Thinking about using an agent this year

[Peterhua]

Does anybody know how much an agent would want to facilitate an extension based on marriage to a Thai national? The reason for using an agent would be to avoid all the bollacks that come qith this extension like home visits, photos and all the other paperwork involved? I would have the 400k in the bank.

[moontang]

I would start the process over again, and you would have 2 years for your currency to come back...meaning obtain new OA in home country, but of course the requirements are different everywhere.  I would go to Kalorama or LA, if I were in those jurisdictions.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

Are you saying the IO might offer to “help” you if you apply for an extension with having met the requirements?

No, I am saying he may offer to help you, if you have not quite met the requirements.

[IvorBiggun2]

1 hour ago, trd said:

I don't believe heresay. You've probably noticed that there's a lot of that around here.

It's not 'HEARSAY'. If it was I'm sure someone would have corrected me by now.

 

Quote

One of the group called both of them about his own extension and they both said the same - no can do after 1st March this year.

  This year being '2019'.

 

 

 

[trd]

  This year being '2019'.
 
 
 

You're getting confused. That post isn't saying you can't use an agent to renew your visa legally as I do with the actual money in the bank and maintaining the balance throughout the year. The article talks about agents who do it illegally by putting the money in and taking it straight out again. I've already said in a previous post that agents can't do that anymore.

[HampiK]

On 7/28/2019 at 3:12 PM, sameasb4 said:

complete BS and more conjecture, here 11 years there records standards are atrocious i know because my address is never recorded accurately even the basic stuff unless you are on the radar  

No, they really keep the records. At least for 1 year. I saw my papers from last year, because she was checking, that I not use the same picture again. I don't know how long they really keep the records, but for sure they keep them for 1 year at CW.

[Kelsall]

On 7/27/2019 at 5:40 AM, simon43 said:

I agree.  Using an agent if you don't have the funds is akin to sending your passport out of the country for a visa stamp while you remain in Thailand - remember that scandal a few years ago?

 

Yes the visa stamp itself is real, just as with those stamped in the travelling passports.  But it was obtained under false pretences - no more no less.  Criminal fraud, and perhaps remember what happened to those who took part in the travelling passport scam.

 

Forum rules forbid me from saying what I really think about these discussions - total hypocrisy.

 

Yes, I remember it and I bet many of the people using these types of agents don't

[Dnyy]

Can anyone please send me details for an agent for Chaeng Watthana. It's not related to retirement extension but something else. Any advise is very much appreciated.

[mike787]

On 7/27/2019 at 3:58 PM, Orton Rd said:

The title of another thread re the government- zero tolerance to corruption, that being the case when are the agents and bent immigration officers going to be arrested?

NEVER....its the nature of the beast here...just cost of doing business.

[yodsak]

20 hours ago, Tomahawk21 said:

depreciate  to what ? and why would it ? please explain your thoughts, im interested. 

Sorry, i should have said it's depreciating against the ฿ and everything else.

If you put £25k into a FCD it's always worth £25k.  

  

If you changed it into baht in August 2015 at 55/£ you would have got ฿1,375,000.

Pre brexit  2016 at  52 =  ฿1,300,000

 May  2019  at 42 = ฿1,050,000

Today at  38 =    ฿950,000

 So if you changed £25,000 to ฿ In 2015 and didn't touch it you would be ฿425,000 better off than if you changed it today.. 

 Change ฿1,375,000 back into pounds and get £36,000

  They pay next to zero interest on a FCD A/C.

The last time it was this low was in  1997 

The way Boris is going expect more downside.  37.71 and falling at the moment 

 

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, trd said:

I've already said in a previous post that agents can't do that anymore.

And yet they do!

[Tomahawk21]

6 hours ago, yodsak said:

Sorry, i should have said it's depreciating against the ฿ and everything else.

If you put £25k into a FCD it's always worth £25k.  

  

If you changed it into baht in August 2015 at 55/£ you would have got ฿1,375,000.

Pre brexit  2016 at  52 =  ฿1,300,000

 May  2019  at 42 = ฿1,050,000

Today at  38 =    ฿950,000

 So if you changed £25,000 to ฿ In 2015 and didn't touch it you would be ฿425,000 better off than if you changed it today.. 

