Retirement Visa under the radar.

[DaRoadrunner]

I'm in the computer shop the other day and among all the noise and kids playing games is a guy 'doctoring' his bank book! Not sure what program he was using? But I could see him moving figures around. Well, he could print out the results as a photo copy, but what happens if they ask to see the original?

[roobaa01]

3 minutes ago, yodsak said:

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

i thought the matter was clarified in another thread....agent prices in patty went up as business goes on as usual.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[connda]

Unfortunate as it may be, especially for every one of us attempting to do it right and do it legally, it simply may be that immigration itself is pushing everyone toward agents in the future.  Why?  ฿฿฿Cha-Ching฿฿฿

[batata]

19 hours ago, dallen52 said:

The subject of legality is very vague in Thailand. 

there you are 100% correct, it's all a matter of interpretation by the person who will be looking at the papers

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I'm in the computer shop the other day and among all the noise and kids playing games is a guy 'doctoring' his bank book! Not sure what program he was using? But I could see him moving figures around. Well, he could print out the results as a photo copy, but what happens if they ask to see the original?

That won't help, in fact it will be quickly picked up by Immigration, as the bank letter prints out all the account information and is notarised and stamped by the bank .  Just updating the book is not enough as the numbers won't match.  

[Pilotman]

25 minutes ago, batata said:

there you are 100% correct, it's all a matter of interpretation by the person who will be looking at the papers

some elements of the law are not vague at all. Trusting to 'vagueness' is not the way I would like to go about an extension of stay. 

[connda]

40 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I think this TOPIC has been hammered enough Mods.

 

closed.

Why?  Regardless if a topic has been 'hammered enough' or not, if members wish to discuss it, why not?  90% of the topics and news release are a rehash of previous topics and news releases - same, same but a different day. If the subject becomes important to an individual TV member and they wish to discuss it - then we should discuss it for the benefit of the OP.  Think about it.  If a topic like, "How do I get a O-A visa?", was met with "I think this TOPIC has been hammered enough / closed", then most of us would stop perusing Thai Visa.  'Eh?  ????

[skatewash]

6 minutes ago, connda said:

Why?  Regardless if a topic has been 'hammered enough' or not, if members wish to discuss it, why not?  90% of the topics and news release are a rehash of previous topics and news releases - same, same but a different day. If the subject becomes important to an individual TV member and they wish to discuss it - then we should discuss it for the benefit of the OP.  Think about it.  If a topic like, "How do I get a O-A visa?", was met with "I think this TOPIC has been hammered enough / closed", then most of us would stop perusing Thai Visa.  'Eh?  ????

It amuses me that occasionally someone will take the time to post saying something is of no interest to them.  Those sort of posts aren't of interest to me, but then I don't usually have the time to post that. ????

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, yodsak said:

tik tok services well recommended.

Yes, if you can find their office.

[yodsak]

27 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Yes, if you can find their office.

soi 6. queen vic .   was there last week doing my 90 day report

also at soi watboon jomtien 

[yodsak]

1 hour ago, batata said:

there you are 100% correct, it's all a matter of interpretation by the person who will be looking at the papers

It's a question of money usually. 

[NoshowJones]

17 minutes ago, yodsak said:

soi 6. queen vic .   was there last week doing my 90 day report

Since when? It is in Jomtien, somewhere well off the beaten track.

[yodsak]

 

1 minute ago, possum1931 said:

Since when? It is in Jomtien, somewhere well off the beaten track

office  in soi 6 .   since as long as i can remember. many years.   and also at jomtien

 

[Moonlover]

19 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

21 hours ago, n210mp said:

Why dont you do it yourself Bert, it will save you a lot of money.

 

19 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

I just would like some help the first time ,i am sure then i will , but for now!!!!!

Not as difficult as folks make it out to be Bert. I had to rush my first one through when I got caught by the pound  going down in 2016. (thanks Cameron)

 

I had it all done in 1 day. Admittedly I did have an embassy letter back then which made life easier, So give it a go and save the dough. ????

 

[Thailand]

3 hours 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. 

