Retirement visa without the 800,000 baht

[Bernard LP]

Hello,

 

A visa agency offers me a retirement visa for 24,000 baht per year, which would allow me to obtain this visa when I do not have the 800,000 baht required.

 

They have many positive comments on Google, but what worries me is that when I ask them questions they only answer a small part, and I wonder if they are serious.

Is it legal and do you know of other visa agencies that offer this?

 

And they told me that they also take care of the declaration of residence, every 3 months, it's great, but before sending them my passport and 24,000 baht, I would like to be sure that it is not is not a scam.

 

If you could reassure me, thank you.

 

Bernard

[scubascuba3]

I wouldn't send a passport anywhere, choose a reputable agent that you can go to. First 15 months is often 24k-26k, following year 12.5k.

 

If you're in Pattaya go to Maneerat Soi Post Office 13\2, been going a long time and have a good reputation 

[Liverpool Lou]

If it's an established agency, it's probably ok, it's a very common business and if an Immigration officer gives you an extension of stay in your passport, it is a legitimate visa extension.

[Liverpool Lou]

10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I wouldn't send a passport anywhere

There's no other way to get an extension...unless they're doing Bluetooth extensions now!   Every agent requires the passport in order for it to be sent to Immigration.

[scubascuba3]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

There's no other way to get an extension...unless they're doing Bluetooth extensions now!   Every agent requires the passport in order for it to be sent to Immigration.

No, you GIVE not SEND to the agent then they prepare for Immigration

[hotandsticky]

23 minutes ago, Bernard LP said:

Hello,

 

A visa agency offers me a retirement visa for 24,000 baht per year, which would allow me to obtain this visa when I do not have the 800,000 baht required.

 

They have many positive comments on Google, but what worries me is that when I ask them questions they only answer a small part, and I wonder if they are serious.

Is it legal and do you know of other visa agencies that offer this?

 

And they told me that they also take care of the declaration of residence, every 3 months, it's great, but before sending them my passport and 24,000 baht, I would like to be sure that it is not is not a scam.

 

If you could reassure me, thank you.

 

Bernard

 

Difficult to reassure you if you don't say who the agent is.....

[proton]

I would not touch it if the extension is from a province you do not live in, definitely illegal

[proton]

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

If it's an established agency, it's probably ok, it's a very common business and if an Immigration officer gives you an extension of stay in your passport, it is a legitimate visa extension.

No it's corruption when obtained by bribery and definitely illegal if it's from a province you do not live in. 

[CANSIAM]

31 minutes ago, Bernard LP said:

Hello,

 

A visa agency offers me a retirement visa for 24,000 baht per year, which would allow me to obtain this visa when I do not have the 800,000 baht required.

 

They have many positive comments on Google, but what worries me is that when I ask them questions they only answer a small part, and I wonder if they are serious.

Is it legal and do you know of other visa agencies that offer this?

 

And they told me that they also take care of the declaration of residence, every 3 months, it's great, but before sending them my passport and 24,000 baht, I would like to be sure that it is not is not a scam.

 

If you could reassure me, thank you.

 

Bernard

They will take care of your 90 day resident reporting because your retirement stamp in your passport they will give you will be from an Immigration office where you do not reside ( possibly 600kms away) .........problem for you to do. Tell them you want the immigration stamp from an office where you are staying......

Edited July 31, 2023 by CANSIAM

[Olmate]

2 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

They will take care of your 90 day resident reporting because your retirement stamp in your passport they will give you will be from an Immigration office where you do not reside.........problem for you to do. Tell them you want the immigration stamp from an office where you are staying......

Its a Thailand visa, not a province visa.

[CANSIAM]

16 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Its a Thailand visa, not a province visa.

Yeah its Thailand visa, I suggest he ask the agent what Immigration office stamp will he be given, if he sends his PP to them, it will be sent to an office where they do that brown bag stuff and in all likely hood its not where you are residing, then doing your 90 reports will be a problem without their help for an added fee as well......

Edited July 31, 2023 by CANSIAM

[JensenZ]

48 minutes ago, Bernard LP said:

Hello,

 

A visa agency offers me a retirement visa for 24,000 baht per year, which would allow me to obtain this visa when I do not have the 800,000 baht required.

 

They have many positive comments on Google, but what worries me is that when I ask them questions they only answer a small part, and I wonder if they are serious.

Is it legal and do you know of other visa agencies that offer this?

 

And they told me that they also take care of the declaration of residence, every 3 months, it's great, but before sending them my passport and 24,000 baht, I would like to be sure that it is not is not a scam.

 

If you could reassure me, thank you.

 

Bernard

A friend did this last week. With a residency certificate included in the price, it was 25,500 baht + opening bank account 3,700 (4,700 if you're 65 or over). The actual agent was mentioned above. That's in Pattaya when you're actually there. I don't know about doing this in other provinces. I would not send my passport to anyone in the mail.

[NoDisplayName]

48 minutes ago, Bernard LP said:

A visa agency offers me a retirement visa for 24,000 baht per year, which would allow me to obtain this visa when I do not have the 800,000 baht required.

