Retirement Visa under the radar.

[skatewash]

1 minute ago, Peterw42 said:

I have done agent retire extensions then switched to marriage extension and did it myself. They can look back through your records and all they will see legal past extensions. Agent extensions are not illegal extensions, you are not operating outside the normal system.

That's fine, but under the current rules (as we are given to understand them) IOs will look back retrospectively to see whether you complied with new seasoning and mimimum balance requirements, won't they.  Your experience is based in the past when there was no looking back done.  I think we won't know what will happen when someone tries to go straight but the gang won't let them. Don't tell me I watched all those 30s gangster movies for nothing. ???? 

[steven100]

Why oh why do you guys have to keep going over and over this topic 1000 times ....
does nobody understand the simple concept, you either use an agent or you don't.  

you either use the income method or the 800k seasoned.

 

geeeeze .......

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, skatewash said:

That's fine, but under the current rules (as we are given to understand them) IOs will look back retrospectively to see whether you complied with new seasoning and mimimum balance requirements, won't they.  Your experience is based in the past when there was no looking back done.  I think we won't know what will happen when someone tries to go straight but the gang won't let them. Don't tell me I watched all those 30s gangster movies for nothing. ???? 

I suppose if you are consciously making the switch to do your own extensions, you would do it a year after getting your funds in order. An agent extension probably already came with a big tick next to the "post extension funds ok" box. 

Going straight is never easy, lol

[yodsak]

23 minutes ago, skatewash said:

In other words, once you go down this road aren't you stuck going down this road for the rest of your life.  If not, how do you get back into the mainstream.  Remember,  you won't have any agent to help you do this.

99% of people using agents in pattaya are stuck with them anyway as they will never ever see 800k. or even 100k

 

And if they did want to get back into the mainstream put 800k in the bank 2 mths before and the agent will help you convert [maybe definitely if you pay them enough ]

 

Or start again exempt > non-o > retirement visa.

 

 

[Olmate]

6 minutes ago, yodsak said:

 

 

Or start again exempt > non-o > retirement visa.

 

 

I think your right there, clear the air! Can’t see previous extensions being considered then

[bert bloggs]

1 hour ago, seancbk said:

Do you want an agent to find you someone to marry?

as i have been married over 20 years ,dont think the wife would want me to find another wife ????

[bert bloggs]

48 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

I think you will find agents tend to not do marriage extensions as it involves the local IO and Bangkok IO. Any that do are just holding your hand while you do it. They cant magically get approval without the correct documents and they probably are not directly in contact with the Bangkok end of things. They will help to get all your documents in order for the local IO but the local IO is basically just collecting the documents to send to Bangkok.

Any good agent you can name to hold my hand?lol

[ChrisKC]

Genuine, honest and within-the-radar Immigration Bosses could learn a lot from these threads.

[mercman24]

witnessed it myself, and as i have said many times, billions of baht are pouring in the back door of immigration departments, do you think they want this gravy train to stop any time soon, would you, ? no of course not. seen with my own eyes, one guy pay 30,000 for a retirement extension and an METV, this is ONE person remember, i know ONE thai agent who has 600 clients on her books, i let you do the maths. 

[yodsak]

19 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

Genuine, honest and within-the-radar Immigration Bosses could learn a lot from these threads.

Where you goona find one of them ?

 

[jesimps]

18 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

Genuine, honest and within-the-radar Immigration Bosses could learn a lot from these threads.

If you find one, you should have him stuffed and put on display.

[yodsak]

38 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

Any good agent you can name to hold my hand?lol

tik tok services well recommended.

[The Cobra]

I get the overwhelming impression here that there are people here that are finding ways to look down or trash the agent route either because they are jealous that some didnt/dont have to get the 800k etc or they havnt had the bottle (sense) to take advantage of the money train that runs through the "requirments".

 

There is nothing illegal about it, its an official stamp and process, stop justifying your own fear by telling yourself otherwise.

[soalbundy]

On 5/12/2019 at 9:28 AM, yodsak said:

Another agent thread.

No one expected BJ to stop agents.

Surprised at no bank information ,all the agents i know in pattaya put 800k in your bank.

This begs the question, he may have a 'legal' stamp in his passport but is he in the big book where it is all registered? it seems to go through a lot of hands before an IO writes it into the book and this is what makes it legal and above board.

[roobaa01]

i saw a passport with a legit retirement extension stamp issued in march 18 with expiration date may 2019. since then the person went through the 90 day procedure without problems.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[steve73]

1 hour ago, jesimps said:

If you find one, you should have him stuffed and put on display.

I see the life-size cardboard cutouts of officials in many places... Perhaps these are the only un-bendable ones...?

