Retirement visa from an agent

[JustAnotherFarang]

I have been using the same company for 3 years to do my retirement visa.  The initial cost was around 18000 baht and the following year I was told it would cost 14,000 but when it came up for renewal they asked for 16,000 baht.  I bit the bullet then but this year they are now asking 18,000 baht for the renewal.  I also have to pay another 500 baht every 3 months for a 90 days notification renewal to be sent to me

 

What are the going prices for these services nowaday?  Are their prices reasonable or am I being held hostage??  Feel free to message me with any personal recommendations

 

Thanks guys

[Lite Beer]

12 month extensions for retirement?

1,900 Baht if you do it yourself.

90 Days reports? Free.

It really is not difficult.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Lite Beer

[Havefunme]

I pay 8000 for renewal 90 day 100 

[Lite Beer]

Just now, Havefunme said:

I pay 8000 for renewal 90 day 100 

Why?

[NoDisplayName]

Do you have 800K in the bank, or are you able to show monthly transfers?

 

Where was your visa/extension stamped?  In which province is the agent doing your 90-day reports?

[JustAnotherFarang]

8 minutes ago, Havefunme said:

I pay 8000 for renewal 90 day 100 

would you be so kind as to message me with more info

[JustAnotherFarang]

1 minute ago, NoDisplayName said:

Do you have 800K in the bank, or are you able to show monthly transfers?

 

Where was your visa/extension stamped?  In which province is the agent doing your 90-day reports?

I have been living here for umpteen years, was married and i do have the money but not in the bank.  Im in the south but the visa is stamped in Chainat

[NoDisplayName]

2 minutes ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

I have been living here for umpteen years, was married and i do have the money but not in the bank.  Im in the south but the visa is stamped in Chainat

You're a hostage to your current agent.  Your visa and extension are technically valid, but not legal according to regulations as written.  You won't be able to renew yourself as you're not registered with immigration where you live, and you haven't maintained the required bank balance.  Only options are continue with agent, or exit the country and get a new visa in a neighboring country, or come back with a waiver and apply for a visa at immigration.

 

If you try to move to a different agent, you'll be starting out as a new customer paying full price and will have the same problem.  You'll just be hostage to the new agent.

[JustAnotherFarang]

1 minute ago, NoDisplayName said:

You're a hostage to your current agent.  Your visa and extension are technically valid, but not legal according to regulations as written.  You won't be able to renew yourself as you're not registered with immigration where you live, and you haven't maintained the required bank balance.  Only options are continue with agent, or exit the country and get a new visa in a neighboring country, or come back with a waiver and apply for a visa at immigration.

 

If you try to move to a different agent, you'll be starting out as a new customer paying full price and will have the same problem.  You'll just be hostage to the new agent.

cheers for your reply - much appreciated and I agree, its simply a case of better the devil I know than the devil I dont.  The agency has been reputable and well known for offering Thai Visa (.com) and they told me that the costs have increased due to shennanigans of the chinese who have arrived on illegal visas and that they must charge more to ensure my visa.  As you said, they are now holding me hostage but at least others will learn a lesson from my tale.

[Lemsta69]

4 minutes ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

they told me that the costs have increased due to shennanigans of the chinese who have arrived on illegal visas and that they must charge more to ensure my visa.

sounds like the bent IOs have pumped the price following the Chinese visa debacle, as expected. so why are you blaming the agency and making false claims about them holding you hostage? you're free to use a different agent any time you like.

 

18,000 is a reasonable price given the circumstances. in Pattaya it'll cost you 12,500 + 1,600 if your Bangkok Bank branch is not in Patts/Chonburi.

 

if you don't have a BBL account then it'll cost another 3,700 or 5,000-odd depending on your age to open a new account. I forget the age ranges, maybe up to 60 for the cheaper price (because bank insurance).

 

90 day reports are 100 baht.

 

of course you've got to physically present yourself in Pattaya for the renewal and you'll have to mail your passport to the agent for the TM47.

 

If you're in the south then obviously there are travel costs, so all up you probably won't be better off by using a Pattaya agent rather than your current one.

[JustAnotherFarang]

24 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

sounds like the bent IOs have pumped the price following the Chinese visa debacle, as expected. so why are you blaming the agency and making false claims about them holding you hostage? you're free to use a different agent any time you like.

 

18,000 is a reasonable price given the circumstances. in Pattaya it'll cost you 12,500 + 1,600 if your Bangkok Bank branch is not in Patts/Chonburi.

 

if you don't have a BBL account then it'll cost another 3,700 or 5,000-odd depending on your age to open a new account. I forget the age ranges, maybe up to 60 for the cheaper price (because bank insurance).

