The beauty of using an agent.

[JeffersLos]

Signed copies aren't even needed this year.

 

PDF scans of all documents are all that's required.

 

Passport collected from our condo.

 

90 day reports done, with the slip mailed to us (free optional service, can do it ourselves if we wanted to).

 

The only thing we need to do is scan the documents on our home printer/scanner, and can use the same scanned PDF files again next year.

 

 

How good is that? ????

 

And people actually go to an immigration office? ????????????

[ezzra]

10 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

And people actually go to an immigration office? ????????????

Yes, those who want to save on about 10,000 baht or so do, or those who enjoy having a day

at the immigration also do.

[worgeordie]

I hope "Big Joke" does not read this , he's on the trail of dodgy going on's at Immigration offices ????

and cost ?

regards Worgeordie

Edited March 17, 2023 by worgeordie

[nigelforbes]

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Yes, those who want to save on about 10,000 baht or so do, or those who enjoy having a day

at the immigration also do.

If ever I get to the point where it appears I might enjoy having a day at Immigration, kill me, don't ask questions or wait, just do it.

[oldcpu]

I have good friends who ALWAYS use an agent (cost ~ 10,000 baht/year) , and it goes smooth like you describe.

 

Myself?  I tend to suffer through immigration, but then later celebrate with the 10,000 Thai baht I saved each year.  That can buy some fabulous dinners.  My friends just laugh and prefer to spend the money. 

 

I figure we both have good points for our different views.

 

I am now applying for an LTR (Wealthy Pensioner) Visa, where all the paperwork submission is from the comfort of my beach front condo, where I can sip some wine (or drink a beer) on the balcony, overlooking the sea, and submit to BoI the scanned PDF files of needed documents with my laptop.

 

No agent needed, and (if LTR approved) the 50,000 Thai baht fee for the entire 10 years, will be 1/2 the summation equivalent of 10-years for an agent every year.   My friends view? They are in their mid-to-late-70s and who is to say they will even live another 10 years to justify paying 50,000 THB up front for an LTR (Wealthy pensioner) ?  So they pay 10,000 every year instead for an agent.  That makes sense to me.

 

Each approach has its advantages.

 

I feel lucky just to have the choice. 

 

Best wishes for your approach - as i can fully appreciate its advantage (of not spending time in immigration, which dependent on date/time can amount to hours in a crowded place).

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by oldcpu

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, nigelforbes said:

If ever I get to the point where it appears I might enjoy having a day at Immigration, kill me, don't ask questions or wait, just do it.

I don't mind going down there, coffee, then lunch sometimes. 

 

I would rather go to CW immigration than the DMV in California. 

[ThailandRyan]

10 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I don't mind going down there, coffee, then lunch sometimes. 

 

I would rather go to CW immigration than the DMV in California. 

Even with an appointment at DMV its a pure pain in the rear, where here with an appointment at CW it was low stress and fairly quick.  Glad I can still renew my California Driver License by using the DMV website. Just did it last December and the license mailed to my address in the US, and then forwarded to here where it arrived less than 6 weeks after I did the on-line renewal......so the DMV in California does make it easy...

[biervoormij]

I hope the agents are still around when I reach an age that I am not capable of doing it myself.

[Elkski]

I could think of a few ways to enjoy 10k for 4-5 hours of my morning at immagration. 

[proton]

1 minute ago, Elkski said:

I could think of a few ways to enjoy 10k for 4-5 hours of my morning at immagration. 

What is this in English?

[Celsius]

I don't have a habit of giving anyone my passport.

 

The deal you signed with your country was to keep your passport with you at all times. 

 

A few reports here of agents losing the passport.

 

So when you make a police report about your "lost" passport and give it to your embassy they have every right to refuse issuing you a new one.

 

 But as they say.... up to you.

[markclover]

Not the same for me.  No contact details.  Just a line ID the woman reads it but doesn't reply.  If you phone them you just get ''yes yes yes who are you yes okay'' nothing happens after that.

 

I got a few calls in the middle of the day ''be at immigration by 2pm go now!''

 

I always had to sit with them.  Staring at the floor for 3 hours then they drop me back off at the school.

 

Never sent me a copy of the contract.

 

The woman forgot about a previous call and sent me an angry message ''Stop wasting everyone's time.''  Generally quite rude and lazy staff all round.

 

The quality certainly varies from person to person.

[Yellowtail]

6 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Even with an appointment at DMV its a pure pain in the rear, where here with an appointment at CW it was low stress and fairly quick.  Glad I can still renew my California Driver License by using the DMV website. Just did it last December and the license mailed to my address in the US, and then forwarded to here where it arrived less than 6 weeks after I did the on-line renewal......so the DMV in California does make it easy...

I had been doing the online thing, but my last renewal was supposed to be have to be in person as I was over 60 or whatnot. But because of covid, I never actually had to go I got to renew online again, but it ended up a GF anyway and I had to call a half-dozen times to get it done. 

 

Next time we go I have to try to get my boy his first CA license, that should be fun...

[sidjameson]

I'm 55 and consider all things such as trips to immigration, visa runs, long haul flights as my work.

I retired 10 years ago from the real world of work so the few days a year I do this new variation of the four letter word doesn't bother me....much. ????

 

[Yellowtail]

I think a lot of it depends on how big a PITA is for everyone as well. CW Is not that far, drop the wife at the door, park, go get a coffee, go to the bank for the letter, make some copies, go in and wait. 

