I have an appointment in Bangkok next week with agent and bank. Agent is procuring me a Thai bank account then taking me to immigration for a one year retirement visa- 35000 baht for entire process. Legit?

What kind of entry are you on right now? Visa exempt, non-immigrant??

 

Topic title edited to be more useful ???? 

 

 

 

Sounds fishy to me.

 

90 day non immigrant o

That's a bit steep.

OP, if the 35k price includes 

1. Obtain bank a/c 

2. Obtain non O retirement (without you depositing 800k into the a/c) 

3. Obtain 12 month extension based on retirement.

 

Then yes 35k not ridiculous 

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, if the 35k price includes 

1. Obtain bank a/c 

2. Obtain non O retirement (without you depositing 800k into the a/c) 

3. Obtain 12 month extension based on retirement.

 

Then yes 35k not ridiculous 

 

He already has the non-O entry. So just the bank account and retirement extension (needing the bank account implies he doesn't have seasoned funds).

 

22 minutes ago, charleskerins said:

I have an appointment in Bangkok next week with agent and bank. Agent is procuring me a Thai bank account then taking me to immigration for a one year retirement visa- 35000 baht for entire process. Legit?

If it's Bangok, then that's probably in the ballpark. Visa extensions from Chaeng Wattana without money in the bank run between 25000 and 30,000, I believe.  Throw in another 5000 for the bank account. If it's in the provinces, the price should be around half.

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

 

He already has the non-O entry. So just the bank account and retirement extension (needing the bank account implies he doesn't have seasoned funds).

 

This is where the correct terminology is important. 

OP refers to "retirement visa" 

 

Since he is obtaining a bank account first implies that he does not have a non O.

So the agent doing the 3 steps I outlined earlier.

Bank account, non O, and 12 month extension.

Also that matches the price tag of 35k.

Sounds like ThaiVisaCentre to me. 

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, if the 35k price includes 

1. Obtain bank a/c 

2. Obtain non O retirement (without you depositing 800k into the a/c) 

3. Obtain 12 month extension based on retirement.

 

Then yes 35k not ridiculous 

 

Yes it includes all of those items

Legit? depends if a shady falang or a reputable agent

I have the non o . The price includes one time reentry also. 

36 minutes ago, charleskerins said:

I have an appointment in Bangkok next week with agent and bank. Agent is procuring me a Thai bank account then taking me to immigration for a one year retirement visa- 35000 baht for entire process. Legit?

If it was 'legit' you would not need an agent would you! Anyone can open a bank account, just go in and slap 800k on the desk and they will be only too happy to, last one I opened was with 500 baht. Extensions of one year are 1900 baht. 35k includes bribes.

1 minute ago, charleskerins said:

I have the non o . The price includes one time reentry also. 

Thats 1k so the real cost is 2900 baht, the rest is mostly bribes and a few k for agent time and service

2 minutes ago, proton said:

Anyone can open a bank account, just go in and slap 800k on the desk and they will be only too happy to,

No, times have changed, many reports of the struggle

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

No, times have changed, many reports of the struggle

Opened last year at Krungthai Exchange Tower 500 baht, helps if you are with a Thai of course

If you don't have the money in the bank it isn't legit as you will be bribing an immigration officer.

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

No, times have changed, many reports of the struggle

Opened a new one a couple of months ago with Kasikorn, no dramas.

Legit means legal and doable where I come from. The agent offered me two options- one open bank account and reentry for 8000 the in which case I would have to go back to America and transfer the 800000 thb. Then I would have to go to immigration with the proof on reentry (therefore needing a new visa) other option was everything done in one day and I have one year visa. I prefer to pay the money and be done with the hassle. For those posters helping me with intelligent insight - thanks. 

13 minutes ago, charleskerins said:

I have the non o . The price includes one time reentry also. 

So you obtained the Non O retirement OUTSIDE of Thailand. 

 

@Crossy : appears you are correct. The OP has a non O.

Must have obtained it outside of Thailand hence no need for Thai bank account.

But now needs a bank account and an extension.

 

 

I don't think so. 35,000 baht is the fee for the agent putting 800K in an account prior to application, then withdrawing the funds after the visa or extension thereof. Part of the money goes to bribing an IO.

If the agent was legitimate, there would be 800K baht in the OP's own account, with a seasoning period. The agent would be charging about 6000 - 7000 baht for the service.

I've known people who have used the non-legit route. So far, they have got away with it. It does not mean they always will.

Proton- so based on your post all immigration agencies are breaking the law?   

minutes ago,  charleskerins said: 

I have an appointment in Bangkok next week with agent and bank. Agent is procuring me a Thai bank account then taking me to immigration for a one year retirement visa- 35000 baht for entire process. Legit?

Expand  

If it was 'legit' you would not need an agent would you! Anyone can open a bank account, just go in and slap 800k on the desk and they will be only too happy”.   I don’t walk around with 800000 thb in my pocket 

Lasseit- you are correct that is what the agent is proposing 

Post on an open forum.  What could go wrong?

14 minutes ago, charleskerins said:

Legit means legal and doable where I come from. The agent offered me two options- one open bank account and reentry for 8000 the in which case I would have to go back to America and transfer the 800000 thb. Then I would have to go to immigration with the proof on reentry (therefore needing a new visa) other option was everything done in one day and I have one year visa. I prefer to pay the money and be done with the hassle. For those posters helping me with intelligent insight - thanks. 

It is doable but not legal.

Time people realised the agent doesn't deposit 800k in bank and then draw it out anymore. Bangkok Bank takes a bribe to issue a false letter stating 800k in bank for 3 months. So not immigration fraud, but bank fraud

18 minutes ago, charleskerins said:

The agent offered me two options- one open bank account and reentry for 8000 the in which case I would have to go back to America and transfer the 800000 thb

Do not follow some of your posts. 

Why on earth would you need to go back to USA to transfer money.

Internet banking and WISE (popular currency transfer) .

 

Bit late but if you can afford to place 800k in bank you could have done it easily by yourself.

Yes agent for bank account good idea. About 5.5k baht.

BTW in another post you suggest that it's easy to open bank account. No

 

You should have asked for advice earlier. 

How many days is remaining on you 90 day entry stamp

3 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

It is doable but not legal.

... or in other words, it is legit until it isn't.

2 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

... or in other words, it is legit until it isn't.

legit

 

ADJECTIVE

1. conforming to the rules; legal:

    

   So it isn't legit ever.