[steve73]

If you want to (and are able to) change from an agent acquired extension, to a properly acquired one yourself, I could foresee 3 ways (using savings):

 

1.  Ensure you have 800k in your account from the day of your previous (agent acquired) extension.

2.  Ensure you have 800k for 3 months prior to your next extension, but still use an agent to "smooth the way".. the agent cost should be significantly less since you are actually providing the funds yourself.

3.  Let your extension expire, leave and restart the process yourself.   

 

Or if intending going the income/combination method:

1.  Start depositing the necessary funds immediately following your agent acquired extension, and ensure you make 12 full deposits.

2.  If intending to use the combo method, ensure you have sufficient savings "top-up" as above... (but IMO it's worth checking with your local Imm. Office that they will accept the combo method, since from what I read, some do not.)

[yodsak]

53 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

This begs the question, he may have a 'legal' stamp in his passport but is he in the big book where it is all registered? it seems to go through a lot of hands before an IO writes it into the book and this is what makes it legal and above board.

Yes it's in the big book. You go and get your photo taken at the IO.

 Otherwise you would get nicked on your 90 day report or leaving the country.

[yodsak]

38 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

i saw a passport with a legit retirement extension stamp issued in march 18 with expiration date may 2019. since then the person went through the 90 day procedure without problems.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Yes iv'e seen passports with legit stamps in them.

Why wouldn't they ?     

[ecoscape]

Plan to renew my marriage base extension in August. Spent a lot on property, cars etc so will be under the 400,000 . Have pension paid into Bangkok bank ever month for last two years, well in excess of 40,000 baht each month. Need to get a letter proving transfers to my bank (Bangkok Bank) I live in Udon Thani, my account is in Bangkok. do I have to travel there to get the letter or can my local branch do It? Please share your experiences.

[gamini]

Getting an agent to put up the money for your retirement extension is illegal. From reliable sources. I was told about 20,000 retirees are using agents and they would not be able to do so any longer. Because the new regulations stipulate that you must have the 800 K in your bank for three months before and two months after you get your retirement visa and thereafter 400 K in the bank for the rest of the time. These new regulations have been formulated to stop the practice of these agents putting up the money. I believe some agents are still trying to get around it, but I think most of them wouldn't want to have the money tied up for a year instead of the usual three months. I would think it would be very inadvisable to use an agent from now onwards. When you do your three month reporting you would have to show your bank book!

[roobaa01]

4 minutes ago, yodsak said:

Yes iv'e seen passports with legit stamps in them.

Why wouldn't they ?     

coz imo the person was originally due extension renewal in may 18, but went through an agent in march 18 obtaining a legit extension stamp til may 19, 15 months.

wbr

roobaa01

[yodsak]

1 minute ago, roobaa01 said:

coz imo the person was originally due extension renewal in may 18, but went through an agent in march 18 obtaining a legit extension stamp til may 19, 15 months.

wbr

roobaa01

Yes agents can get visas early.   

[phutoie2]

2 minutes ago, ecoscape said:

Plan to renew my marriage base extension in August. Spent a lot on property, cars etc so will be under the 400,000 . Have pension paid into Bangkok bank ever month for last two years, well in excess of 40,000 baht each month. Need to get a letter proving transfers to my bank (Bangkok Bank) I live in Udon Thani, my account is in Bangkok. do I have to travel there to get the letter or can my local branch do It? Please share your experiences.

I was in my local Bangkok Bank this morning getting a statement from my savings account for a new car on finance. The statement was only for 6 months and cost 100 Baht.

I noticed my pension from UK was titled  ThaiBaht Net and then the amount in Baht.

I asked the Bank assistant about getting a 12 month statement for showing Immigration and she told me I had to give one weeks notice as it came fro Bangkok HQ (Silom Road).

 

As for this topic, up here in Phetchabun we know all about the certain desk in Jomtien. 

[yodsak]

8 minutes ago, gamini said:

Getting an agent to put up the money for your retirement extension is illegal. From reliable sources. I was told about 20,000 retirees are using agents and they would not be able to do so any longer. 

Arguably illegal.  Certainly normal

From a reliable source nothing has changed.  BAU.   20,000+ retirees good to go  

[theboogeyman]

16 hours ago, Pilotman said:

dodgy indeed and illegal.  Avoiding immigration law, with or without the connivance of Immigration itself, is illegal. Personally, I sleep better knowing I've done it myself and followed the rules.  

