Visa agent experiences

[EvetsKram]

A question please.  Does anyone have any experience to share with the agent mythaivisa. I'm thinking about it but can't find much information.  Thanks

[JohnOFphon]

I contacted MyThaiVisa last week.

Told them I have a Non OA that expires is 6 weeks.

Came back with a 25,000 baht quote.

No money in the bank and no insurance.

Don't know how they do it. I assume they have an IO on payroll. 

No way I'm ponying up that much.

[EvetsKram]

1 hour ago, JohnOFphon said:

I contacted MyThaiVisa last week.

Told them I have a Non OA that expires is 6 weeks.

Came back with a 25,000 baht quote.

No money in the bank and no insurance.

Don't know how they do it. I assume they have an IO on payroll. 

No way I'm ponying up that much.

Very cheap compared to others

[tonray]

22 minutes ago, EvetsKram said:

Very cheap compared to others

Yes...when you consider perhaps lost interest income on the 800K, the 1900 baht, and the insurance premium...not so far off the mark really

[from the home of CC]

in the west you would be charged with committing a crime facilitating corruption, I believe in time it will be the same here..

[baansgr]

7 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

in the west you would be charged with committing a crime facilitating corruption, I believe in time it will be the same here..

Most extensions are at the "discretion" of the IO so nothing illegal going on...years ago when passports were sent to other countries or borders etc that was illegal.

[tonray]

15 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

in the west you would be charged with committing a crime facilitating corruption, I believe in time it will be the same here..

No...in the west they simply refer to it as a campaign contribution

Edited June 15, 2020 by tonray

[Bigtimecharlie]

I actually used Mythaivisa and had a great experience, I never had any money in the bank, they picked me up from my condo and took me to Pattaya immigration, then dropped me back home, so I can only say good things about them. Som speaks very good English,so no headache with communication, also very polite.

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

Most extensions are at the "discretion" of the IO so nothing illegal going on...years ago when passports were sent to other countries or borders etc that was illegal.

Don't tell me that overlooking requirements by the immigration officer is legal and at their discretion.

From time to time Immigration has to 'set an example' resulting in immigration officers 'on the take' losing their job (no re-assignment elsewhere), as well as retirees having made use of those services being deported.

An agent can be useful for doing the legwork, but be aware that you are taking a risk when engaging them to fix some of the requirements that you are not able to meet.

[timendres]

15 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Don't tell me that overlooking requirements by the immigration officer is legal and at their discretion.

From time to time Immigration has to 'set an example' resulting in immigration officers 'on the take' losing their job (no re-assignment elsewhere), as well as retirees having made use of those services being deported.

An agent can be useful for doing the legwork, but be aware that you are taking a risk when engaging them to fix some of the requirements that you are not able to meet.

It is 100% legal for an IO at a high enough level to waive requirements. You may judge the action based on whether it was for payment or for humanitarian reasons, but it is still legal.

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, timendres said:

It is 100% legal for an IO at a high enough level to waive requirements. You may judge the action based on whether it was for payment or for humanitarian reasons, but it is still legal.

That is common misconception or an excuse used by some people to justify using an agent.

This is what the Immigration Bureau order 327/2557 states.

There would not be a immigration officer at a local immigration office with that authority. It would be at the least be at the division level of immigration.

I think it is a officer at a local office approving them with only unverified copies of documents.

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

in the west you would be charged with committing a crime facilitating corruption, I believe in time it will be the same here..

You are probably right. However, corruption in Thailand is very embedded into the way the system works. If anything, corruption in Immigration has worsened over the last 10 years. The "time" until transparent corruption in Thailand disappears could be a "long time".

[from the home of CC]

18 hours ago, BritTim said:

You are probably right. However, corruption in Thailand is very embedded into the way the system works. If anything, corruption in Immigration has worsened over the last 10 years. The "time" until transparent corruption in Thailand disappears could be a "long time".

this change with facilitation of corruption could be sooner than later, especially when tourism is attempted to be revived. In general foreigners are going to be scrutinized far more, and if someone fraudulently allowed to stay becomes infected (and then investigated) you may find a whole new attitude towards this illegality..  