Bangkok Bank have said they will not issue bank letters confirming the funds come from abroad if it is designated Bahtnet as it comes via intermediary banks, in your case probably Citibank. You have to get the confirmation letter from the intermediary bank.

BB credit notes show source, intermediary and destination of funds but apparently not acceptable.

[NanLaew]

7 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Read the immigration act or any of the police orders, you will find a paragraph that says something like " An IO of a certain rank has discretionary powers to approve an extension with out the normal requirements".

"Discretionary powers"...

 

I guess it rolls off the tongue better that, "A bung to bypass the legal requirements."

 

In the meantime, can you post a link to (or copy/paste the text of) the words that you pointed out? I have missed them over the last dozen years of cash-enabled extensions. 

 

7 hours ago, skatewash said:

Here's my question.  Once you go do this route, using an agent to procure your extension of stay without meeting the financial requirements, can you go back to doing it the above-board way the next year?

Why would you want to open that can of worms?

 

7 hours 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.

Or to put it more succinctly, there's less money in it for them. That and the extra effort.

 

The Ret Ext is a cash cow. Most of the others of that breed are illegal as well.

 

7 hours 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.

Then why have various Immigration mouthpieces when talking about the recent changes in procedures, frequently mentioned the undesirability of agent-assisted applications that are not supported with proof of funds?

 

As long as the IO you are dealing with on the day you present yourself for your next Ret Ext accepts the previous stamp(s) at face value, then carry on.

[yodsak]

2 hours ago, roobaa01 said:

i thought the matter was clarified in another thread....agent prices in patty went up as business goes on as usual.

wbr

roobaa0

Yes i know,  i was replying to another poster who said according to his reliable source agents were out of business....   I should have quoted him.  would have made more sense.

 

My sources various say BAU, which as we all know it is.  

Prices have not gone up .  tik tok is still 15k. [verified last week]  cambodia inter 14k. up 1000

 

[Searat7]

I still think BJ was about to tackle the Agent Issue ( he had changed everything else) when he was summarily dismissed with no explanation.

[balo]

Just walk into KeyVisa, opposite Big C South Pattaya and you will still see it's business as usual.  They have a website and advertise their services, nothing has changed. 

 

Maybe the fees has increased from 15k to 17k , but that's all. Regarding reporting every 3 months about the 800k,  that will also be taken care of by the agents. 

 

But you need to stay in Pattaya or Chonburi province to be sure this method will work. 

 

[Knocker33]

On 5/12/2019 at 7:29 PM, dallen52 said:

From previous posts I have picked up that the official in charge for any specific IO has the ability to basically do what they want. 

Regardless of what the law in general says.

We all know the current official way its prescribed to be done..

 

I was just more interested in the fact that this practice is still very active and the stamps are legitimate. 

And obviously on the system. 

True. The one at Chumphon office is still putting you under consideration for a month unless you pay him 3000 baht. Then magically you have your retirement extension. This is p*ssing off many as this means you have the 800k tied up for yet another month if you don't pay the corrupt *//t

[jgarbo]

On 5/12/2019 at 6:29 AM, Jip99 said:

You are new here, right ?

Your point? With over 1000 posts obviously not new. 

[brianthainess]

On 5/12/2019 at 3:49 PM, bert bloggs said:

I just would like some help the first time ,i am sure then i will , but for now!!!!!

Go with your wife a month before there is a list of what is needed in Thai. I O explained it to my wife and me 

[dallen52]

On 5/13/2019 at 11:52 AM, jesimps said:

Use the income or combination method.

Having seen the agents work and the simplicity of their operations, and more recently one chap who actually fronted JI when I was there, and openly said that he didn't have the required 800k, but he has this.  (And showed a bundle of 1000 baht notes, and was told to wait.)

I'm starting to think seriously about a 15,000 annual payment that leaves your financial capital unlocked. 

We will all either survive, or sink together. 

[dallen52]

14 hours ago, balo said:

Just walk into KeyVisa, opposite Big C South Pattaya and you will still see it's business as usual.  They have a website and advertise their services, nothing has changed. 

 

Maybe the fees has increased from 15k to 17k , but that's all. Regarding reporting every 3 months about the 800k,  that will also be taken care of by the agents. 