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

And people actually go to an immigration office? ????????????

Personally, I have no problem with people using an agent as a matter of personal choice.

 

However, I think taunting people who choose to go to immigration themselves is way over the top. Let's not forget that it's actually a requirement to show up in person, just consider yourself lucky that your agent gets this requirement waived.

[transam]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

I don't have a habit of giving anyone my passport.

 

The deal you signed with your country was to keep your passport with you at all times. 

 

A few reports here of agents losing the passport.

 

So when you make a police report about your "lost" passport and give it to your embassy they have every right to refuse issuing you a new one.

 

 But as they say.... up to you.

Some Consulates keep your passport overnight....????

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, proton said:

What is this in English?

He means he saves himself 10k by just going to IO for 4-5 hours, if that.

That's what it meant in my understanding of basic English.

[FriendlyFarang]

2 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Signed copies aren't even needed this year.

 

PDF scans of all documents are all that's required.

 

Passport collected from our condo.

 

90 day reports done, with the slip mailed to us (free optional service, can do it ourselves if we wanted to).

 

The only thing we need to do is scan the documents on our home printer/scanner, and can use the same scanned PDF files again next year.

 

 

How good is that? ????

 

And people actually go to an immigration office? ????????????

Are you sure that the stamps are legit? Afaik people who use an agent do at least have to go to immigration to have their picture taken...

I would at least do the 90 day report myself if I were you, if the extension would be bogus you might have a chance to leave Thailand and avoid being blacklisted. If after a year you discover that the agent stamped the passport himself you will be banned.

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

The only thing we need to do is scan the documents on our home printer/scanner, and can use the same scanned PDF files again next year.

So you still have to get the required documents from the bank or wherever.

But how can you use those for next year?

[Yellowtail]

12 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So you still have to get the required documents from the bank or wherever.

But how can you use those for next year?

The agent can probably get the updated letter from the bank. 

 

If I were rich, I use an agent, or just send my driver....

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

The agent can probably get the updated letter from the bank. 

 

If I were rich, I use an agent, or just send my driver....

When I go for my annual statements to Bangkok Bank, they need/want a copy of my passport signed by me in front of them.

It's only once a year so why not do it yourself, unless of course, you don't have the funds or transfers needed. Or the time to do it, ie can't be 4rsed.

Edited March 17, 2023 by KannikaP

[Baht Simpson]

Does that 10T agent charge include the 1900 baht extension fee?

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

When I go for my annual statements to Bangkok Bank, they need/want a copy of my passport signed by me in front of them.

It's only once a year so why not do it yourself, unless of course, you don't have the funds or transfers needed. Or the time to do it, ie can't be 4rsed.

I do it myself, just saying, were I rich I'd likely have staff to do it. 

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, FriendlyFarang said:

Are you sure that the stamps are legit? Afaik people who use an agent do at least have to go to immigration to have their picture taken...

I would at least do the 90 day report myself if I were you, if the extension would be bogus you might have a chance to leave Thailand and avoid being blacklisted. If after a year you discover that the agent stamped the passport himself you will be banned.

In this connection the following thread illustrates perfectly the downsides to using an agent IMHO:-

 

 

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, OJAS said:

In this connection the following thread illustrates perfectly the downsides to using an agent IMHO:-

 

 

As I understand it, a 10K agent provides services for clients that actually meet all the requirements but would just rather not do it. Like changing one's oil. These guys never have problems with the agents as that is all they are, Agents doing the footwork for the client. 

 

Agents that provide services for clients that do not actually meet all the requirements, charge a lot more and have to get a lot more creative.  These guys sometimes have problems and or additional hoops to jump through.

[Lemsta69]

55 minutes ago, OJAS said:

In this connection the following thread illustrates perfectly the downsides to using an agent IMHO:-

 

 

I've been here since the start of 2022 on an agent-assisted non-O and two subsequent extensions. The Full Monty not hand-holding.

 

Agent is Pattaya-based. I moved from staying in hotels in Patts & Bangkik to renting a condo in Bangkok. Condo office did TM30 online. I paid a Bangkok-based 1K baht to do my first TM47 at CW, including pick-up and drop-off of passport at my condo. Went without a hitch.

 

Subsequent TM47s have been done online. I changed condos a few weeks ago just before my latest TM47 was due. Condo office did new TM30 online, I waited 4 days then submitted the TM47 visa the extranet. Approved same day. Simples.

 

Agent has confirmed that they don't update my address as part of the renewal process so I'm not expecting any issues at the end of May when my next TM47 is due.

 

So, no downside at all. 

[CH1961]

13 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

and can use the same scanned PDF files again next year.

If your agent is using the same scans every year, you are in trouble, sooner or later, but for sure.

 

But you are right, to use an agent for the extension of stay, one time a year, is s good solution for all those who don't get anything else in their lives right. 

Or are disabled. 

[BananaStrong]

13 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

If ever I get to the point where it appears I might enjoy having a day at Immigration, kill me, don't ask questions or wait, just do it.

When you say "might enjoy" are we talking 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 percent?

 

 

[Yellowtail]

I don't use an agent, but I do not understand is the animosity by people that do not use an agent toward people that do. I don't give much of a rat's what people spend their time or money on as long it does not affect me. 

 

Going to CW does not really bother me, but if it did, I would pay someone else to do it.