My renewal is due October 3rd. This will be my first time using a visa service and I am doing it reluctantly. Should I go in the middle of September?

Assuming you are only using an agent for convenience and not to circumvent the rules then it will be 30/45 days before depending on the location of the office.

If breaking the law I would suggest you keep quiet and ask your"Agent"!

My renewal is due October 3rd. This will be my first time using a visa service and I am doing it reluctantly. Should I go in the middle of September?

Ask the agent doing the visa service

15 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Assuming you are only using an agent for convenience and not to circumvent the rules then it will be 30/45 days before depending on the location of the office.

If breaking the law I would suggest you keep quiet and ask your"Agent"!

I don't understand your term, "breaking the law". Using a visa service is an attempt to COMPLY WITH THE LAW. How could one use a visa service to break the law?  Does not compute.

I am doing it reluctantly.

Why are you doing it?

In days gone by popular belief had it that you should check in advance which bank the agent uses so that you have time to open account with said bank. That said, I am sure you are only using the hand holding type of agent.

It has been reported that agents can somehow get extensions further in-advance of honest, in-person applicants - maybe 2 or 3 months in advance.  It all depends on what the agent's partners in immigration are willing to do for what they are being paid.

26 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

Why are you doing it?

taking a wild guess because its many times more expensive

taking a wild guess because its many times more expensive

Some people allegedly do the legit visa service to avoid the stress of going themselves (never met anyone who falls into this bracket), a bit like driving licence where people take a thai helper to hold their hand

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

1 minute ago, brokenbone said:

taking a wild guess because its many times more expensive

Some people allegedly do the legit visa service to avoid the stress of going themselves (never met anyone who falls into this bracket), a bit like driving licence where people take a thai helper to hold their hand

Can't be that legit as the application form distinctly says that attendance in person is required.

3 minutes ago, mokwit said:

Can't be that legit as the application form distinctly says that attendance in person is required.

That part usually amounts to showing up briefly for a picture. 
But some agents seem to have a way around even that part - offering "mail in" service.  Maybe they photoshop your picture into the office background.

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

That part usually amounts to showing up briefly for a picture. 
But some agents seem to have a way around even that part - offering "mail in" service.  Maybe they photoshop your picture into the office background.

Hmmm isn't it a biometric camera?

Which immigration office will be "hopefully" issuing the visa ?

1 minute ago, mokwit said:

Hmmm isn't it a biometric camera?

A special camera?  I though they were just regular web-cam devices.  Biometric analysis can be run on any picture - done on FB pics and such all the time.  The image doesn't need to be a stereo/3D - though better equipment could contribute to greater accuracy.

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

Why are you doing it?

 

Because I will only be able to show 65k baht monthly deposits for about six months, not 12. I don't trust Thai "leniency". Lying is the national pastime here.

Because I will only be able to show 65k baht monthly deposits for about six months, not 12. I don't trust Thai "leniency". Lying is the national pastime here.

so technically not legal, but fair enough, many do it

31 minutes ago, Liverpudlian said:

Which immigration office will be "hopefully" issuing the visa ?

Jomtien. One of the more "lenient" offices around.......selectively.

 

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

In days gone by popular belief had it that you should check in advance which bank the agent uses so that you have time to open account with said bank. That said, I am sure you are only using the hand holding type of agent.

I have a bank account, but will not be able to show more than six months of 65k baht deposits. Six months does not jive with Immigration demands. They took their time about making things clear, now I have to spend more money to make my 80 thousand baht pension "legal". Thugs and criminals.

54 minutes ago, mokwit said:

Hmmm isn't it a biometric camera?

 

              Yes ,  can even scan  your atm. 

Jomtien is actually one of the better offices.

Why don´t you go in there and take a Thai speaker incase no habla.

I actually think your 6 months of deposits may be OK.

But, go ask.

If not, I personally have no problem with you using an agent.

If your 80k is true you qualify. Just this year is up in the air.

Make sure you are ready for next year.

Just be aware that if you do use an agent, your application will almost certainly be based on 800k in the bank with the agent supplying the evidence of the funds. That means that you won't be able to apply on your own next year, as you will then be asked to show evidence that you still had the 800k in the account for three months after the application and 400k for the rest of the year. Obviously, you won't be able to show such evidence, since you never had the money in the first place.

 

So basically, if you use an agent this year you will be locked into using the same agent every year in the future. The only way out, is to break your chain of extensions and begin from scratch with a new non-o visa, and hope that immigration doesn't decide to take a closer look at your agent aided application.

