Visa agent experiences

[EvetsKram]

I'm the OP in this, last year I had to go get my marriage visa from savanaket,  this year I'm wanting it locally but have no money,  it was drained through health matters.  Sometimes these agents come in handy & 25k works out cheaper than a trip to savanaket & the border hops needed following.  I asked if anyone had experience to share regarding 1 particular agent

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I have an O-A based retirement extension and will have to (unwillingly) renew by mid-August. I will have an embassy-notarized pension income statement. However, I don't want health insurance due to my departure sometime this fall (when outbound flights resume). What might I expect for an agent fee to deal with Jomtien? Thanks.

Edited June 17, 2020 by Kaoboi Bebobp
Typo

[Peter Denis]

14 minutes ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

I have an O-A based retirement extension and will have to (unwillingly) renew by mid-August. I will have an embassy-notarized pension income statement. However, I don't want health insurance due to my departure sometime this fall (when outbound flights resume). What might I expect for an agent fee to deal with Jomtien? Thanks.

Buying the thai IO-approved health-insurance policy Plan 1 (with 200K deductible) from LMG Insurance only costs 6.000 THB to 11.400 THB for the annual premium in the age bracket of 51 to 75.  And that policy does not require an (expensive) medical, just full in the application form and the Health-Insurance certificate is send to you by mail on approval and receipt of payment.

Probably cheaper than engaging an agent.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

37 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Buying the thai IO-approved health-insurance policy Plan 1 (with 200K deductible) from LMG Insurance only costs 6.000 THB to 11.400 THB for the annual premium in the age bracket of 51 to 75.  And that policy does not require an (expensive) medical, just full in the application form and the Health-Insurance certificate is send to you by mail on approval and receipt of payment.

Probably cheaper than engaging an agent.

 

Good point. I checked the LMG policy page. Looks like a "winner." Much appreciated @Peter Denis

[EvetsKram]

On 6/15/2020 at 5:50 PM, Bigtimecharlie said:

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.

Thanks for the info,  how did you get on with 90 reports,  any hassles? 

[Olmate]

4 hours ago, EvetsKram said:

That would be if you have the cash in bank,  25k if you don't have it

Wrong, why not ring a few, it’s hardly a secret

[dodgybros]

I had a mate use them recently and I am sure he paid at least 25k, no money, every went smoothly and he has his visa.

 

[KarenBravo]

The cost of being totally legitimate with extensions to a Non-Imm O for retirement is 800k.

For all practical purposes, your own money cannot be spent throughout the year.

To be questionably legitimate with a good track record, 25k starts to look tempting.......

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, dodgybros said:

I had a mate use them recently and I am sure he paid at least 25k, no money, every went smoothly and he has his visa.

This is Thailand. If you want to pay 5K over the market price, many agents are happy to oblige you. Unless you already know the correct price, always probe to see if a lower price is available.

[BigStar]

16 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

The cost of being totally legitimate with extensions to a Non-Imm O for retirement is 800k.

Not exactly. We're starting to rationalize.

 

16 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

For all practical purposes, your own money cannot be spent throughout the year.

You can spend it at any time and in any way you wish. BTW, the same can't be said of assets required by immigration authorities in some other countries.

 

16 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

To be questionably legitimate with a good track record, 25k starts to look tempting.......

Not in the least. What a waste of money--and for questionable legitimacy, too. ????

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, BigStar said:

You can spend it at any time and in any way you wish. BTW, the same can't be said of assets required by immigration authorities in some other countries.

The 800k baht cannot be touched for 3 months after the date of application and at least 400k has to be kept in the bank until the account is topped up to 800k baht 2 months before the next application.

[Tanoshi]

On 6/17/2020 at 2:55 PM, EvetsKram said:

I'm the OP in this, last year I had to go get my marriage visa from savanaket,  this year I'm wanting it locally but have no money,  it was drained through health matters.  Sometimes these agents come in handy & 25k works out cheaper than a trip to savanaket & the border hops needed following.  I asked if anyone had experience to share regarding 1 particular agent

Experience of mythaivisa!

