Visa expiring soon but can't get passport back from agent

[bongojules]

I'm in a stressful situation where my visa exemption expires in 2 days but my passport (UK) is with a visa agent and despite my pleading with them it is looking increasingly unlikely that they are going to return it in time for me to either make an extension or exit Thailand before the cut off.

 

Please could I get some advice on what my options are from here?

 

Any help and guidance will be very much appreciated.

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by bongojules
grammar errors

[BKKTRAVELER]

I think your post needs more details. Isn't the agent going to make the extension for you? (Should be the main point of using said agent).

 

Can't you go to your agent's office to try and get your passport back?

 

Are you on a visa exempt and trying to get an extra 30 days? Where are you based (and your agent)?

 

All these details may help others to answer you as correctly as possible.

[bongojules]

To add some more detail - yes, I'm on visa exempt and trying to get extra 30 days (based in Bangkok).

 

The agent was supposed to get me an extension by now but has not followed through on it at all. They are being evasive and seem completely disorganised, for example keep forgetting about my case and asking for 'photos of my passport' every time and when I go there to ask about its status/whereabouts they don't give straight answers. Or complaining about how busy they are because the boss has disappeared.

 

I'm at my wits end dealing with them because as mentioned in my original post, I'm now just about out of time before the expiry date and I'm stuck as for what to do next if I can't get hold of my passport?

 

 

 

[BritTim]

You say "the boss has disappeared"?!??!

 

I am at a loss on what to advise you. It appears that the person who would know the status and whereabouts of your passport is no longer to be found. How long has "the boss" been missing?

 

This is such a weird situation that half the posters here are going to assume this is a made up story.

 

Think carefully and decide whether you can share the name of the agent. If your story is based in fact, people here who have used the same agent might be able to diagnose the probable status.

[Orinoco]

Don't use agents.

DIY, works most of the time.

 

 

[ericthai]

Things dont sound good when the boss cant be found.

 

If I were you,  I would go directly to a police station and file a lost passport report then to your embassy to get a temp passport or travel document.

 

As for being able to stay longer in Thailand all depends on your embassy and then immigration and as far as immigration goes it's always hit or miss no matter what the rules are.  You're in a tough situation I really wish you lots of luck!!!

[scorecard]

Why not go to CW with a copy of your passport (surely you have one) and explain the situation and offer to pay whatever fees are relevant. And at the same time report the situation to the police with evidence of paying the fees yourself at CW.  And keep up the search for the agent. 

[RedArmy]

18 minutes ago, ericthai said:

 

If I were you,  I would go directly to a police station and file a lost passport report then to your embassy to get a temp passport or travel document.

Imo, this is bad advice - At this moment in time, its not a good move - Doing this could really backfire on you.

Immigration offices are very slow lately, but hang on in there - Try to persevere a little bit longer - I think that you will receive your passport back very shortly, with your extension already stamped inside. Be patient.

[Damrongsak]

Do you know where they live (their business office) ?  Pay them a visit?

 

In this crazy world, it's possible that their inside guy at immigration is out sick or on leave. Not that you need anything special or underhanded, just that the business channel has been disrupted.

 

45 years back, we had to somewhat expedite my wife's passport application processing in BKK with a "tip".  When we went back to collect it, the guy who was responsible said that it was his job, so he lost out on the "tip". Nothing underhanded, just speeding up the process.

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, ericthai said:

Things dont sound good when the boss cant be found.

 

If I were you,  I would go directly to a police station and file a lost passport report then to your embassy to get a temp passport or travel document.

 

As for being able to stay longer in Thailand all depends on your embassy and then immigration and as far as immigration goes it's always hit or miss no matter what the rules are.  You're in a tough situation I really wish you lots of luck!!!

I may be wrong but I dont believe you can get an extension to stay with a temporary travel document. 

[Jerno]

8 hours ago, bongojules said:

To add some more detail - yes, I'm on visa exempt and trying to get extra 30 days (based in Bangkok).

 

The agent was supposed to get me an extension by now but has not followed through on it at all. They are being evasive and seem completely disorganised, for example keep forgetting about my case and asking for 'photos of my passport' every time and when I go there to ask about its status/whereabouts they don't give straight answers. Or complaining about how busy they are because the boss has disappeared.

 

I'm at my wits end dealing with them because as mentioned in my original post, I'm now just about out of time before the expiry date and I'm stuck as for what to do next if I can't get hold of my passport?

 

 

 

Boss has disappeared?  Your passport may have disappeared,  permanently. 