 Change ฿1,375,000 back into pounds and get £36,000

  They pay next to zero interest on a FCD A/C.

The last time it was this low was in  1997 

The way Boris is going expect more downside.  37.71 and falling at the moment 

 

Sorry, i should have said it's depreciating against the ฿ and everything else.

 

i understand that, thats why i said keep it in a STERLING account. we all know and understand bout the baht being so strong these days.

[Olmate]

26 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

And yet they do!

But he said they don’t! Maybe a phone call would solve it for him

[sniggie]

On 7/27/2019 at 7:03 PM, connda said:

And it's illegal and perpetuates the continued corruption - but as long as agents can obtain authentic visa extension stamps for their clients who don't have the necessary fund - well, who care, 'eh.  And where do they get "authentic" visa extension stamps?  Must grow on trees, 'eh?

In the meantime, no doubt Immigration Enforcement will be busy sticking it to all the retired expats who are under a microscope for actually complying with the rules.

Expats doing extensions illegally via agent - no problem.
Expats complying with the rules - treat them like criminals and subject them to a bureaucratic nightmare, and threaten them with rules that aren't even in the Immigration Police Orders.  How wonderful!

 

So thanks to all you out there who are choosing to keep the corruption going in this corrupt country.  Good job fellas.

I think your post sums up the feelings of many who post on the various (and I would imagine increasing) threads about the use or otherwise of agents. All started with the embassy letters (only affecting anglophones, I notice!). With all the uncertainty over renewals next year using the the 65k per month method introduced as an alternative to embassy letters it is particularly frustrating to know that there might be someone on the Immigration office who could, at a stroke, waive the need for any compliance. 

 

I have no problem with people who choose to use agents for whatever reason.  That's up to them. However, like many westerners, I prefer to follow correct procedures so that I am 'above board' and not dependent on others who might or might not deliver in the future. It will be interesting to see if, next year, anyone is sent home for having a late transfer one month or a couple that they can't prove are foreign transfers while all the time there are people having all the requirements waived by a senior officer.     

[Olmate]

7 minutes ago, sniggie said:

. It will be interesting to see if, next year, anyone is sent home for having a late transfer one month or a couple that they can't prove are foreign transfers while all the time there are people having all the requirements waived by a senior officer.     

Don,t need to wait till next year to see, it’s happening every day where folk are rejected over such matters you mention...That,s the problem

[poohy]

Nothing against agents (i have an excellent one  )use them when it is convenient to me but i am seriously not interested in posting about it anymore

What i am concerned is these increasingly  open threads

You cant trust the natives you know that! especially how the country is going now

So best not to give too much away, (look after number 1)  for gods sake, it you can type on TV you can ask around for an Agent and will probably get first hand correct info rather than a public hanging or discussion

This would also placate the holier than everyone else members who are disparaging to people who use them

[ICELANDMAN]

On 7/27/2019 at 10:20 AM, dcnx said:

If you don’t want hassle or risk of getting denied, or just don’t want to wait in line, an agent is the way to go.

 

It’s a small price to pay for convenience and peace of mind. 

Break the law Thai I not think is peace of mind to you ?

[JimGant]

13 hours ago, HampiK said:

because she was checking, that I not use the same picture again.

Thanks for that tip. Guess I'd better get a new picture.

[sniggie]

14 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

Break the law Thai I not think is peace of mind to you ?

This was the point I made in my recent post. I want to be in control of my own destiny. i don't want to be beholden to someone else. That would not give me peace of mind.

[trd]

And yet they do!

What can they do? It's the immigration officer who processes a visa application, not an agent. The immigration laws have changed. It was easy before because you could take the money out the next day, but now you have to keep a balance so how can you get around that unless the agent is willing to use their own money which won't happen.

 

[newatthis]

2 hours ago, ICELANDMAN said:

Break the law Thai I not think is peace of mind to you ?

If he / she has the correct monies in the bank or can show correct income coming in every month etc etc, then  how is using an agent for convenience sake breaking the law?

[jacko45k]

59 minutes ago, trd said:

What can they do? It's the immigration officer who processes a visa application, not an agent. The immigration laws have changed. It was easy before because you could take the money out the next day, but now you have to keep a balance so how can you get around that unless the agent is willing to use their own money which won't happen.