 

They are based near Yasothon, but mainly obtain the extensions from Khon Kaen Immigration.

It's run by a Thai lady (forget her name) and her UK husband (Alan).

They started at 17K but their prices have steadily increased.

 

I doubt they (or any agent) can obtain extensions based on marriage as these have to be approved at regional level.

They can however obtain an extension based on retirement.

I am familiar with a number of expats living in the Roi Et area who have contacted them via email and phone, but they are appear overworked or selective, because they simply do not contact you again as promised.

 

You may have better luck.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Tanoshi

[RichardColeman]

OK, be prepared to be whipped of to immigration by the visa agents on the day you apply, be prepared - and brave enough considering what you are doing - to be sat in front of the immigration officials and have your photograph take in a small room away from the main area. Then back agent and then home to wait for the passport - potentially up to 28 days - which may be worrying if your visa is about to expire.

 

I know a lot of people knock agents, but I look at it this way, immigration agreements with agents recently seems to be supplying you to immigration for photo op, whereas previously you could get away without going. And never going at all if you used an agent for your 90 day or did it online. Putting yourself in a position to potentially be arrested if you are wanted for any reason, is sort of a way of showing you are a 'reasonably honest' person (visa agent excluded). Immigration can see who you are, can check you out against your passport, and background check if needed - and as said arrest you if required.

 

I am quite sure now that it is accepted by immigration purely for saving them time in tracking down people in the country not going to immigration and overstayers - and the money 'paid' as a donation for checking you out whilst presenting yourself.

 

As for the price - 24,000 ish for first visa, from scratch, and about 14,000 for extension (retirement), extra potentially for in and out visas. If you are quoted 25,000 for basic retirement extension - shop around.

 

Soi bukow as several have said is a good choice.

 

All above, as I'm led to believe, if you know what I mean

 

[turgid]

The problem is when people are making money doing it the "wrong" way nobody making money wants to allow the "right way" anymore. The point of the regulation was to make sure people had the funds to support themselves in Thailand. If 25K is being split between an IO and an Agent and the rest of us cant get processed without bribing someone the system is going backwards. A friend went to do a "free" 90 day reporting in Imperial  Lad Prao recently and it quickly became clear that the only possible way through the chaotic 2 floors of a car park system was to pay an agent. There was a 100 person line for the queue ticket to get in the actual queue. It didnt move. "Kind" people touted us and suggested a lady downstairs could get it done same day for 150 Baht.

[Olmate]

58 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

OK, be prepared to be whipped of to immigration by the visa agents on the day you apply, be prepared - and brave enough considering what you are doing - to be sat in front of the immigration officials and have your photograph take in a small room away from the main area. Then back agent and then home to wait for the passport - potentially up to 28 days - which may be worrying if your visa is about to expire.

 

I know a lot of people knock agents, but I look at it this way, immigration agreements with agents recently seems to be supplying you to immigration for photo op, whereas previously you could get away without going. And never going at all if you used an agent for your 90 day or did it online. Putting yourself in a position to potentially be arrested if you are wanted for any reason, is sort of a way of showing you are a 'reasonably honest' person (visa agent excluded). Immigration can see who you are, can check you out against your passport, and background check if needed - and as said arrest you if required.

 

I am quite sure now that it is accepted by immigration purely for saving them time in tracking down people in the country not going to immigration and overstayers - and the money 'paid' as a donation for checking you out whilst presenting yourself.

 

As for the price - 24,000 ish for first visa, from scratch, and about 14,000 for extension (retirement), extra potentially for in and out visas. If you are quoted 25,000 for basic retirement extension - shop around.

 

Soi bukow as several have said is a good choice.

 

All above, as I'm led to believe, if you know what I mean

 

But you had no problems at all! That’s good then

[holy cow cm]

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.

Considering the benefits of having to have zero in bank and no insurance, it seems like an ok service and price.

