Taking the plunge

[Padthaigoong]

I am planning to go and see a well known agent next week about getting a Non O visa for retirement.

 

The reason is that I plan to stay in Thailand for the winter months each year so at least 6 months and rather than try to juggle visa runs,  deal with extensions and the associated hassles which will cost me money anyway not to mention the border scrutiny from IO's.

 

It seems a wise investment for me to make and some peace of mind that I can come and go when I want.

 

Does that sound a sensible course to take and is there anything I should be aware of before I go to see the agent ?

[zzzzz]

Do you have the required 800,000 in the bank and willing to leave it there all the time?
if so no need for an agent, an just pay 1,900/year for the extension AND
pay 1,000 baht for single re entry or 3,800 for multiple

IF no 800,000, than its a min of 16,000 baht/year, PLUS the re entry>

you do the math

[Padthaigoong]

4 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

Do you have the required 800,000 in the bank and willing to leave it there all the time?
if so no need for an agent, an just pay 1,900/year for the extension AND
pay 1,000 baht for single re entry or 3,800 for multiple

IF no 800,000, than its a min of 16,000 baht/year, PLUS the re entry>

you do the math

The answer to that is at this point I'm not willing to tie the money up here as I don't believe it is the best use of it and an agent can smooth all the other wrinkles I constantly hear about.

 

Thanks for your input.

[nigelforbes]

1 minute ago, Padthaigoong said:

The answer to that is at this point I'm not willing to tie the money up here as I don't believe it is the best use of it and an agent can smooth all the other wrinkles I constantly hear about.

 

Thanks for your input.

I would strongly advise against using an agent to front the 800k, they do get caught and people who use such a system get banned for life.

[DrJack54]

20 minutes ago, Padthaigoong said:

I am planning to go and see a well known agent next week about getting a Non O visa for retirement

The first hit if using agent will be approx 30k which is for the non O and extention.

Every year from then will be approx 15k per extension.

Obviously you require a reentry permit. 

[Lemsta69]

Just now, nigelforbes said:

I would strongly advise against using an agent to front the 800k, they do get caught and people who use such a system get banned for life.

do you have any idea of the volume of business the "well-known" agents do? if not I recommend a visit to Soi Post in Patts for a wee look. they need a dump truck to transport all the passports to immi ????

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, nigelforbes said:

I would strongly advise against using an agent to front the 800k, they do get caught and people who use such a system get banned for life.

Complete nonsense.

What is important is to use a well know company. 

From the OP......

"I am planning to go and see a well known agent ....."

 

[Lemsta69]

31 minutes ago, Padthaigoong said:

is there anything I should be aware of before I go to see the agent ?

if you use the well-known one on Soi Post in Patts be aware that you'll need a Bangkok Bank account.  if you don't have one already they can expedite it at the nearest BBL branch, for a fee of course, most of which is the cost of the insurance policy.

Edited October 15, 2022 by Lemsta69
typo

[DrJack54]

31 minutes ago, Padthaigoong said:

is there anything I should be aware of before I go to see the agent ?

You may wish to discuss 90 day reporting with the agent..

[Padthaigoong]

Just now, Lemsta69 said:

if you use the well-known one on Soi Post in Patts be aware that you'll need a Bangkok Bank account.  if you don't have one already they can expedite it at the nearest BBL branch, for a fee of course, most of which is the code of the insurance policy.

Yes that's the plan.

I do have Kasikorn already but I understand that's not the favoured route they take.

[Padthaigoong]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

You may wish to discuss 90 day reporting with the agent..

Yes I was hoping that would be included in their fee.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Padthaigoong said:

Yes I was hoping that would be included in their fee.

Think you will find it is an "optional extra" 

Along with reentry permit and bank account 

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, Padthaigoong said:

Yes that's the plan.

I do have Kasikorn already but I understand that's not the favoured route they take.

yes and there's a very good reason for that but I don't like to talk about Fight Club so I'm keeping schtum ????

[Padthaigoong]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Think you will find it is an "optional extra" 

Along with reentry permit and bank account 

I see

Do you think 30k would cover all of that ?

[Lemsta69]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Think you will find it is an "optional extra" 

Along with reentry permit and bank account 

the one I use includes it as part of their package.

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, Padthaigoong said:

I see

Do you think 30k would cover all of that ?

in Dec 2021 I paid B25k for conversion to non-O and one-year extension, B4k for multiple re-entry permit, and B3,700 for bank account. 

 

they actually put B512 in the bank account as the initial deposit so I guess the net cost was B3,188.

[nigelforbes]

18 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

do you have any idea of the volume of business the "well-known" agents do? if not I recommend a visit to Soi Post in Patts for a wee look. they need a dump truck to transport all the passports to immi ????

 

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Complete nonsense.

What is important is to use a well know company. 

From the OP......

"I am planning to go and see a well known agent ....."

