I have a friend from the UK who visits Thailand for around 8 months a year. He said recently it's been hard to get a visa in the UK so while on his current trip he was introduced to a lady to facilitate a 'retirement' visa without the requisite 800k etc. I know there isn't an actual 'retirement visa', it's normally a Non Imm O (which I have had since retiring here in 2012) or OA. and extended by 365 days based on retirement.

Because of all the current talk about insurance I asked him which visa she had procured for him in case he needs insurance on renewal next year. When I checked his passport he hasn't been provided with a visa at all, just the 'permission to stay' stamp for a year.

I presume this means he cannot do a legit visa himself next year by showing the funding etc, he will have to use the intermediary again.

Is this normal for visa agents ? Do they only provide a 'permission to stay' stamp and not an actual visa ?

The is probably a visa stamp somewhere in his passport that allowed a 90 day permit to stay done by immigration. And then a one year extension of stay stamp done by them.

Agents do not provide visa or permit to stay stamps. They take care of it for their customers at immigration.

My agent who has done my R visa and 90 day for the last 8-9 years does all the Donkey work, I just turn up for immigration to photograph me and hand over my stamped passport. 10 mins this year at immigration from in to out.

For 90 Day I drop off and then  a day or so later collect my passport.

 

john

2 minutes ago, jonwilly said:

My agent who has done my R visa and 90 day for the last 8-9 years does all the Donkey work, I just turn up for immigration to photograph me and hand over my stamped passport. 10 mins this year at immigration from in to out.

For 90 Day I drop off and then  a day or so later collect my passport.

 

john

+1 

My agent does the same for me.  It is all legal, I am just too lazy to faff about with it myself.

As a matter of interest what did your friend pay for this "service".

3 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

As a matter of interest what did your friend pay for this "service".

Several years ago I knew of several expats who paid their agents between 20-25k baht, and that took care of everything.   3 month non immigrant conversion visa + 12 month extension + multiple reentry permit.  Took about 2-4 days or so.

 

Usually the common advice at the time was to do it with the agent for the first year or two, and then do it yourself should you get married or be over 50 and have the income letter/seasoned funds.

12 hours ago, 4evermaat said:

Several years ago I knew of several expats who paid their agents between 20-25k baht, and that took care of everything.   3 month non immigrant conversion visa + 12 month extension + multiple reentry permit.  Took about 2-4 days or so.

 

Usually the common advice at the time was to do it with the agent for the first year or two, and then do it yourself should you get married or be over 50 and have the income letter/seasoned funds.

The 3 months conversion plus 12 months makes sense as he got it in September and it's valid until Dec 2020, so 15 months.

 

Again I presume as he only has an permission to stay stamp and not a visa I presume he can't buy a car or motorbike (at 79 years old he doesn't want to) or other actions where a copy of the visa would be required somewhere in the process.

What if he is stopped by the police or immigration and is asked to show his visa ? Will the authorities accept his permission to stay stamp ?

12 hours ago, 4evermaat said:

Several years ago I knew of several expats who paid their agents between 20-25k baht, and that took care of everything.   3 month non immigrant conversion visa + 12 month extension + multiple reentry permit.  Took about 2-4 days or so.

 

Usually the common advice at the time was to do it with the agent for the first year or two, and then do it yourself should you get married or be over 50 and have the income letter/seasoned funds.

Paying 25k when the real cost is 1.900 baht, laughable that people claim it's legal. If it were you would not NEED an agent to pass on the payment to the IO to look the other way, you could just go into the office and hand over the money yourself. If anyone wants to prove it's legal just try it, go in and say sorry don't have the money but I saw on TV that it's legal to pay for you to over look that, how much is it? ????

34 minutes ago, YorkshireTyke said:

What if he is stopped by the police or immigration and is asked to show his visa ? Will the authorities accept his permission to stay stamp ?

A visa only allows a permit to stay and means nothing after you enter the country. It is your permission to stay that is important.

1 minute ago, Orton Rd said:

If anyone wants to prove it's legal just try it, go in and say sorry don't have the money but I saw on TV that it's legal to pay for you to over look that, how much is it?

Some have done exactly that, but prefer not to post about it. I have heard hearsay accounts multiple times of people doing just that. There have been posts of baht amounts being written on pieces of paper. Trouble is I would personally feel better dealing with an agent, more discreet, likely better communication, door to door service, someone to talk to if there are issues. 

why would they not post about it if it's legal?

2 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

why would they not post about it if it's legal?

The Extension procured is, the person involved did something that isn't, accepting a payment above 1900 baht. (Presuming you are asking me.)

8 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Paying 25k when the real cost is 1.900 baht, laughable that people claim it's legal. If it were you would not NEED an agent to pass on the payment to the IO to look the other way, you could just go into the office and hand over the money yourself. If anyone wants to prove it's legal just try it, go in and say sorry don't have the money but I saw on TV that it's legal to pay for you to over look that, how much is it? ????

Someone on another thread posted the rules from immigration which stated something along the lines of 'a visa/permission to stay can be authorised by the head of immigration at their discretion which I think related to the cash in the bank, or in these cases, no cash in the bank. This 'agent' he used is actually staff from immigration or a family member of staff of imm.

So if no OA visa in his passport then no medical insurance needed. Is this a loophole for those with an OA visa that cannot afford, or existing medical conditions, prevent them from getting medical insurance?

Cancel their OA by leaving the country then come back and pay 20-25k to an agent for an extension of stay which for a lot of people is probably cheaper than medical insurance.