Cost of Visa Agents

[scottiejohn]

1 hour ago, amexpat said:

As for evidence, sworn confessions and a stack of documents wouldn't convince you, now would it? 

A certain person has "Previous" for saying she has evidence and has "proof" but has never published it here.

I await, with unabated breath, that positive proof will ever be provided to back up these slights against both agencies and the Imm Dept.  In fact there is more chance of Putin admitting any of the "offences" that the "West" accuse him of than a certain  re-invented "anti Agency female" backing up her unsubstantiated innuendo.

 

Edited May 1, 2018 by scottiejohn

[scottiejohn]

7 hours ago, NancyL said:

And yes, this is an interesting discussion about at what point do you just say, I don't need to pay a visa agent for this annual extension process and I'll just do it myself.  

No one NEEDS to pay a visa agent.  I totally agree.  It is however our choice.

I have a great respect for the work you do in and around CM for the people that NEED your help and advice and benefit from it. 

Those of us who choose to use an agent do NOT need your advice on this subject to which you have such a fixed and biased view.

 I must therefore ask that you stop demeaning yourself by your unjustified attacks on those who want to use agents.

 

[amexpat]

Indeed it is your choice to contribute to the (Chiang Mai specific) corruption and to resist attempts to expose or curtail it. 

 

Efforts to remedy the situation do not demean NancyL.  They elevate her. 

[Loaded]

25 minutes ago, amexpat said:

Indeed it is your choice to contribute to the (Chiang Mai specific) corruption and to resist attempts to expose or curtail it. 

 

Efforts to remedy the situation do not demean NancyL.  They elevate her. 

In the pub I used to drink in in the UK, that sort of comment would stop the conversation.

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, amexpat said:

Indeed it is your choice to contribute to the (Chiang Mai specific) corruption and to resist attempts to expose or curtail it. 

 

Efforts to remedy the situation do not demean NancyL.  They elevate her. 

Since the topic is visa agents, Are you suggesting that all visa agents are corrupt?

 

 

[simoh1490]

My wife asked me last night why she couldn't represent herself to Immigration as an agent and act on my behalf, much in the same way that my existing established agent does. I didn't have a good answer for her other than she didn't have any contacts at Immigration, although I reckon that developing them shouldn't be difficult. The benefits potentially are reduced fees and improved turnaround, over and above a farang walk-in. Thoughts?

[bkk6060]

23 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

My wife asked me last night why she couldn't represent herself to Immigration as an agent and act on my behalf, much in the same way that my existing established agent does. I didn't have a good answer for her other than she didn't have any contacts at Immigration, although I reckon that developing them shouldn't be difficult. The benefits potentially are reduced fees and improved turnaround, over and above a farang walk-in. Thoughts?

Thoughts?  You may be complication things and I would not put her in that situation. 

Just pay the agent.....

[lopburi3]

On 4/30/2018 at 7:06 PM, New beginnings said:

Certainly you can do your 90 day reports on line for no cost so don’t understand need for visa agent.

Not true for many of us unfortunately - only those with recent arrivals are afforded that (or internet actually works during the time allowed).  

[poanoi]

i paid the agency 25k for the visa, and then 500 for every 90 day check

[lopburi3]

19 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Thoughts?  You may be complication things and I would not put her in that situation. 

Just pay the agent.....

Wife is totally OK to make 90 day reports and no special contacts are required.  She should have paper allowing her to act but other than that anyone can do the report.

 

46 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

My wife asked me last night why she couldn't represent herself to Immigration as an agent and act on my behalf, much in the same way that my existing established agent does. I didn't have a good answer for her other than she didn't have any contacts at Immigration, although I reckon that developing them shouldn't be difficult. The benefits potentially are reduced fees and improved turnaround, over and above a farang walk-in. Thoughts?

 

[simoh1490]

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Not true for many of us unfortunately - only those with recent arrivals are afforded that (or internet actually works during the time allowed).  

I hadn't realised that I thought 90 day online reporting was open to everyone, apparently not. Do you know how I can find out whether the system is available to me or not?

[lopburi3]

If you have had an arrival in last several years should work - not sure of exact database cutoff but believe on site somewhere.  It will not accept if you are not on the current database and they offer no workaround other than leaving Thailand and returning.  

[CMsojourner]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

I hadn't realised that I thought 90 day online reporting was open to everyone, apparently not. Do you know how I can find out whether the system is available to me or not?