TIT, so it's perfectly legal to bribe immigration officers.  Many expats for various reasons use this method.  Not usually a problem.

 

Until it becomes a problem.  Like when you decide next year to do the extension yourself and find your visa/reports are done in a different province, and you don't have a bank account with the required funds throughout the year.

[proton]

21 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

They will take care of your 90 day resident reporting because your retirement stamp in your passport they will give you will be from an Immigration office where you do not reside ( possibly 600kms away) .........problem for you to do. Tell them you want the immigration stamp from an office where you are staying......

They cannot always do that if they cannot find a corrupt official willing to take the bribe!

[Olmate]

7 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Yeah its Thailand visa, I suggest he ask the agent what Immigration office stamp will he be given, if he sends his PP to them, it will be sent to an office where they do that brown bag stuff and in all likely hood its not where you are residing, then doing your 90 reports will be a problem without their help.......  

In OP first post he stated they do them for him Inc in cost.

[DrJack54]

OP, .... Name of agent and which province do you live? 

 

Do you have an existing Thai bank account in your name only

Edited July 31, 2023 by DrJack54

[CANSIAM]

13 minutes ago, proton said:

They cannot always do that if they cannot find a corrupt official willing to take the bribe!

Correct

[CANSIAM]

21 minutes ago, proton said:

They cannot always do that if they cannot find a corrupt official willing to take the bribe!

It happened to me years ago, 1st retirement/1st agent, renting in Bangkok, went with agent to CW, got it all done, back at home looking more closely at the stamp and permission to stay - said Chacheangsao Immigration ( 90 kms southeast of Bangkok ) 

Edited July 31, 2023 by CANSIAM

[LS24]

Do you actually need to be officially retired to get a retirement visa? Or could you be over 50 and still not officially retired in your home country and get a Thailand retirement visa if you still have income stream in your home country?

 

EG: Rent own home / properties in home country for passive income. Work online part time for a business based in home country. Not officially 'retired' in your home country and apply for Thailand Retirement Visa?

 

Is that legit if you have the 800k in the bank method?

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, LS24 said:

Do you actually need to be officially retired to get a retirement visa?

No.

You need to be 50+. 

 

The rest of your post is correct. 

Many folk with non O retirement extensions have income from abroad. 

Or are digital nomads etc

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by DrJack54

[Lucky Bones]

There are many good agents in the country, including Pattaya.

Go out and explore.

If you pick a dud based on someone else's recommendation it will haunt you.

I have had a great relationship for near on 14 years with my agent.

Pay the money, job done, stress gone. Wifey seems to understand.

Others will disagree.????????

 

 

[KhunLA]

Technically legal ... NO

Tolerated, possibly even endorse by corrupt Imm officers in 3rd world countries ... Yes

 

IF issued by an Imm Office via agent, then no worries.  But as suggested, I wouldn't send my PP & money to anyone online.

Edited July 31, 2023 by KhunLA

[TaoNow]

If ASEAN NOW continues to allow these threads that promote corruption of Thai Immigration officers, it should be considered a rogue website.

 

Please clean up your act, folks.

 

There are whistleblowers around...

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, proton said:

I would not touch it if the extension is from a province you do not live in, definitely illegal

Are you really suggesting that such an out of province extension would not be valid,?

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, proton said:

They cannot always do that if they cannot find a corrupt official willing to take the bribe!

 

LOL!

 

Absolutely no risk of not finding one....

[Lucky Bones]

1 hour ago, proton said:

I would not touch it if the extension is from a province you do not live in, definitely illegal

Yes. That is a good call.

Stick to where you live.????????

[KannikaP]

53 minutes ago, LS24 said:

Is that legit if you have the 800k in the bank method?

It can be 65k per month from UK, OR the Combination Method, where I have 400k in the bank and 35k per month from UK, = total 82k.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, LS24 said:

Do you actually need to be officially retired to get a retirement visa? Or could you be over 50 and still not officially retired in your home country and get a Thailand retirement visa if you still have income stream in your home country?

 

EG: Rent own home / properties in home country for passive income. Work online part time for a business based in home country. Not officially 'retired' in your home country and apply for Thailand Retirement Visa?

 

Is that legit if you have the 800k in the bank method?

As long as you are not working in Thailand, a Thai retirement visa/extension for anyone aged over 50 is perfectly valid.

[4MyEgo]

5 hours ago, Bernard LP said:

A visa agency offers me a retirement visa for 24,000 baht per year, which would allow me to obtain this visa when I do not have the 800,000 baht required.

Lots of broke farangs here, I'd hate to see what would happen when things turn around and they don't accept the brown envelopes anymore vs going to jail.

 

I know, I know, not going to happen in my life time, but gees, I wouldn't be sleeping well at night knowing that I would have to exit what I call home for xyz years because I didn't have sufficient funds to get myself an annual extension.

[KannikaP]

4 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Lots of broke farangs here

Yep, only need what I said previously, Bht 400 in bank and 35k per month. You couldn't live in UK or USA or Oz on that.

Oh, and Bht 60 for a 620ml beer.

Edited July 31, 2023 by KannikaP