[EVENKEEL]

For those who wish to transfer money to TL now (800K) the exchange rate sucks and you will lose big time. That said 15 K for agent is looking good.

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

Considering the benefits of having to have zero in bank and no insurance, it seems like an ok service and price.

Sure way to avoid paying those pesky hospital bills as well. Eh!

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

For those who wish to transfer money to TL now (800K) the exchange rate sucks and you will lose big time. That said 15 K for agent is looking good.

exactly. 

[BigStar]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The 800k baht cannot be touched for 3 months after the date of application and at least 400k has to be kept in the bank until the account is topped up to 800k baht 2 months before the next application.

Wrong. As I said, You can spend it at any time and in any way you wish. ALL of it. There's no hold on any of it. If there were, then the bank would notify Immigration, if indeed the bank let you withdraw any. But of course the bank will let you. 

 

They are not coming after you to check your account and kick you out if you're below balance. You can then leave at the end of your current extension and start over with a new visa if you wish.

Edited June 19, 2020 by BigStar

[Olmate]

10 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Wrong. As I said, You can spend it at any time and in any way you wish. ALL of it. There's no hold on any of it. If there were, then the bank would notify Immigration, if indeed the bank let you withdraw any. But of course the bank will let you. 

 

They are not coming after you to check your account and kick you out if you're below balance. You can then leave at the end of your current extension and start over with a new visa if you wish.

Sounds the way for you to go then!

 

[Enzian]

3 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

For those who wish to transfer money to TL now (800K) the exchange rate sucks and you will lose big time. That said 15 K for agent is looking good.

My last retirement extension renewal was with a bit over US$30K in a FCD (Foreign Currency Deposit) account; no requirement that the money be in actual Thai baht. The problem was that with that kind of account, my bank, otherwise very good, doesn't provide a conventional bank book, only a magnetic card to use with tellers and managers. When I renewed I had the letter from the bank that everything was good, and some monthly statement print-outs, but the officer in charge could not get his head around the fact of no simple bank book. We called the bank's 24 hour line and they confirmed to him on the phone that that is how they do things. Finally he had me do a hand written statement and sign it, and he finished the renewal. My girlfriend talking to him in Thai made a ton of difference, but she and I are split; next time I may need an agent or a new girlfriend to explain!

[Peter Denis]

23 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Wrong. As I said, You can spend it at any time and in any way you wish. ALL of it. There's no hold on any of it. If there were, then the bank would notify Immigration, if indeed the bank let you withdraw any. But of course the bank will let you. 

 

They are not coming after you to check your account and kick you out if you're below balance. You can then leave at the end of your current extension and start over with a new visa if you wish.

The point is whether there would be any consequences if you depleted the 800K/400K partly or completely once your application for a 1-year extension of stay has been approved.

It is obvious that when doing so you would not be able anymore to meet the financial requirements (using the money-in-bank method) for your next 1-year extension.  However, if you planned to change to a different Visa type or leave Thailand altogether, that would not be an issue for you.

But the question is whether it is legit to do so.

And there are some contradictory signs on this issue.

1 - Many retirees have gone by accident under the 800K/400K tresshold limits, and the only consequence it had, was that their application for the 1-year extension was not accepted, and so they had to leave the country and apply from scratch again.  But no fines or entry-refusals because of this. 

2 - Some offices (e.g. Jomtien, SriRacha, UdonThani, PathumThani) require that retirees using the money-in-bank method, have to visit their IO 3 months after extension approval, to show that there is still 800K on their personal thai bank-account.  And the slip with the appointment for that bank-balance check warns you that the extension is conditional on the balance being maintained, and that failing to maintain it, or failing to report on the specified date, cancels the extension. That confirms that at least at these 4 offices you need to keep the required funds on your personal thai bank-account during the full 1-year permission to stay that was granted, and the consequence of not doing so being immediate cancellation of your present extension.