[Caldera]

5 hours ago, scorecard said:

Why not go to CW with a copy of your passport (surely you have one) and explain the situation and offer to pay whatever fees are relevant. And at the same time report the situation to the police with evidence of paying the fees yourself at CW.  And keep up the search for the agent. 

It's pointless to go to immigration with passport copies but withoutthe original, they can't process the extension with copies and will just tell you to get a replacement passport first. 

[ubonjoe]

If you don't get your passport back go to the police and report it as stolen and tell them the agent has it.

Chances are that you will get it back in short order.

[Nip]

My daughter had the exact same problem. Filed a police report informed her embassy. Saw the same agent in the news in court up in Chiang Mai for multiple thefts of passports. Slap on the wrist and change of company name. Bottom line is you have no passport and your visa will expire. Then you are ensnared in the underground world of dodgy visa agents trying to right the wrong. I would go to the office and set up camp and take photos. I would go late evening when the staff are hungry and want to go home. They for sure know where the errant visa agent is. A'int they getting paid?  Oh and invite the staff to call the police and have a written statement of what happened prepared plus a letter from your embassy stating that your passport has been reported stolen. Best to bite the bullet now while it is a minor problem. Your guilty of no crime I assume and your passport has been stolen? Its a pity these rogue agents cannot be named here.

[kidneyw]

Can you not inform the agent that you will now need to inform the police about your missing passport. Might kick start them into action.

[swm59nj]

I would not waste time communicating with this agent any longer.  All you are getting from them is nonsense.  You don’t have much time. 
Immediately contact your embassy to make them aware of your situation.  And afterwards go to the police. Unless of course the embassy says there is no need to get the police involved. 

You don’t want to mess around any longer trying this and that.  You made enough attempts to correct the issue.  Now unfortunately you have to treat this as a lost or stolen passport. 
  
 

[worgeordie]

Just one of the reasons I would not use an agent , only hand

your passport over to someone official .

 

regards Worgeordie

[kingstonkid]

Option 1. Do what ubonjoe said

Option 2 action option 1 or xry

[itsallmine68]

12 hours ago, Orinoco said:

Don't use agents.

DIY, works most of the time.

 

 

You certainly havent answered his question Not much help

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, itsallmine68 said:

You certainly havent answered his question Not much help

To be fair... The Op led with very little info then followed up with further limited info....

 

 

We see the same pattern... someone gets into some difficulty and asks for assistance with a vague post which offers little information to help others help them... 

 

Not to victim blame, but I often wonder if this same lack of attention to details is the very issue which causes these people to put themselves in such difficult in the first place. 

 

My first piece of advice to the Op would be to go directly to the physical office of the Agency - but we don’t know if the agency even has a physical office. 

 

The second piece of advice would be to get hold of someone, meet them in person (if not at an office) and while in their presence try and make contact and call this boss - just to get some honest answers... 

 

Then of course the question to the Op.. why did they need an agent in the first place ?

Could they have obtained a visa themselves, or was this agent utilised to circumnavigate a regulation (i.e. 800k baht in the bank etc) which will help others provide a better path forwards... along with, how many visa exempt entries etc... 

 

It could be possible for the Op to get his passport back without the extensions, border hop to get himself more time... But we just don’t have sufficient info to help at this time. 

 

 

[MJCM]

5 minutes ago, itsallmine68 said:

You certainly havent answered his question Not much help

But he is right, unless you don't have the money in the Bank or some other reason why you do not qualify an Agent is IMHO waste of money.

 

I did on my own (with the help of the forum for example @ubonjoe , @DrJack54 and others ) applied for and gotten

 

- Extension Based on Marriage (lots of Paperwork) (5 of them)

- Changed Reason from Marriage -> Retirement

- Now on my 3rd Retirement extension and last time done and dusted in 20 Minutes (at IO) with a total costs of 1900 THB for IO and 200 THB for the Bank.

 

I would never ever part with my Passport unless it's

 

A- Immigration

B- An Embassy or Consulate

C- or the Passport stays in my sight.

 

@ubonjoe already gave you the solution. Go to the Police and tell them, you will be in deep ..... if you wait any longer with both your Embassy and Immigration!

[Orinoco]

31 minutes ago, itsallmine68 said:

You certainly havent answered his question Not much help

Its a lesson to others.

And should be duly noted.

 

Quote

Don't use agents.

DIY, works most of the time.

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by Orinoco

[MJCM]

3 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Its a lesson to others.