If you google "CCCC 90 Days" the first site that should show up gives possible reasons why Immigration's online 90 day website may not work for some. Good checklist - recommended by others in this forum and in pinned topics at the top.

[sfokevin]

3 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

My wife asked me last night why she couldn't represent herself to Immigration as an agent and act on my behalf, much in the same way that my existing established agent does. I didn't have a good answer for her other than she didn't have any contacts at Immigration, although I reckon that developing them shouldn't be difficult. The benefits potentially are reduced fees and improved turnaround, over and above a farang walk-in. Thoughts?

Can you share what strategy you would employ to convince your wife to get up at 5am and go queue up for you for a Immigration slot?... 

[NancyL]

3 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

My wife asked me last night why she couldn't represent herself to Immigration as an agent and act on my behalf, much in the same way that my existing established agent does. I didn't have a good answer for her other than she didn't have any contacts at Immigration, although I reckon that developing them shouldn't be difficult. The benefits potentially are reduced fees and improved turnaround, over and above a farang walk-in. Thoughts?

Your wife can definitely "represent" you at Immigration and for some matters she wouldn't even need a Power of Attorney document (with tax stamps) that is required of visa agents.  For example, I often submit 90 day reports for my husband at Immigration at the same time I submit mine, but it is one of the Immigration matters that one doesn't have to do in person.

 

However, if your wife starts to handle immigration matters for others besides you, she'll find herself in the same position as others I've talked with.  She'll be called into Immigration for a "discussion".  One travel agent in our neighborhood was called in thought she was going to be told to stop doing what she was doing.  Instead, she was told what she was expected to submit to Immigration for each service: 3000 baht for a one year visa extension, 10,000 baht for a visa conversion, 300 baht for a 90 day report, etc.  When she protested that she didn't charge that much for her services, she was told to raise her fees.  In exchange, she could use the special visa-agent desk on the second floor and not have to wait in the queue before dawn.  A restaurant owner I know who sometimes helps her regular elderly expat customers with visa matters had the same type of meeting.  

 

OK, did they record these meetings?  Did they get anything in writing?  Of course not.  Are they corrupt?  No, they're just trying to help their customers.  Who is the corrupt one here?  

 

All this "evidence" has been submitted and reported to the appropriate channels.  As with the editor of CityLife and her planned rally about the air quality, when the reports went up the ladder what happened?  They chose to punish the messenger.  This is old news from 2016-2017 and I came very close to leaving Thailand because of it.  

 

Things have moderately improved at Immigration, but the "pricing structure" remains.  I'm no longer in a leadership position at CM Expats Club, all I do is assist some elderly expats with health issues from time-to-time, so my mandate is less clear.  I stay away from Immigration now and merely observe from afar, mainly by monitoring this forum. 

 

I'm not "anti-visa agents".  They serve a valuable purpose and can be very helpful for some people.  I'm anti-corruption.i.e. the way that the previous head of CM Immigration structured the office to deliberately make it difficult to navigate to drive customers to using visa agents. 

[JimGant]

Quote

Don’t forget you can submit request 6 weeks before expiry so if if does go wrong you still have plenty of time to approach an agent.

Is that now the offical word for Chiang Mai Immigration, i.e., you can renew extension of stay 45 days in advance (vice 30)? If so, I guess I just missed such info posted on this forum.

[NancyL]

3 hours ago, JimGant said:

Is that now the offical word for Chiang Mai Immigration, i.e., you can renew extension of stay 45 days in advance (vice 30)? If so, I guess I just missed such info posted on this forum.

You can apply for your next one-year extension of stay ahead of expiration of your previous extension for the entire 10 years I've lived in Chiang Mai province.  This is nothing new.  I know many other provinces have a "30 day rule", but this 45 day window is indeed one of the good things about CM Imm. 

 

And, unlike early application of a 90-day report, you don't "lose time" when you apply early.  Your next expiration date for a one year extension will be 365 days from your previous extension expiration date.  Mine is always on Valentine's Day.  Makes it easy to remember.

[Thailand]

22 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

I hadn't realised that I thought 90 day online reporting was open to everyone, apparently not. Do you know how I can find out whether the system is available to me or not?

Try it and see.

 

Works for me. Not for the wife who mails in for a cost of 21 baht,effective, but obviously online the optimum way forward.