Agent claims Immigration want to see 800k in bank book plus letter to transfer retirement extension to new passport.

[ozfarang]

1 hour ago, MJCM said:

I have no idea as I don’t deal with agent and I just said that I was wondering. 
 

Edit: and as you maybe know agents play the system so who knows how legal they act?

 

edit 2: did you quote the wrong person by any chance? @mokwit posted about illegal stamps etc etc. 

You commented in one of your earlier posts

 

'I wonder how stamps / extensions obtained via Agents hold up under scrutiny.'

 

This infers they could be fake I presume

[sandyf]

On 1/21/2023 at 10:06 AM, Kopitiam said:

Yes, when you open a new bank account as a foreigner, the bank will want to know whether you are a "resident" in the country with the necessary immigration approval.  Here we are talking about updating a personal data (new passport).  For discussion sake, if the bank found out that you are no longer a "resident" and you cannot have an account.   The bank now say you cannot access your money because your old passport is now void and no more valid.

You either ignored my original  post or it went over your head.

This is a statement from an email I received from the bank a few years ago. I had to go to the bank and prove my visa status was on a long term basis.

 

"According to our information, you have opened account with TMB without submitting
the necessary documents to the bank in the account opening process. Our governing
body requires that foreigners who open account with TMB must provide such
documents to TMB Bank. Otherwise, the bank cannot provide customer with online
banking service."

 

When changing to a new passport it would be a lack of due diligence if they didn't check the visa status in the new passport.

[sandyf]

23 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

A passport full of stamps with no more space does not "end" or become invalid.  A PP's expiry date is the expiry date shown in the PP! 

Are you saying it could still be used for extensions?

There was a reason I put "end" in quotes.

[MJCM]

4 hours ago, ozfarang said:

You commented in one of your earlier posts

 

'I wonder how stamps / extensions obtained via Agents hold up under scrutiny.'

 

This infers they could be fake I presume

You can presume what you want ????

 

I have never dealt with an agent to get ALL of my extensions (Marriage and Retirement) so I have no idea if the stamps people get are fake or not.

 

I just wonder when people, who deal with agents, and get their passports back, that the stamps they have in their passports are 100% legit.

 

For example: Near all my Extensions there is a Number recorded: for example A 123, which I guess my Extension is recorded in the "Book" A and it's on Number 123.  (Each extension has a different number).

 

This (I Guess) is for when your Passport is checked if you have a valid extension of stay / not on overstay, that the IO can check about if the extension is legit or not.

 

So again, I wonder if extensions people got through an agent are also registered in those "books" and THUS hold up under scrutiny!

 

[proton]

6 hours ago, mokwit said:

If they are done within 'the system' they are regarded as the same. Problems occur when the stamp comes from some lower level person freelancing on their own behalf. This is what gets busted. Outright fakes also are out there.

what about the extensions many get from a province they do not live in as the agents have no contacts at your real office? The law says extensions must be applied for at the office of the province you live in.

[MJCM]

1 minute ago, proton said:

what about the extensions many get from a province they do not live in as the agents have no contacts at your real office? The law says extensions must be applied for at the office of the province you live in.

OMG, so someone is living in province X and gets an Agent to apply for the extension in Province Y because in Province X the agent doesn't have any contacts.

 

WOW

 

Ps: That is the first I have heard about this

[ozfarang]

15 minutes ago, MJCM said:

You can presume what you want ????

 

I have never dealt with an agent to get ALL of my extensions (Marriage and Retirement) so I have no idea if the stamps people get are fake or not.

 

I just wonder when people, who deal with agents, and get their passports back, that the stamps they have in their passports are 100% legit.

 

For example: Near all my Extensions there is a Number recorded: for example A 123, which I guess my Extension is recorded in the "Book" A and it's on Number 123.  (Each extension has a different number).

 

This (I Guess) is for when your Passport is checked if you have a valid extension of stay / not on overstay, that the IO can check about if the extension is legit or not.

