.

 

My interview took seven minutes.

I don't have a pink one, do you think a green one would be okay?  I wouldn't mind if that made it take 8 or 9 minutes.

[elektrified]

On 12/3/2017 at 3:29 PM, Bill97 said:

Why do so many miss the point that a lot of people get satisfactory service in CM without using agents?


Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect

It takes me usually 60-75 minutes to get an annual visa extension. How much more expedited could it get? What - pay 5 grand THB to an agent to save 15 minutes or something?

[elektrified]

On 12/3/2017 at 8:28 PM, simoh1490 said:

Agreed it is possible. BUT, I chose not to spend hours in transit to and from, and waiting for Immigration dept. to serve me, or command me to go make additional copies of something or other OR, go home and fetch some needless piece of paper that isn't even required, all of which have happened on a regular basis over the past twenty years here. As things stand, paying my visa agent £100 per year to take care of everything, combined with me needing only to spend less than five minutes a year in Immigration, seems like a tremdous value that I'm perfectly happy with, even if it were two or three times the price.

You must be terribly disorganized. In 11 years I've never had to leave to to "fetch some needless piece of paper". Everything is in the package I submit. I've also never spent "hours in transit" going to Immigration. How many hours away from Chiang Mai do you live?