 

Are you winding me up? Listen, an agent can still get you a retirement extension based on money in the bank. You will not need to actually have 'money in the bank' of your own, the day you apply, 2 months before nor 3 months after. The agent uses their money for a very short duration, 

[Olmate]

1 hour ago, trd said:

What can they do? It's the immigration officer who processes a visa application, not an agent. The immigration laws have changed. It was easy before because you could take the money out the next day, but now you have to keep a balance so how can you get around that unless the agent is willing to use their own money which won't happen.

 

 

[trd]

 

 

 

 

Are you winding me up? Listen, an agent can still get you a retirement extension based on money in the bank. You will not need to actually have 'money in the bank' of your own, the day you apply, 2 months before nor 3 months after. The agent uses their money for a very short duration, 

 

So what you are in effect saying is that an immigration officer breaks the law. So what happens if you are able to get it accepted but then the following year you go to renew your visa and it is clear that you have not maintained a constant balance of 400k throughout the year, your agent is no longer available and you happen to sit down in front of an IO who is playing strictly by the rules and who wants to know how you were able to get a retirement visa the year before without seeding funds and maintaining a balance of 400k throughout the year. This is what you have to think about because a friend of mine who got a visa in chonburi but who lives in Phuket and who went to get his driver's license got rumbled by an IO who wanted to know why his residence certificate was in Phuket and not in Chonburi. He ended up having to pay a lot of money and employ a lawyer to get out of a big fix. And in any case an agent is not going to put 400k of their money into your bank account forever to maintain the minimum balance. as I said I use an agent to do it legitimately using my own money in my bank account. My agent has also told me that she cannot do it without money anymore because of the minimum balance requirement. Why are you having problems understanding this?

 

 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

12 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

You will not need to actually have 'money in the bank' of your own

Well that clearly is illegal. And what of the bank letter? No letter then the extension has been obtained illegally.

[poohy]

29 minutes ago, Olmate said:

 

Ha ha (thanks to my special computerized friend)i did not realize they had any adverts on Thai visa 

UGH ! i have just stopped him for a minute  what a mess it is

[jacko45k]

37 minutes ago, trd said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what you are in effect saying is that an immigration officer breaks the law. So what happens if you are able to get it accepted but then the following year you go to renew your visa and it is clear that you have not maintained a constant balance of 400k throughout the year, your agent is no longer available and you happen to sit down in front of an IO who is playing strictly by the rules and who wants to know how you were able to get a retirement visa the year before without seeding funds and maintaining a balance of 400k throughout the year. This is what you have to think about because a friend of mine who got a visa in chonburi but who lives in Phuket and who went to get his driver's license got rumbled by an IO who wanted to know why his residence certificate was in Phuket and not in Chonburi. He ended up having to pay a lot of money and employ a lawyer to get out of a big fix. And in any case an agent is not going to put 400k of their money into your bank account forever to maintain the minimum balance. as I said I use an agent to do it legitimately using my own money in my bank account. My agent has also told me that she cannot do it without money anymore because of the minimum balance requirement. Why are you having problems understanding this?

 

 

 

What if, what if. An IO apparently has the authority sign off on seasoning requirements at his/ her discretion.

Following year, use an agent again.

Yours isn't available, use another. 

Why would you sit in front of an IO at all?

Your agent is less capable or works in a region less 'flexible'....BUT apparently she had no problem breaking the law before the post seasoning requirement. came into effect... how did SHE previously handle the pre-seasoning 3 month requirement?

 

Getting an Extension in Pattaya yet living in Phuket is stupid!

 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

5 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

What if, what if. An IO apparently has the authority sign off on seasoning requirements at his/ her discretion.

To overlook the seasoning period at the Buriram office they want 15,000 Baht. Why is nobody correcting this misinformation that gets put on threads leaving others to believe it to be true?

[jacko45k]

38 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Well that clearly is illegal. And what of the bank letter? No letter then the extension has been obtained illegally.

Who said there is no letter, the agent gets one.

[trd]

Who said there is no letter, the agent gets one.

Lol!