 

Each to their own, if you're prepared to take the risk, knowing what the penalties are, have it. TBH I'm not sure that breaking Immigration law on the very first day is the best way to start your new life in Thailand but hey, I'm just old fashioned in that respect. And if the fact that said dodgy agent has loads and loads of farang customers gives you comfort and makes you think everything is OK, more fool you.

[Lemsta69]

ps. I dunno what the renewal cost is because I forgot to ask. but the mate who introduced me to Maneerat said it was B12.5k or 14k if you don't want to visit Immigration.

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, nigelforbes said:

 

Each to their own, if you're prepared to take the risk, knowing what the penalties are, have it. TBH I'm not sure that breaking Immigration law on the very first day is the best way to start your new life in Thailand but hey, I'm just old fashioned in that respect. And if the fact that said dodgy agent has loads and loads of farang customers gives you comfort and makes you think everything is OK, more fool you.

very first day? yeah nah I was in quarantine on the first day and when they let me out I walked around the Cow until I found the first bar that was serving alkhyhol despite the Covid prohibition. I didn't get around to sorting the retirement visa until day 8. 

 

why come to Thailand if you don't want to adapt to the local way of doing things? ????

[Sparktrader]

17 minutes ago, Padthaigoong said:

I see

Do you think 30k would cover all of that ?

3000 baht flights to kl

[1FinickyOne]

40 minutes ago, Padthaigoong said:

an agent can smooth all the other wrinkles

wrinkles or laws?

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, 1FinickyOne said:

wrinkles or laws?

same diff 

[Sparktrader]

14 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

very first day? yeah nah I was in quarantine on the first day and when they let me out I walked around the Cow until I found the first bar that was serving alkhyhol despite the Covid prohibition. I didn't get around to sorting the retirement visa until day 8. 

 

why come to Thailand if you don't want to adapt to the local way of doing things? ????

Champion, can you pm the details on how the system works

[Celsius]

55 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

Do you have the required 800,000 in the bank and willing to leave it there all the time?
if so no need for an agent, an just pay 1,900/year for the extension AND
pay 1,000 baht for single re entry or 3,800 for multiple

IF no 800,000, than its a min of 16,000 baht/year, PLUS the re entry>

you do the math

 

No he does not. 

 

Or he is one of those rare Thai Visa posters who makes 30% annual interest on their savings account.

[nigelforbes]

14 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

very first day? yeah nah I was in quarantine on the first day and when they let me out I walked around the Cow until I found the first bar that was serving alkhyhol despite the Covid prohibition. I didn't get around to sorting the retirement visa until day 8. 

 

why come to Thailand if you don't want to adapt to the local way of doing things? ????

If you stay and if you don't get caught, you may change your thinking on this subject. Most long term legitimate expats, the ones who really can afford to live here, get pretty pee'd off with the antics of the few that can't and who break all the rules. In retaliation, Immigration implements even more draconian rules which makes life even harder for everyone, even though most of us have played by the rules. The rule about seasoning the 400/800k, two months before and every month after, that's because of people like YOU.

[ozfarang]

51 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

I would strongly advise against using an agent to front the 800k, they do get caught and people who use such a system get banned for life.

Can yo back up the statement with facts. Not hearsay, not bar stool talk.

[Olmate]

6 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

If you stay and if you don't get caught, you may change your thinking on this subject. Most long term legitimate expats, the ones who really can afford to live here, get pretty pee'd off with the antics of the few that can't and who break all the rules. In retaliation, Immigration implements even more draconian rules which makes life even harder for everyone, even though most of us have played by the rules. The rule about seasoning the 400/800k, two months before and every month after, that's because of people like YOU.

Sounds.like you can.t really afford it either. Best.to harden up and join the Club.

[Lemsta69]

10 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

If you stay and if you don't get caught, you may change your thinking on this subject. Most long term legitimate expats, the ones who really can afford to live here, get pretty pee'd off with the antics of the few that can't and who break all the rules. In retaliation, Immigration implements even more draconian rules which makes life even harder for everyone, even though most of us have played by the rules. The rule about seasoning the 400/800k, two months before and every month after, that's because of people like YOU.

sorry bro but that's kinda off-topic and I've already got enough non-expiring points ????

 

peace out ✌️

[ozfarang]

10 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

'The rule about seasoning the 400/800k, two months before and every month after, that's because of people like YOU.'

That's complete <deleted> nigel. Still no facts to back up you wild statements

[BritTim]

35 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

TBH I'm not sure that breaking Immigration law on the very first day is the best way to start your new life in Thailand but hey, I'm just old fashioned in that respect.

If the agent handles things correctly, no Thai laws are actually broken. All that happens is that a senior immigration official exercises abuse of discretion, and one of his close relatives becomes richer (purely a coincidence of course). You have plausible deniability about how the agent wangled you the extension without all the customary requirements being met.