 

Sophon

1 hour ago, Sophon said:

So basically, if you use an agent this year you will be locked into using the same agent every year in the future. The only way out, is to break your chain of extensions and begin from scratch with a new non-o visa, and hope that immigration doesn't decide to take a closer look at your agent aided application.

 

Sophon

He should not need an agent in 2020. He stated he just started making 80k monthly xfers, but fear that IM will not accept only 6 xfers this year in Oct 2019. By next year (Oct 2020), he will have more than 12 monthly xfers of 80k, so he can do the income method by himself. I think he just wants an agent to help with getting IM to accept the 6 - 80k xfers this year.

Edited March 18, 20197 yr by JohnnyBD

1 hour ago, Sophon said:

So basically, if you use an agent this year you will be locked into using the same agent every year in the future. The only way out, is to break your chain of extensions and begin from scratch with a new non-o visa, and hope that immigration doesn't decide to take a closer look at your agent aided application.

That is exactly what I was trying to saying an oblique way .

You are either meeting ALL the legal requirements to get your visa/extension but just using the Agent to make life easy (ten minutes at CM IM for the Photo), as I do or you are breaking the law by using an "agent" to falsify" your documents.  The second scenario is illegal.

Edited March 18, 20197 yr by scottiejohn
spelling

2 hours ago, KhunFred said:

I don't understand your term, "breaking the law". Using a visa service is an attempt to COMPLY WITH THE LAW. How could one use a visa service to break the law?  Does not compute.

If you make a false declaration re income you are breaking the law.

3 minutes ago, JohnnyBD said:

He should be ok for 2020. He stated he is already making 65k+ monthly xfers, but fear IM will not accept only 6 xfers this year in Oct 2019. By next year (Oct 2020), he will have more than 12 monthly xfers of 65k+, so he can do the income method and should not need the agent.

There is no proof for what you wrote.

Immigration offices have been directed to be lenient this year since the rules did not go into effect until December. His 6 months should not be a problem.

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Some people allegedly do the legit visa service to avoid the stress of going themselves (never met anyone who falls into this bracket),

Well you have just met one (me on this forum!) among many legal expats I know in CM who do the same.

I have used either my lawyer (when I had a legit business) or my present agent, since the late 1990's, purely out of convenience, as I would rather spend my time doing something better than wasting 10+ hours at CM immigration, either at the old/new zoo or Prom!

8 minutes ago, JohnnyBD said:

He should not need an agent in 2020. He stated he just started making 80k monthly xfers, but fear that IM will not accept only 6 xfers this year in Oct 2019. By next year (Oct 2020), he will have more than 12 monthly xfers of 80k, so he can do the income method by himself.

His 2019 application is based on having money in the bank, and one of the requirements is that the money remains in the bank for three months after the application (and 400k for the rest of the year). Even though his 2020 application will be based on income, they will most likely also check that he maintained the funds required to qualify for his 2019 application. 

 

Sophon

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Jomtien is actually one of the better offices.

Why don´t you go in there and take a Thai speaker incase no habla.

I actually think your 6 months of deposits may be OK.

But, go ask.

If not, I personally have no problem with you using an agent.

If your 80k is true you qualify. Just this year is up in the air.

Make sure you are ready for next year.

Thai Immigration (despite their noise to the contrary) have no problem with visa services. They make ample tea money off them. Why would they undercut a major source of income? 

This country RUNS on bribery.

Edited March 18, 20197 yr by KhunFred

12 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

If you make a false declaration re income you are breaking the law.

NOTHING about my declaration of income is false. I make much more than the requirement. I have not been transferring it all to Thailand because I have bills to pay which cannot be paid from Bangkok Bank. Very simple. No fraudulent intent. No falsehood. Just the facts, very demonstrable by many documents ( none of which are accepted by Immigration).

18 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

That is exactly what I was trying to saying an oblique way .

You are either meeting ALL the legal requirements to get your visa/extension but just using the Agent to make life easy (ten minutes at CM IM for the Photo), as I do or you are breaking the law by using an "agent" to falsify" your documents.  The second case is illegal.

I have not seen ONE communication from Immigration which suggests that I will be locked into using an agent permanently. Next year, I should be able to transfer 65K Baht every month into my Thai account. Can't do it this year because they were late in making their declaration. We were three months into the year before their terms were clear.