 

But you need to stay in Pattaya or Chonburi province to be sure this method will work. 

 

Seeing as we are naming. 

James at Speedy Visa is also excellent. 

His last response was "business as usual ".

[dallen52]

20 hours ago, connda said:

Why?  Regardless if a topic has been 'hammered enough' or not, if members wish to discuss it, why not?  90% of the topics and news release are a rehash of previous topics and news releases - same, same but a different day. If the subject becomes important to an individual TV member and they wish to discuss it - then we should discuss it for the benefit of the OP.  Think about it.  If a topic like, "How do I get a O-A visa?", was met with "I think this TOPIC has been hammered enough / closed", then most of us would stop perusing Thai Visa.  'Eh?  ????

There is another Thai forum that does exactly that. 

If you are not part if the click, or one of the admin doesn't like the content,  its closed off.

[dallen52]

 This came up previously. 

Interesting read. TVF.

 

Extract..

Dig out the police order that defines the requirements, 800k, 90 days, bank letter etc etc. The last paragraph in that police order says " a high ranking officer can override the requirements and approve an extension.

[xylophone]

21 hours ago, batata said:

there you are 100% correct, it's all a matter of interpretation by the person who will be looking at the papers

And the thickness of the accompanying envelope!

[NanLaew]

6 hours ago, dallen52 said:

The last paragraph in that police order says " a high ranking officer can override the requirements and approve an extension.

...for upwards of a 15,000 baht 'consideration' that can ONLY be facilitated by retaining an agent."

 

That's the complete, unexpurgated but largely unspoken translation of said police order.

 

Is there really anything new in visa agent world at all?

[tropo]

On 5/12/2019 at 7:15 PM, 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.  

Which dictionary do you use? Living in Thailand you should not use the same dictionary as many words have a different meaning. Harping on about "legal" and "illegal" in Thailand is a bit naive. (news alert: this is a country of military coups and fake elections. I could say a lot more, but let's leave it at that). The only concern is whether it works or not and it does. Expats get a good service and the very people giving you your "legal" extensions are very happy to oblige the rest with expedited extensions through the back door. Nobody is saying, but it is possibly the reason BJ was sidelined. They don't want any goody-two-shoes in a position of power. My next door neighbour is rich, but he will never set foot in an immigration office. He couldn't be bothered and pays for the expedited service. The whole process has actually become quite demeaning for people who still have some self-respect. Some offices enjoy keeping expats tied up all day long, getting them to jump through hoops. It is getting harder and harder to leave the immigration office with any dignity and not feeling a bit second class.

 

Contrast this with the Philippines. You enter an immigration office there and they are jumping over themselves to serve you, with the biggest smiles you've ever seen. Of course, they are looking for some tea money, but it's fine by me. At least the experience is quite pleasant by comparison. If you're married to a citizen (which I am), I get an instant, free, one year stamp in my passport and a "welcome back sir" to boot.

 

[Pilotman]

7 hours ago, tropo said:

Which dictionary do you use? Living in Thailand you should not use the same dictionary as many words have a different meaning. Harping on about "legal" and "illegal" in Thailand is a bit naive. (news alert: this is a country of military coups and fake elections. I could say a lot more, but let's leave it at that). The only concern is whether it works or not and it does. Expats get a good service and the very people giving you your "legal" extensions are very happy to oblige the rest with expedited extensions through the back door. Nobody is saying, but it is possibly the reason BJ was sidelined. They don't want any goody-two-shoes in a position of power. My next door neighbour is rich, but he will never set foot in an immigration office. He couldn't be bothered and pays for the expedited service. The whole process has actually become quite demeaning for people who still have some self-respect. Some offices enjoy keeping expats tied up all day long, getting them to jump through hoops. It is getting harder and harder to leave the immigration office with any dignity and not feeling a bit second class.

 

Contrast this with the Philippines. You enter an immigration office there and they are jumping over themselves to serve you, with the biggest smiles you've ever seen. Of course, they are looking for some tea money, but it's fine by me. At least the experience is quite pleasant by comparison. If you're married to a citizen (which I am), I get an instant, free, one year stamp in my passport and a "welcome back sir" to boot.

 

whatever you care to believe mate.