[bkk6060]

Well, for at least 10 years people have been talking about the big crack down coming on agents.

It is never ever going to happen it is way too much money being spread throughout the entire system.

Now way, no how.

And, actually the agent facilitated applications are down now.  So, less scrutiny will probably be used by IO's to get the applications through, not more.

The 25,000 b someone mentioned is not terrible as I know guys in Bangkok paying almost twice that now.

To add, not everyone who uses an agent is some non qualifier.  In fact, the several I know in BKK are actually wealthy and do not want to hassle with waiting at immigration and the process, so they pay.

 

Edited June 16, 2020 by bkk6060

[Peter Denis]

29 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, for at least 10 years people have been talking about the big crack down coming on agents.

It is never ever going to happen it is way too much money being spread throughout the entire system.

Now way, no how.

And, actually the agent facilitated applications are down now.  So, less scrutiny will probably be used by IO's to get the applications through, not more.

The 25,000 b someone mentioned is not terrible as I know guys in Bangkok paying almost twice that now.

To add, not everyone who uses an agent is some non qualifier.  In fact, the several I know in BKK are actually wealthy and do not want to hassle with waiting at immigration and the process, so they pay.

There is nothing wrong with using an agent to do the 'legwork' for you.

But engaging an agent to 'fix' some of the requirements you are not able to meet, is a totally different matter and not without risk.  If you have the funds the financial requirements cannot be the obstacle, just ensure that the agent does not have to circumvent the requirements and can simply represent you for a totally legit service.  And of course the agent service is also cheaper, when there is no 'brown envelope' involved.

People being deported (and banned to re-enter Thailand) because their agent fixed something with IO, has happened before.

[cleopatra2]

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is common misconception or an excuse used by some people to justify using an agent.

This is what the Immigration Bureau order 327/2557 states.

There would not be a immigration officer at a local immigration office with that authority. It would be at the least be at the division level of immigration.

I think it is a officer at a local office approving them with only unverified copies of documents.

This is not as straightforward as your statement.

The wording of the police order is same as section 35 immigration act.

The local immigration officer has the authority to issue an extension based upon retirement , assuming relevant criteria met. 

Thus the powers to issue the extension must have been delegated or falls within his immigration rank.

In circumstances where the applicant is regarded a special case the power to grant visa must exist unless specifically excluded by the policy which gives the officer the original delegation.

 

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

The local immigration officer has the authority to issue an extension based upon retirement , assuming relevant criteria met. 

In that case number 5 would not be needed since they already have authority to issue the extension.

 

15 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

In circumstances where the applicant is regarded a special case the power to grant visa must exist unless specifically excluded by the policy which gives the officer the original delegation.

Not at a local immigration office.

[cleopatra2]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

In that case number 5 would not be needed since they already have authority to issue the extension.

 

Not at a local immigration office.

The power to grant extension at local immigration is restricted to retirement.

Does any agent apply for extension  that is not for retirement?

[Olmate]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, for at least 10 years people have been talking about the big crack down coming on agents.

It is never ever going to happen it is way too much money being spread throughout the entire system.

Now way, no how.

And, actually the agent facilitated applications are down now.  So, less scrutiny will probably be used by IO's to get the applications through, not more.

The 25,000 b someone mentioned is not terrible as I know guys in Bangkok paying almost twice that now.

To add, not everyone who uses an agent is some non qualifier.  In fact, the several I know in BKK are actually wealthy and do not want to hassle with waiting at immigration and the process, so they pay.

 

Your right about the convenience aspect but the going cost for the average bloke with no money or insurance is around 15k,to swap to no insurance required category 22k. As of last week.

[cleopatra2]

16 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

In that case number 5 would not be needed since they already have authority to issue the extension.

 

Not at a local immigration office.

The local immigration has been delegated powers to issue retirement extensions.

Section 5 would be for cases that the power to grant does not already exist such as reason of marriage.

