Long Term Resident (LTR) Visa Certified Agents

[Pib]

In late 2022 the BoI published a request to interested parties to become Certified Agents (CA) for the LTR Visa to assist people in applying for an LTR Visa.  Interested parties had to submit an application to BoI by 31 Jan 2023 to be considered.  I noticed the LTR Visa website as of 9 May 2023 now has a webpage listing current LTR Certified Agents....as of 9 May 2023 four CA's are listed.   

 

Below is the weblink to the BoI LTR Visa CA webpage and a couple of partial snapshots from those pages.  Go to the CA webpage for more details....list of CAs.

 

BoI LTR Visa Certified Agent webpage: https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/ca.html

 

 

 

 

 

[khunPer]

And..?

[Pink Mist]

1 minute ago, khunPer said:

And..?

What information are you looking for?

[JackGats]

Puzzling. I thought the LTR was a visa so designed as to make agencies irrelevant. Now they're bringing back agencies through the back door.

[Rosho]

As the disclaimer says: do it yourself, through a "certified" agency or anyone else who can help, us for example? There are choices in terms of service and pricing that everyone has to make.

[Pib]

As with all types of visas a person can do it all by themselves if they desire.  However, some folks prefer to use an agent to assist and those folks are willing to pay for the service...for the assistance....for the guidance....for the handholding, etc.  

 

Now in the case of a typical 1 year visa say like a Non-O Retirement there is really not much paperwork at all....basically provide income proof via large deposit or monthly transfers along with your passport and application form.  But LOTS of people still pay an agent to assist.   

 

Now in case of a LTR Pensioner visa there is lot more paperwork....more income proof paperwork like bank statements, pension benefit letter, and tax return.  The income proof will be looked at closely.  And medical insurance paperwork consisting of either Thai or foreign insurance policy for $50K USD,  coverage under Thai social security, "or" self-insure with $100K USD in a Thai or foreign bank account for the last 12 months.    And of course a copy of your passport, a photo of yourself in business attire, and on a case-by-case basis possibly a police clearance/background check.   

 

If going for another type of LTR Visa like a LTR Work from Thailand Visa there is additional paperwork regarding your current employer/evidence of employment, your qualifications, a CV,  etc., on top of the paperwork described for the Pension visa above.   Required docs for each type of LTR visa is listed at the the BoI LTR Visa website.  https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/required-documents.html

 

I sure lots of people will want assistance with the associated LTR application paperwork and will be willing to pay an agent fee.  But applicants are going to find out they are still going to have to round-up all/most of the necessary paperwork to provide to the agent who can they help the applicant thru the application process.   An agent is not going to be able to create a tax return for you....create a pension/annuity statement.....create monthly pay statements.....create a CV....round-up your foreign medical insurance coverage although the agent could arrange a Thai insurance policy...etc. 

 

In the case of an LTR visa an agent is really going to be more of a "screener/application co-preparer/coach" for the applicant more than anything else....and the applicant is still going to be on the hook to round-up a lot of necessary paperwork for the agent so the agent can screen/build the application package which will be submitted to the BoI for consideration.

 

[Pib]

20 hours ago, JackGats said:

Puzzling. I thought the LTR was a visa so designed as to make agencies irrelevant. Now they're bringing back agencies through the back door.

Agents to assist with an LTR visa application will not be able to offer the same type of assistance that some visa agents provide say for a 1 year Non O Retirement visa like magically making the income requirement seemingly not exist.  A lot more paperwork is required for an LTR visa, especially income evidence, which a LTR visa agent will not be able to assist with....magically create the required income or overcome.  All the LTR visa agent will be able to do is explain to the applicant the required paperwork and hope the applicant can then round-up that paperwork to give the LTR agent so the agent can continue to build an application package.

 

Additionally, an agent has to be on the BoI Certified Agent list...right now only four LTR Certified Agent exist.  Just any ol' visa agent (of which there are probably hundreds across Thailand) will not be able to build/submit a LTR application package...or deal directly with BoI on behalf of the applicant.

 

Heck, lots of people use an agent to apply for a Thailand Elite Visa which requires very little paperwork, no income proof, no medical coverage, pretty much no-nothing other than a simple application form, passport, and "big money" to pay for the Elite visa.  The Elite visa company runs a police background check on the applicant and a person is approved.   Really a simple process but a lot of people still use agents to apply for an Elite visa.

 

Yea, always a place for a visa agent as some applicants do not want to apply directly....they are willing to pay for the assistance of a visa agent......and govt agencies like the BoI and Immigration are fine with that as long as the applicant provides the necessary documentation in the LTR application. 

 

I guess you could call this a Win-Win-Win situation....the applicant gets the desired visa application assistance and hopefully an approved visa.....the agent makes money....the government gets to approve the visa & collect a Bt50K visa fee along with other benefits the LTR visa holder will provide Thailand.

 

 

[JackGats]

17 hours ago, Pib said:

... 

 

Now in case of a LTR Pensioner visa there is lot more paperwork....more income proof paperwork like bank statements, pension benefit letter, and tax return.  The income proof will be looked at closely.  And medical insurance paperwork consisting of either Thai or foreign insurance policy for $50K USD,  coverage under Thai social security, "or" self-insure with $100K USD in a Thai or foreign bank account for the last 12 months.    And of course a copy of your passport, a photo of yourself in business attire, and on a case-by-case basis possibly a police clearance/background check.   

 

...

 

 

 

 

 

I'm wondering about this "photo in business attire". Do they want me to have a photo taken of myself and send it to them? I first thought they'd take a photo there and then when they issue the visa.

[Pib]

54 minutes ago, JackGats said:

I'm wondering about this "photo in business attire". Do they want me to have a photo taken of myself and send it to them? I first thought they'd take a photo there and then when they issue the visa.

It a passport sized picture of you chest up in a suit (business attire) for a male; for a female I guess a nice blouse would be considered business attire (or a suit if desired).   Thai photo shops can photoshop a suit & tie of your choosing for no or little added cost....that's what I did.   A photo of yourself in a t-shirt, regular shirt, etc., will not hack it with BoI.   The photo is one of the docs uploaded when applying so be sure to get a digital copy.      

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by Pib

[JimGant]

I thought I saw on that long LTR thread where a pollo shirt would suffice...... Christ, I don't even remember how to tie a tie.....

[Pib]

51 minutes ago, JimGant said:

I thought I saw on that long LTR thread where a pollo shirt would suffice...... Christ, I don't even remember how to tie a tie.....

Could be....I think I remember that post also.  But hey, at the Thai photo shop they can photoshop you in a suit & tie at no extra/little cost.  For my photos over they years when I get these type of photos for a visa extension, passport renewal, etc., I've always have a suit photoshopped....I vary the suit color & tie color to stay in style.  ????

[JimGant]

45 minutes ago, Pib said:

I've always have a suit photoshopped....I vary the suit color & tie color to stay in style.  

Gosh, you've got my juices flowing -- a zoot suit and a nose piercing might be interesting.... ????