“I sleep better knowing I've done it myself and followed the rules.” Me to nowadays I used to use an agent but not anymore because it turned out that my agent was doing something very illegal to get such a quick 1 day turn around on my marriage visa extension, and they were getting away with it too until the new immigration chief took over so this year was the first year I ever did my extension myself in almost 5 years here and I actually feel so much better that I know everything was done legally and that I did it myself, and that I’m on the right track now.  And from now on I’m going to continue doing my extension myself every year I don’t trust agents anymore.  Luckily it never caused me any problems when I used to have the agent do it but I was probably just very lucky that it didn’t.  It’s comforting knowing that now I’m 100% within the law.  

 

When I first read your post you wrote something about “no bank information required”, if it sounds to good to be true it probably ain’t.  That sounds too good to be true especially for someone who might be living here who might be under the minimum monthly income threshold.  If it sounds to good to be true it’s probably total BS, I would not trust this story you heard at all, it’s probably either something illegal or some kind of scam going on.  Don’t believe it just do it the right way because immigration doesn’t mess around anymore.  

 

Personally I like the new rules better because next time I just show immigration my bank information it’s easy.  No more 5 hour trips to the embassy once a year for that income letter anymore.  The new rules make it easier as long as you actually do have the money or enough monthly income which I do so next year I won’t be nervous going down there to renew my extension anymore.  And I can do it all right here in Korat no more unnecessary annual trips to Bangkok every year which was a 5 hour drive just to pay $50 dollars for a piece of paper unless we want to go to Bangkok for fun or whatever.  

 

When they first started talking about doing away with income affidavits at first I was mad and very worried about how I would verify my income.  But as soon as the new Police Orders were published outlining the new income verification procedures I really breathed a huge sigh of relief!  I just like “oh thank God”!  So now I say good riddance to those embassy income letters now I’m very glad they’re gone and that all you have to do is just show proof of income in your Thai bank account. When it first happened last year I was pretty mad at the embassy and extremely worried about it at first until I read the new Police Orders in January and then I was just so relieved and happy about it.  I thought they were going to make it harder for us, and there was a lot of mass hysteria about it on this forum because I think everyone was expecting them to make it harder for us but it turned out that they actually made it a million times easier as long as you actually can verify your income you have nothing to worry about.  I’m also very lucky because where I live in Korat immigration here is usually exactly by the book so you always know exactly what to expect no one makes up their own rules like I often read reports about at other immigration offices.  They stick to the rules here from my experience and they will work with you as well if you forget something or whatever but they will still expect you to have everything you need.  When I turn 50 I might switch to a Retirement Visa maybe just because you get your final stamp faster than a marriage visa extension.  I really am retired but I retired from the military in my 40’s and my wife just happens to be a Thai citizen.  When we got married 21 years ago in the United States I never imagined that I would retire in a foreign country.  I didn’t even think about the idea until I first visited here almost 10 years ago and I never wanted to leave.  I had the time of my life on my first visit here and I absolutely fell in love with Thailand.  

[theboogeyman]

13 minutes ago, phutoie2 said:

I was in my local Bangkok Bank this morning getting a statement from my savings account for a new car on finance. The statement was only for 6 months and cost 100 Baht.

I noticed my pension from UK was titled  ThaiBaht Net and then the amount in Baht.

I asked the Bank assistant about getting a 12 month statement for showing Immigration and she told me I had to give one weeks notice as it came fro Bangkok HQ (Silom Road).

 

As for this topic, up here in Phetchabun we know all about the certain desk in Jomtien. 

You know I’ve always wondered how do you set up credit here in Thailand?  Because whenever I make a big purchase I always end up paying cash all up front.  

[theboogeyman]

On 5/12/2019 at 9:28 AM, yodsak said:

Another agent thread.

No one expected BJ to stop agents.

Surprised at no bank information ,all the agents i know in pattaya put 800k in your bank.

“Surprised at no bank information” if it sounds to good to be true it probably is.  “The agents you know in Pattaya just put 800K in your bank”?  That sounds illegal.  I don’t understand how the agents could afford to do that for all their clients obviously I’m sure you give them back the money later but I wonder how much they would even charge you for that.  I’m guessing a lot.  Plus I believe your funds are supposed to be coming from your home country so I don’t understand how you would even get that past immigration if the money originated from here in Thailand.  This is why I never use agents anymore I do it myself now because these agents are some really shady people and it sounds like they’re getting even more shady.  What you just described about agents in Pattaya sounds very illegal but I don’t know I guess technically it’s not illegal to receive a “cash gift” lol.  Personally I avoid agents now and I just do it all myself that way I know everything was done correctly and legally so I don’t run into any unexpected problems later on down the road.  

[watcharacters]

34 minutes ago, yodsak said:

From a reliable source 

 

[yodsak]

So are agents out of business ?    no more 15k retirement visas.    or not.?