 

So again, I wonder if extensions people got through an agent are also registered in those "books" and THUS hold up under scrutiny!

 

You do a lot guessing how the immigration system works here in Thailand.

 

You really wouldn't have a clue, like the rest of the forum posters. All a lot presumptions and no real idea how the actual immigration operates.

 

Continue on................

[MJCM]

2 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

You do a lot guessing how the immigration system works here in Thailand.

 

You really wouldn't have a clue, like the rest of the forum posters. All a lot presumptions and no real idea how the actual immigration operates.

 

Continue on................

Thx will do and will continue getting extensions without the HELP of agents

 

[ozfarang]

2 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Thx will do and will continue getting extensions without the HELP of agents

 

Me too  ????

[jippytum]

On 1/21/2023 at 9:35 AM, MJCM said:

AFAIK you only will get that LETTER (for Immigration) if you renew your Passport from WITHIN Thailand via the Embassy.

 

If you renew your passport OUTSIDE Thailand (fly back to your Home Country) then you will not get that Letter (Ps: I am not a Brit)

UK passports in Thailand are not issued via the British embassy

[proton]

49 minutes ago, MJCM said:

OMG, so someone is living in province X and gets an Agent to apply for the extension in Province Y because in Province X the agent doesn't have any contacts.

 

WOW

 

Ps: That is the first I have heard about this

Really, surely not, illegal and a stupid thing to do that links you to agents for good if not careful.

[MJCM]

29 minutes ago, jippytum said:

UK passports in Thailand are not issued via the British embassy

I have no idea about that. How do you guys get the letter then if you apply for a new passport (within Thailand) and it’s not issued via the Embassy?

[MJCM]

11 minutes ago, proton said:

Really, surely not, illegal and a stupid thing to do that links you to agents for good if not careful.

Up to them

[mokwit]

1 hour ago, proton said:

what about the extensions many get from a province they do not live in as the agents have no contacts at your real office? The law says extensions must be applied for at the office of the province you live in.

The only comment I have heard on those is that the IO knows what you have done, but if it is entered into the system they don't question it/you about it. Now, if someone low level at a regional office was freelancing, as I think recently happened................

[RedArmy]

2 hours ago, MJCM said:

 

So again, I wonder if extensions people got through an agent are also registered in those "books" and THUS hold up under scrutiny!

 

There is no scrutiny - If someone uses an agent (For whatever reason), the stamp in their passport is just as legitimate as the person who does it themselves without the use of an agent.

 

Immigration knows the score & the only people who seem concerned about this, are the same bods who for whatever reason, keep moaning & complaining about other bods using an agent - Personally, i am not in the slightest bit bothered about how others get their extensions - It doesn't affect me & it ain't none of my business.

 

Live & let live ????

[Kopitiam]

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

"According to our information, you have opened account with TMB without submitting
the necessary documents to the bank in the account opening process. Our governing
body requires that foreigners who open account with TMB must provide such
documents to TMB Bank. Otherwise, the bank cannot provide customer with online
banking service."

Yes, when opening a new bank account, the bank will want to know whether you are a "resident" with the necessary immigration approval of stay. Similarly with online banking service.

When you have a new passport, it is just a personal data update. If the banks have to check whether foreigners holding bank account still have the "resident" status, might as well ask for an annual submission of Certificate of Residency.

[Neeranam]

These agents can claim what they want, to increase their fee. They must think you are stupid. 

Why can't you get your stamp transferred by yourself? 

How much are they charging? 

 

[Neeranam]

11 hours ago, RedArmy said:

Personally, i am not in the slightest bit bothered about how others get their extensions - It doesn't affect me & it ain't none of my business.

 

Live & let live ????

I usually say live and let live, but not if the law is being broken. 

Of course it affects you; these illegal immigrants make it harder for decent, law-abiding folks. 

[Neeranam]

22 hours ago, ozfarang said:

Are all agents illegal then?