And should be duly noted.

Absolutely. A total warning!!

[richard_smith237]

20 minutes ago, MJCM said:

24 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Its a lesson to others.

And should be duly noted.

Absolutely. A total warning!!

Indeed....  Agents used by...

a) The Lazy

b) The ’needy'

c) The ‘unable'

 

i.e. 

a) Someone can’t be bothered to go through the hassle of renewal and gets an agent to do if for them.

 

b) Someone doesn’t meet some criteria, an agent circumnavigates that stumbling block.

 

c) Someone is physically unable to go to immigration i.e. immobile etc..

 

 

I’d argue that b) fits most cases for people using an agent and by that mere fact they are entering the grey area of illegality and those inhabiting that grey area are always going to be of questionable moral fabric.

 

None of this helps the Op though - knowing if there is a physical office is a good start. 

 

 

[problemfarang]

you dont need to worry about your visa because if the agency going to do that time on the passport has no importance. 

 

and i have friends using agencies. they all confirmed that this year things are really slow. normally they get their passport back in 4 weeks but this time it was 6 weeks. so i would say hang on and wait. there is no danger. the worst scenario is you will go to the police station and tell them you lost your passport then take the police report to your embassy. 

 

that cannot find the boss seems just a lie. if the boss was not around they would never tell you about this. they are just trying to earn some time. 

 

seems to me 2 different scenarios happening here:

a) they really lost your passport and trying to find it. this is a very common thing even with the best known agencies. 

b) they are just waiting your passport from the immigration

 

just wait another 1 or 2 weeks then if the passport is still with you go and file a lost report at the police station. meanwhile call the agency every 2-3 days. 

 

good luck

[need to escape]

Why not go to CW with a copy of your passport (surely you have one) and explain the situation and offer to pay whatever fees are relevant. And at the same time report the situation to the police with evidence of paying the fees yourself at CW.  And keep up the search for the agent. 

 

From personal experience this doesn't work. In addition the UK doesn't issue temporary passports. only emergency travel documents. If you can get a new passport you can go pay the fine and start the process, but the overstay can not be more than 60 days ( I believe-someone can correct this. It was what I was told).

With regards to:

Indeed....  Agents used by...

a) The Lazy

b) The ’needy'

c) The ‘unable'

 

i.e. 

a) Someone can’t be bothered to go through the hassle of renewal and gets an agent to do if for them.

 

b) Someone doesn’t meet some criteria, an agent circumnavigates that stumbling block.

 

c) Someone is physically unable to go to immigration i.e. immobile etc..

 

 

I’d argue that b) fits most cases for people using an agent and by that mere fact they are entering the grey area of illegality and those inhabiting that grey area are always going to be of questionable moral fabric.

 

None of this helps the Op though - knowing if there is a physical office is a good start. 

 

My situation came about from the s*** show COVID. My business in the UK went in to receivership  (COVID related), my wife came down with COVID almost died and someone had to look after the kids. (No local family). So went to agent as I had no time to spend hours in immigration, (It's called prioritising what's important) was cheated. reported it to the police they didn't care. I chose to use my savings to move my wife to a private hospital and look after my kids.

Think before you insult people. I hope you have a happy life.

[BritTim]

Think very, very carefully before you report the passport to the UK embassy as lost. It may eventually become necessary but, once you do so, there will not any longer be any chance of a simple resolution of the problem. That will be true even if, not improbable, the passport materialises with your extension a day or two after you tell the embassy your passport is gone. Your passport will have been cancelled in the UK's system, and no longer be valid for travel.

[Banana7]

17 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Think very, very carefully before you report the passport to the UK embassy as lost. It may eventually become necessary but, once you do so, there will not any longer be any chance of a simple resolution of the problem. That will be true even if, not improbable, the passport materialises with your extension a day or two after you tell the embassy your passport is gone. Your passport will have been cancelled in the UK's system, and no longer be valid for travel.

After it is cancelled, it can't be re-activated, it is permanently cancelled.

 

[swerve]

I am sorry to hear of your situation.  Very unsettling for you.  I hope it works out okay, and I think it will!  Hang in there until you hear from your agent.

 

Further thoughts: Why not just do the 30-day extension yourself?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alexlm]

4 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Option 1. Do what ubonjoe said

Option 2 action option 1 or xry

I would always follow eyes closed whatever he says... let's thank him for all his contributions, time spent and help with his incredible knowledge of the Thai Immigration """"systems""""

Edited January 19, 2023 by alexlm