 

90 day reports are 100 baht.

 

of course you've got to physically present yourself in Pattaya for the renewal and you'll have to mail your passport to the agent for the TM47.

 

If you're in the south then obviously there are travel costs, so all up you probably won't be better off by using a Pattaya agent rather than your current one.

thank you for that informative reply and you are probably right, Im better sticking with the devil I know than the devil I dont know residing in Pattaya ????

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by JustAnotherFarang

[GammaGlobulin]

2 hours ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

thank you for that informative reply and you are probably right, Im better sticking with the devil I know than the devil I dont know residing in Pattaya ????

 

Sorry, but I am not completely clear about what your status is and what you are paying the agent for.

I have read your comments a few times.

Am I to understand that you are saying:

 

a. When you first applied for a retirement visa, at that time, you did not maintain the 800K requirement in a Thai bank?

c.  And that, instead of doing this, you opted to use an agent to handle both your initial retirement visa application, plus the following annual retirement visa extensions?

d. And that now, you are asking how to potentially change from the first agent to another agent? And, whether or not that is indeed possible?

e. And, just to be clear:  How much did you pay to the agent for the initial retirement visa processing (without the 800K in your bank account)? AND, how much do you pay for each annual retirement visa extension (again without 800K in your Thai bank account)?

f.  And, now, are you saying that you want to return to the According-to-Hoyle retirement visa extension status (WITH the 800K in your bank account)?

g.  And further, reading the above comments, it would seem that reverting to the According-to-Hoyle retirement visa application/extension status is not as easy as you might have imagined?

h. This is an interesting question: BECAUSE...If one watches UTUBE, people will sometimes speak about the initial retirement visa application (w/o 800K) costing Bt.35,000 to Bt.40,000-, so reading this thread, it seems a bit confusing because what is being stated is not especially well-spelled-out.

 

Would someone who is knowledgeable and well-informed about these points kindly clarify?

 

I have not seen this issue discussed on the forum; and maybe this is only due to the fact that I have not been looking for this information.

 

Also, would it not be advisable to contact some sort of immigration attorney or advisor to help you straighten this out?  And, in this case, is it even possible to easily resolve this "in limbo"-like kind of situation?

 

 

 

 

[ChaiyaTH]

5 hours ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

I have been using the same company for 3 years to do my retirement visa.  The initial cost was around 18000 baht and the following year I was told it would cost 14,000 but when it came up for renewal they asked for 16,000 baht.  I bit the bullet then but this year they are now asking 18,000 baht for the renewal.  I also have to pay another 500 baht every 3 months for a 90 days notification renewal to be sent to me

 

What are the going prices for these services nowaday?  Are their prices reasonable or am I being held hostage??  Feel free to message me with any personal recommendations

 

Thanks guys

Are you joking or what? You are whining and looking around for a fee of only 18,000 on renewal? Up to 30,000 is 2023 standard, maybe even more in some places. Below 25k is a steal.

Edited August 17, 2023 by ChaiyaTH

[ChaiyaTH]

4 hours ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

would you be so kind as to message me with more info

Obviously he means he overpays some agent big time, being a idiot, while do having the money in the bank. You clearly do not.

[GammaGlobulin]

6 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Are you joking or what? You are whining and looking around for a fee of only 18,000 on renewal? Up to 30,000 is 2023 standard, maybe even more in some places. Below 25k is a steal.

EXACTLY! 

 

This is why, upon reading through this thread, I became utterly confused... 

 

Because, the relevant fees he is quoting seem to be about half the going rate... or LESS. 

 

Something seem to be amiss here, because these fees just don't ring true... 

 

Let's wait for further clarification... 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

If I am not mistaken, judging from info freely available on UTUBE, it seems that the OP has divided the "standard" fees charged by this kind of agent... by 2. 

 

 

[Lucky Bones]

5 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

12 month extensions for retirement?

1,900 Baht if you do it yourself.

90 Days reports? Free.

It really is not difficult.

Extension or new passport, depends on which Immigration Office, which Immigration Officer and which day of the week it is.

I have been asked for a dozen different forms, copies of bank books etc over my 10+ years.

Immigration Officers love flipping through bank books.

90 days always a breeze.????????

[JensenZ]

8 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

You're a hostage to your current agent.  Your visa and extension are technically valid, but not legal according to regulations as written.  You won't be able to renew yourself as you're not registered with immigration where you live, and you haven't maintained the required bank balance.  Only options are continue with agent, or exit the country and get a new visa in a neighboring country, or come back with a waiver and apply for a visa at immigration.