I'd guess 99% are. If they bribe police to ignore immigration requirements, like having enough funds to be here, of course they are illegal. 

I challenge anyone to give the name of a legal agent. 

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I challenge anyone to give the name of a legal agent. 

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I'd guess 99% are. If they bribe police to ignore immigration requirements, like having enough funds to be here, of course they are illegal. 

I challenge anyone to give the name of a legal agent. 

There are some agents that only help people to do the application and accompany the person doing it to immigration that are legitimate.

[ozfarang]

27 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I'd guess 99% are. If they bribe police to ignore immigration requirements, like having enough funds to be here, of course they are illegal. 

I challenge anyone to give the name of a legal agent. 

You're no expert on all things Immigration.

 

Your opinions don't count for much, just like my opinions

[NanLaew]

22 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

On 1/22/2023 at 8:32 AM, NanLaew said:

On 1/21/2023 at 5:09 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

No, any counter transaction when the passport has to be presented.  Cash deposits require ID also now.

Not at Bangkok Bank, Central branch in Udon Thani they're not.

 

PS: Account held at Bangkok Bank, Pattaya Sai 2 branch.

You're trying to say that those counter transactions that normally require ID, i.e. ID card for Thais or a copy of a passport for foreign customers, are not required at that BBL branch?    Foreign account holders do not need to have their identity confirmed?   I believe that is a false statement.

You claimed that "Cash deposits require ID also now." I would assume that this is probably based on your personal experience. I have not said you are making a false statement. However, your experience, like mine, is not empirical.

 

Over the past five years, I have frequently deposited cash into my own account as detailed above. This was as recent as last December. I have only had to present my living and breathing body, my account pass book and the 20 baht handling charge.

 

Now tell me, why would I lie?

[mokwit]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

These agents can claim what they want, to increase their fee. They must think you are stupid. 

Why can't you get your stamp transferred by yourself? 

How much are they charging? 

 

If you are addressing me, I already stated that due to illness I didn't really want to go to CW otherwise I would have done it myself like I do for annual extension. It is my understanding that 90 day and transfer stamps do not require my physical presence. Fact is by using an agent I have avoided 3 trips to CW and it's 4 hour wait times (my experience with extension last time and with a 90 day report). As others have stated showing a bank book has not previously been a requirement so why would I have gone to the bank and got a letter in advance? .

 

Legitimate companies I worked for used agents for visa and WP.

 

 

[JimmyJ]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

I have only had to present my living and breathing body, my account pass book and the 20 baht handling charge.

 

What bank charges 20 B to depisit?

[RedArmy]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

 

Of course it affects you; these illegal immigrants make it harder for decent, law-abiding folks. 

How ???

I would be very interested to hear your reasoning behind that statement ??

[lopburi3]

45 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

How ???

I would be very interested to hear your reasoning behind that statement ??

Pushing to use agents by making more regulations/rules/checks adding financial and mental issues to those able and willing to abide by set rules.

a.  No more O for retirement most Consulates.

b.  Unneeded insurance for those obtaining OA by not accepting normal international insurance without special signatures that people can not obtain.

c.  Not accepting Embassy letters of income without conditions that most can not meet.

d.  Requirement for financials to remain in bank account - rather than be used for support as intended.

e.  Item by item check, year after year, of same things for all (because some cheat) - unless you use an agent.

 

Am sure many other examples - bending of rules always results in more rules.

 

Agents should be a regulated path for those who need such help in my opinion - not the mostly gray area it currently is.  

 

 

[RedArmy]

@lopburi3

Cheers for the input, but i didnt ask you, i asked the other fella.

[Parsve]

Hi, send me an message and I will help you. /P

[Thingamabob]

 

I recently had stamps transferred to a new UK passport at CW, supported by an embassy letter supplied by VFS. Nothing else required. If you need, or want, to use an agent I would suggest that the one you currently have should be able to deal with this without any  hassle for you.