 

And of course, even if would NOT be legit to deplete the 800K/400K during your current permission to stay, Immigration have no way of knowing that you did this because they can only detect it when you provide them your bank-balance details. That being the reason those 4 offices mentioned in point 2, require you to show your bank-balance after 3 months.  

But at all other offices they can only detect it when you apply for your next 1-year extension.  So if you do a border-run at the end of that 1-year extension, and apply abroad or in-country for a new Visa (using a fresh bank-account) there is no way IO will know you did this.

I can only hope that other IOs will not start enforcing that intermediate bank-balance check, as it would create a new inconvenient hurdle to stay long-term in Thailand.

[Frankie072]

Others recommend MyThaiVisa ?

[Peter Denis]

4 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Considering the benefits of having to have zero in bank and no insurance, it seems like an ok service and price.

Yes, if you are prepared to take the risk of a crack-down at your local Immigration office and all parties involved (the fixer-agent, the immigration officer overlooking the requirements for a brown envelope, and the retiree that acquired an illegit Visa or extension) bearing the consequences.

 

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Yes, if you are prepared to take the risk of a crack-down at your local Immigration office and all parties involved (the fixer-agent, the immigration officer overlooking the requirements for a brown envelope, and the retiree that acquired an illegit Visa or extension) bearing the consequences.

 

 

 

Peter, I respect your posts, and your knowledge of immigration matters, but even you have to admit that the retirement extension stamp placed in the passport of someone using an agent is as legitimate as someone who presented all the necessary paperwork (and bank balance/income evidence).

 

The issue may be long-term continuation of 'bought' extensions but I have heard for 14 years that these will be clamped down on - never happens, too many vested interests. 

[Tanoshi]

18 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Peter, I respect your posts, and your knowledge of immigration matters, but even you have to admit that the retirement extension stamp placed in the passport of someone using an agent is as legitimate as someone who presented all the necessary paperwork (and bank balance/income evidence).

It's not legitimate if the officer received additional payment for services rendered, it's illegal and obtained through corruption payments. As your aware of that, your guilty of aiding and abetting.

Immigration offices are audited from time to time.

 

It's also a myth that the officer merely overlooks the financial requirement as they don't have the authority to do that.

Order 327/2557.

Quote

5. In the case where an alien applicant does not meet the full qualifications stipulated by the criteria herein or in other cases not specified in this Order but a competent officer equivalent to or higher than inspector is of the opinion that the alien has legitimate reason for staying in the Kingdom of Thailand, the application shall be forwarded to the Commander of the Royal Thai Police or an authorized competent officer for further consideration of the alien's application.

The usual method is false or forged documentation.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Tanoshi

[Peter Denis]

15 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Peter, I respect your posts, and your knowledge of immigration matters, but even you have to admit that the retirement extension stamp placed in the passport of someone using an agent is as legitimate as someone who presented all the necessary paperwork (and bank balance/income evidence).

 

The issue may be long-term continuation of 'bought' extensions but I have heard for 14 years that these will be clamped down on - never happens, too many vested interests. 

I do not agree with you that a retirement extension stamp obtained via a fixer-agent (and complicit immigration officer) is as legitimate as one obtained by meeting the IO requirements.

The risk may be small (considering that it is done almost openly), but nevertheless there is a risk and some retirees have paid a heavy price (being deported) for choosing the illegit way.

 

[AndyPa]

I don't think its worth using a visa agent if you risk being arrested and deported.

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

I do not agree with you that a retirement extension stamp obtained via a fixer-agent (and complicit immigration officer) is as legitimate as one obtained by meeting the IO requirements.

The risk may be small (considering that it is done almost openly), but nevertheless there is a risk and some retirees have paid a heavy price (being deported) for choosing the illegit way.

 

 

 

It is legitimate  - fact. You can't have shades of legitimacy. 

 

An IO has the ultimate authority to decide whether to place his stamp in your passport. If he chooses to do so it is LEGAL........ irrespective of what happened to to get to that point.

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by hotandsticky