[Keyser Soze666]

I've never used one since use a multi non o....but I know folk who do use agents and everyone says the service is top draw and have never had a single problem. You don't have to lift a fingernail everything is done for you incl the 90 day reports. If I ever go down the ext route I wouldn't hesitate to use one. Price range i've heard is 14-20k.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

The power to grant extension at local immigration is restricted to retirement.

A local office can approve most extension applications. Only marriage and those  based upon working extensions have to be approved at the division level.

7 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

Does any agent apply for extension  that is not for retirement?

Education maybe and possibley some non immigrant visa applications.

[Keyser Soze666]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

 

To add, not everyone who uses an agent is some non qualifier.  In fact, the several I know in BKK are actually wealthy and do not want to hassle with waiting at immigration and the process, so they pay.

 

Yep, correct. It's not only the balloon chasers and the happy hour, vest wearing, flip flop crews that use them.

[nausea]

Visa agents just facilitate the process, many guys who could easily fulfill the official requirements use visa agents, just cos it prevents all the hassle. What would you rather do, queue for two hours or walk in and out. Yeah, they can help you if you're having a problem for one reason or another. Of course, there's a slight risk, they might decide to crack down on all this visa agent stuff at some stage or another. Mostly though it's painless and works, so far.

[JackThompson]

On 6/15/2020 at 2:32 PM, JohnOFphon said:

I contacted MyThaiVisa last week.

Told them I have a Non OA that expires is 6 weeks.

Came back with a 25,000 baht quote.

No money in the bank and no insurance.

Don't know how they do it. I assume they have an IO on payroll. 

No way I'm ponying up that much.

Unless the extra 10K is because of the insurance-part, that is not a good price over the standard 15K (for retirement) at that location.  On Soi Bukow, a bit north of S-Pattaya Rd, they used to be even cheaper (not sure now).

[JackThompson]

 

2 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

this change with facilitation of corruption could be sooner than later, especially when tourism is attempted to be revived. In general foreigners are going to be scrutinized far more, and if someone fraudulently allowed to stay becomes infected (and then investigated) you may find a whole new attitude towards this illegality..  

I seriously doubt the top-guys will be giving up their primary source of income by "investigating themselves."  The few who have been busted, were operating non-sanctioned deals - evidently not sharing up the pyramid.  Those I recall were serving agents/clients from low-income countries, who were getting non-b extensions.

  

26 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

The power to grant extension at local immigration is restricted to retirement.

Does any agent apply for extension  that is not for retirement?

Add 10K to 15K more for the district officer's sign-off, if you are supporting a Thai family; they seem to find this 'distasteful', so make it more difficult than 'retirement' - though both are "Non-O" extensions.  In Bangkok, you have to hire one of the "law firms," to act as agent for that type of extension.

[Joinaman]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, for at least 10 years people have been talking about the big crack down coming on agents.

It is never ever going to happen it is way too much money being spread throughout the entire system.

Now way, no how.

And, actually the agent facilitated applications are down now.  So, less scrutiny will probably be used by IO's to get the applications through, not more.

The 25,000 b someone mentioned is not terrible as I know guys in Bangkok paying almost twice that now.

To add, not everyone who uses an agent is some non qualifier.  In fact, the several I know in BKK are actually wealthy and do not want to hassle with waiting at immigration and the process, so they pay.

 

Paid 12,900 for visa in Pattaya 3 months ago 

[EVENKEEL]

15 K is not that bad a deal. Health ins runs about 60K/yr, transfer money over from US I'd be losing about 60K bht. Or....or I can pay 15K to agent and no hassle. The agent route is looking good.

[Olmate]

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

15 K is not that bad a deal. Health ins runs about 60K/yr, transfer money over from US I'd be losing about 60K bht. Or....or I can pay 15K to agent and no hassle. The agent route is looking good.

Of course you get the visa and insurance tick, but no actual policy!

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Olmate said:

Of course you get the visa and insurance tick, but no actual policy!

Someone needing actual "insurance" would purchase a much better policy, for a better rate / coverage, than the special "immigration-connected" (wink) policies.