Visa Agents Days Are Numbered?

[EL159]

Someone who recently renewed their retired visa in Chiang Mai, using an agent, told me that theres no point in using an agent any more because each individual now has to queue up to get a ticket, and that agents no longer have any appointments or priority.

 

Any truth in this?  The last thing I want is to have to go back to that tiresome process of queuing up at 5 in the morning? 

[worgeordie]

I hope so,BUT will it last,there were so many opportunities for easy

money,when things were made difficult,if Big Joke does not keep

an eye on Chiang Mai,things could quickly revert to what they were.

A level playing field was what was needed,even if you have to get

up a 5,it's only one day a year,is that really a hardship ?.

regards Worgeordie

[NCC1701A]

22 minutes ago, EL159 said:

Any truth in this?

Big Joke made a big point of specifically saying agents were abusing the system and had to be stopped. so not hard to believe.

 

up to you if you believe things will go back to "normal". 

 

 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Yes, there was a report from a week or so ago that agents had been banned from entering Chiang Mai immigration

[Bill97]

Reports of experience recently are contrary to OP information.

Another thread started on faulty information and speculation without basis.


Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect

[Thailand]

A very recent post on Chiangmai imm thread said that a person applying for extension of stay based on retirement sent his assistant with all the documents and he was able to get a ticket to pass on to the actual applicant so nothing to stop agents or whomever doing exactly that.

[Peterw42]

Op appears to be talking about queue agents that stand in the queue for you and hold your hand doing an extension etc. A whole lot different to the agents that do the extensions without funds with no visit to immigration.

Someone's opinion that "there's no point in using an agent any more", isnt exactly immigration shutting down agents.

 

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Peterw42

[Thailand]

33 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Op appears to be talking about queue agents that stand in the queue for you and hold your hand doing an extension etc. A whole lot different to the agents that do the extensions without funds with no visit to immigration.

Someone's opinion that "there's no point in using an agent any more", isnt exactly immigration shutting down agents.

 

 

That was not how I read the post from the OP. Agents in Chiangmai were not standing  in the queue, they had private access. Line sitters were queuing to get tickets mainly for individuals who could do their own paperwork.

The other route, not sure that was done in ChiangMai but certainly other provinces.

[CharlieH]

A derogatory post has been removed.

[EricTh]

There's nothing wrong with people who hire agents but agents should only have one queue ticket number per queue position.

 

It wouldn't be fair if they have 50 passports in hand and just have to queue at one position.

 

If there are 10 agents with 50 passports each (total 500 passports per day), you can imagine why the system was abused with more and more people going to agents.

 

Agents now have to work hard for their money. They should stagger their visits if they don't have enough staff.

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by EricTh

[sfokevin]

Visa agents sitting in a queue at 2am are a symptom not the problem...

[rebo]

The agencies will never become extinct since many of them belong to current or retired high level IOs/relatives. Some of them even have "private" access to the computer system.
Know it first hand ...

[cyberfarang]

My concern is that the CM agents are taken out with no extra facilities laid on at immigration, meaning no other options but to try the lottery of gaining a slot in the queue.

 

I don`t believe this will happen, there will still be the option to use agents, only be the corrupt agencies will shut down. Well, I hope this will be the case anyway. 

Edited October 27, 2018 by cyberfarang

[jonwilly]

Assit Thai Visa have assured me they will have no problems doing my Visa in future, line sitters may be gone but Pro outfits know there job.

 

john

Cheap at half the price.

[simoh1490]

If agents such as ATV were to disappear from the scene it would make me think twice about whether I wanted to maintain a long-term visa here, the idea of queuing at 3am is simply not in my game plan, not even as a fall back option.

[cyberfarang]

57 minutes ago, jonwilly said:

Assit Thai Visa have assured me they will have no problems doing my Visa in future, line sitters may be gone but Pro outfits know there job.

 

john

Cheap at half the price.

Sorry, this is certainly not cheap. The people that started Thai Assist are well connected and very much doubt they will be put out of business. It maybe useful for some, but for a price. We`re talking thousands of bahts here. Nothing professional about this, it`s just that these agents are given the power to pull strings and ensure we obtain a slot in the queue that should otherwise be a simple process dealt directly at immigration without the need for middle people.

 

I also know my job when dealing with immigration and certainly don`t require any agents to fill out my paperwork and hold my hand when applying for my retirement extension. But I am like many others, hate the agent system and certainly won`t be promoting them saying they offer a good deal, but could not tolerate the stress, physically and mentally of queuing up for several hours with the rest of the sheep, all rotten options that has been imposed on us if we want to stay in Chiang Mai long term.