 

If you try to move to a different agent, you'll be starting out as a new customer paying full price and will have the same problem.  You'll just be hostage to the new agent.

There's no problem changing from one agent to another, in fact I did that this year. I got a better price. The "full price" you speak of is the cost of getting a new O-visa after entering on a visa exempt stamp if you left Thailand without a re-entry permit. Who would do that?

[Red Phoenix]

8 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

... Your visa and extension are technically valid, but not legal according to regulations as written.  You won't be able to renew yourself as you're not registered with immigration where you live, and you haven't maintained the required bank balance.  Only options are continue with agent, or exit the country and get a new visa in a neighboring country, or come back with a waiver and apply for a visa at immigration.

...

From what OP wrote I assume that he is only eligible for a Non Imm O Visa and extension based on retirement (i.e. being +50 years of age.).

When meeting the financial requirements for such Visa/extension (+800.000 THB on a personal Thai bank-account, or proof of +65.000 THB transferred monthly to such account), you can do the process yourself at your local Imm Office. That will cost you 2.000,- THB for the initial Non Imm O Visa application and 1.900,- THB for each annual extension.

Your 90-day reports can then be done free of charge. 

However, when opting for the above you would first need 'to break free from your current Visa agent'.  Easiest way to do this is to exit Thailand and re-enter without Re-Entry Permit which will provide you with a 30-day permission to stay.  And when you have at least 15 days left on that Permission to stay, apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa at your local Imm Office. Best time to do this is in the final days of your current Permission to stay.

Note that if you are married to a Thai national or with Thai dependant children,  the financial requirements are much lower.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[DrJack54]

9 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

Only options are continue with agent, or exit the country and get a new visa in a neighboring country, or come back with a waiver and apply for a visa at immigration.

Your post correctly outlines the options.

 

Some folk think that can flick a switch to meeting the financials requirements.

 

I suggest the OP just goes with the flow bit the same as when rents are increased.

 

Indeed he can do as you suggest perhaps at some point exit Thailand reenter visa exempt and start over obtaining a new non O and subsequent extensions meeting the financials. 

I would even open a new bank account.

[JustAnotherFarang]

many thanks to the posters who offered advice that I needed, much appreciated

[Andrew65]

Not sure about it being a big benefit using agents for this, if the 800k pa isn't a problem. 

[charleskerins]

Your question is of great interest to me. I am on a 90 day visa scheduled to return to United States middle of next week, I am scheduled to meet with an agent on Monday at bank in Bangkok and then immigration 35000 thb.Don’t really mind the price but I am tied to the agent for all further renewals???? TIA

[phetpeter]

I use an agent who, charges less and my local immigation officer told me to pop in register my original address when done, He stated it wasn't a problem, then he stated I can do 90 day on line or just pop in, no charges, when the agent did my 90 day, there was no charge included in the first and one time fee each year. There are agency around who will milk you. My friend went to one in BKK who had all these add on fees. The agent I use is very good and operates from Khong kaen area, but will do anywhere. You can mesage me if you would like to know them. By the way, he applied for retirement with BKK agent, but, really to teach he needed to change after a few months , went to my agent who arranged to cancel retirement and got him a married extension, with out any problems. so, yes just go to a new agent whenever you wish, just remember to change back your address with local immigation office, if you are not a wanderer and have a home somewhere. and then you can do your 90 days yourself free.

Edited August 18, 2023 by phetpeter

[Nemises]

17 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

12 month extensions for retirement?

1,900 Baht if you do it yourself.

90 Days reports? Free.

It really is not difficult.

And leave 800,000 baht sitting in some TH bank doing SFA? No thanks. Far better that the 800k is invested in blue chip shares in your home country’s stock market. A very small % of the compounding interest/dividends of that share portfolio then pays the TH visa agent fee.

[RichardColeman]

My 'friend' pays 25,000 for the initial visa, 14,000 for the yearly and 300 for the 90 days

 

My 'friend' is quite happy paying about 40 baht a day to be with his wife and family 

 

People moaning about a few thousand baht really should not be here

[Andycoops]

Paying 18k for a 1 year extension is I'm my opinion a very good deal.

I know people who pay over 20k.

 

Last week I met a Swiss guy, completely clueless about visas who told me he paid 23k for a 3 month TV...

[DrJack54]

15 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

 

Last week I met a Swiss guy, completely clueless about visas who told me he paid 23k for a 3 month TV...

No such thing as a 3 month TV.

Was probably a non O that gives a 90day permit.

Agents cannot obtain a tourist visa from inside Thailand 

[Maestro]

Removed some off-topic posts.

[bkk6060]

15 to 20 k is the going price in Chonburi.  Bangkok is probably around 30 k.