 

It`s really not a satisfactory situation that I can`t see improving at any time soon.

[canthai55]

How do you want to spend your time ?

Cheap or not - this is a personal decision. Even if it cost 20K this is only 55 baht a day.

[simoh1490]

3 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

.

 

 But I am like many others, hate the agent system and certainly won`t be promoting them saying they offer a good deal, but could not tolerate the stress, physically and mentally of queuing up for several hours with the rest of the sheep, all rotten options that has been imposed on us if we want to stay in Chiang Mai long term.

 

It`s really not a satisfactory situation that I can`t see improving at any time soon.

 

I think we can all agree with the above, I suspect none of us enjoys spending 5 k in agent fees for something that should be free but given the choices it is the far better route to travel.

[Thailand]

At the moment the early hours to get a ticket appears to be 6am and even later from a friends experience and another poster, that would be no hardship for most able bodied.

No more line sitters? Yet a member  here is able to send an assistant with the members documents to obtain a ticket, don't see any difference?

Things have changed, at the moment for the better but TIT and those changes often backslide, hope that is not the case.

The agent route is a cash cow, not changing anytime soon.

[simoh1490]

2 minutes ago, Thailand said:

At the moment the early hours to get a ticket appears to be 6am and even later from a friends experience and another poster, that would be no hardship for most able bodied.

No more line sitters? Yet a member  here is able to send an assistant with the members documents to obtain a ticket, don't see any difference?

Things have changed, at the moment for the better but TIT and those changes often backslide, hope that is not the case.

The agent route is a cash cow, not changing anytime soon.

Even if it's 6am that's still not acceptable to me, I live in Mae Rim and that would mean getting up at 4:30/5:00 to then stand around and wait for a couple of hours, I chose not to live like that.

[Thailand]

52 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Even if it's 6am that's still not acceptable to me, I live in Mae Rim and that would mean getting up at 4:30/5:00 to then stand around and wait for a couple of hours, I chose not to live like that.

As the member said in his post he sent a proxy (assistant) with his documents at 7.40am  to get a ticket which was then passed to the member to go later. 

 

Personally that is the route ( line stander, assistant, housemaid etc) I will go if still available,what is wrong with that? 

 

Most of my documents come via pdf so no hardship there, although it is a pain having to initial them all once a year.

 

You seem to be up early enough to post on TV around 6am. ????

 

 

[simoh1490]

4 minutes ago, Thailand said:

 

 

You seem to be up early enough to post on TV around 6am. ????

 

 

1

True, but I rarely wake up until at least 11am.

[Thailand]

1 minute ago, simoh1490 said:

True, but I rarely wake up until at least 11am.

????

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

Even if it's 6am that's still not acceptable to me, I live in Mae Rim and that would mean getting up at 4:30/5:00 to then stand around and wait for a couple of hours, I chose not to live like that.

Nothing in the current information says that you are required to do that, there are other options.

[Lacessit]

From what I saw when I did my extension recently with ATV, the officials are much more meticulous in checking bank statements.

I'd suggest from that the dodgy agents, who are depositing money on the applicant's behalf, will be weeded out. The ones who have connections and are playing it straight will still be around.

[theoldgit]

Post removed, play nicely guys.

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

From what I saw when I did my extension recently with ATV, the officials are much more meticulous in checking bank statements.

I'd suggest from that the dodgy agents, who are depositing money on the applicant's behalf, will be weeded out. The ones who have connections and are playing it straight will still be around.

 

Which agents have 'depositing money' service? What are the terms and conditions?

[EricTh]

11 hours ago, rebo said:

The agencies will never become extinct since many of them belong to current or retired high level IOs/relatives. Some of them even have "private" access to the computer system.
Know it first hand ...

Now I understand why they can go through the back door. They are relatives of these officers...

 

If we expose them to Big Joke, they will be out of their jobs.

[EricTh]

9 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

My concern is that the CM agents are taken out with no extra facilities laid on at immigration, meaning no other options but to try the lottery of gaining a slot in the queue.

 

 

 

Getting a line-sitter isn't difficult, you just ask the Thai people or your friends around your neighbourhood to queue for you for a fee. 

 

[johnoko]

Did my yearly renewal 2 days ago. Was there at 6 am got my ticket at 6.15 and got processed at 7am. Didn't notice any cue sitters. Must say it was by all as pleasant as it can get I would say. Great work by mister big Joke I would say.