Using an Agent to change from Thai Wife visa to Retirement visa

[YangyaiBrit]

I am 1-month away from renewing my Thai Wife visa and thinking of moving to a Retirement visa using an agent.

 

I've been in touch with 'Thai Visa' and they informed me that they provide this service for a fee of Bht. 20,000.

Has anyone had experience of doing this procedure with them? If so, can they be trusted?

 

I live in Nakorn Ratchasima and would need to visit them at their office in Bangkok in order to chat with them face-to-face.

 

[Neeranam]

7 minutes ago, YangyaiBrit said:

I am 1-month away from renewing my Thai Wife visa and thinking of moving to a Retirement visa using an agent.

 

I've been in touch with 'Thai Visa' and they informed me that they provide this service for a fee of Bht. 20,000.

Has anyone had experience of doing this procedure with them? If so, can they be trusted?

 

I live in Nakorn Ratchasima and would need to visit them at their office in Bangkok in order to chat with them face-to-face.

 

These agents bribe immigration officers. 

If you don't have the 800k in the bank, offer the immigration directly, much less than 20k, probably 10k.

Of you do have the 800k, do it yourself. 

 

[YangyaiBrit]

8 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

These agents bribe immigration officers. 

If you don't have the 800k in the bank, offer the immigration directly, much less than 20k, probably 10k.

Of you do have the 800k, do it yourself. 

 

I dont have 800K in the bank and my wife has tried contacting Korat Imm. Office directly with no success.

[youreavinalaff]

2 hours ago, YangyaiBrit said:

I dont have 800K in the bank and my wife has tried contacting Korat Imm. Office directly with no success.

A marriage extension, the type i imagine you are on now but call a "Thai wife visa", only requires 400k.

[timendres]

2 hours ago, YangyaiBrit said:

I dont have 800K in the bank and my wife has tried contacting Korat Imm. Office directly with no success.

 

Beware of using an agent for this circumstance.

Once you have used an agent in this way, you are "locked in".

[newbee2022]

17 hours ago, YangyaiBrit said:

I am 1-month away from renewing my Thai Wife visa and thinking of moving to a Retirement visa using an agent.

 

I've been in touch with 'Thai Visa' and they informed me that they provide this service for a fee of Bht. 20,000.

Has anyone had experience of doing this procedure with them? If so, can they be trusted?

 

I live in Nakorn Ratchasima and would need to visit them at their office in Bangkok in order to chat with them face-to-face.

 

If you're able to read and write your name you don't need a nurse, do you? For what an "agent"??😂

[Peterw42]

15 hours ago, timendres said:

 

Beware of using an agent for this circumstance.

Once you have used an agent in this way, you are "locked in".

That's not true. I used an agent for a couple of years then switched back to doing it myself.

[Peterw42]

12 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

If you're able to read and write your name you don't need a nurse, do you? For what an "agent"??😂

Usually people use an agent , and as the OP states, because they dont have the 800k in the bank.

[Lemsta69]

27 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

If you're able to read and write your name you don't need a nurse, do you? For what an "agent"??😂

 

Username checks out.

[JeffersLos]

17 hours ago, Neeranam said:

offer the immigration directly, much less than 20k, probably 10k.

 

Don't offer an IO directly. It can cost you a lot more than 20k. 

[JeffersLos]

17 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Usually people use an agent , and as the OP states, because they dont have the 800k in the bank.

 

Or the IO makes it so difficult with extra demands for documents that cannot be procured in order make money off an agent. 

[proton]

23 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

That's not true. I used an agent for a couple of years then switched back to doing it myself.

 

Were they bribing an IO for an extension in another province using a fake address, or just assisting you with a legitimate application with the necessary funds? 

[proton]

18 hours ago, YangyaiBrit said:

I am 1-month away from renewing my Thai Wife visa and thinking of moving to a Retirement visa using an agent.

 

I've been in touch with 'Thai Visa' and they informed me that they provide this service for a fee of Bht. 20,000.

Has anyone had experience of doing this procedure with them? If so, can they be trusted?

 

I live in Nakorn Ratchasima and would need to visit them at their office in Bangkok in order to chat with them face-to-face.

 

 

If you did it the extension would probably not be from Korat where you are living, why not stick with the legal marriage extension?

[Bangkok Barry]

15 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

A marriage extension, the type i imagine you are on now but call a "Thai wife visa", only requires 400k.

 

Today's weird post of the day, and so early   If he's on a marriage extension and I imagine he knows it's 400,000. He's asking about moving to a retirement one.

[newbee2022]

40 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Usually people use an agent , and as the OP states, because they dont have the 800k in the bank.

Probably I didn't read about the funds issues. Sorry

[newbee2022]

28 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

Username checks out.

?????🥴

[Lemsta69]

Just now, newbee2022 said:

?????🥴

 

you're a noob, as evidenced by your simplistic comment re using an agent.

[Thingamabob]

If you don't have the requisite 800k for a retirement visa, and extensions, why are you changing from marriage to retirement ? 

[Skipalongcassidy]

7 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Today's weird post of the day, and so early   If he's on a marriage extension and I imagine he knows it's 400,000. He's asking about moving to a retirement one.

Pay attention... the op is asking about moving to a retirement visa and does not have the 800k funds... so , youreavinalaff said: why not stick to a marriage visa at 400k... perfectly fine question... why make the switch from one that the OP can (maybe) afford to one that the OP cannot afford...?

[Lemsta69]

54 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

That's not true. I used an agent for a couple of years then switched back to doing it myself.

 

YMMV as the Yanks say. A good buddy of mine had to leave the country to kill his first agent-assisted retirement extension get a new non-O in a neighboring country. AND a 15-minute lecture from the dragon lady at SP Immi 🤣

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Pay attention... the op is asking about moving to a retirement visa and does not have the 800k funds... so , youreavinalaff said: why not stick to a marriage visa at 400k... perfectly fine question... why make the switch from one that the OP can (maybe) afford to one that the OP cannot afford...?

 

You are questioning my comment about youreavinalaff saying A marriage extension, the type i imagine you are on now but call a "Thai wife visa", only requires 400k and my saying that's a weird comment as the OP knows that already. That has nothing at all to do with the OP asking about using an agent for a retirement extension instead, knowing he doesn't have 800,000.

 

Yourehavinalaff made no comment in the post I quoted about anything other than telling the OP he needed 400,000 for the marriage extension, which the OP knew already. You appear to be joining two posts together, when I only commented on one.

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

you're a noob, as evidenced by your simplistic comment re using an agent.

You seem to be one of those Dr. Knowall, but obviously a Dr. Nobody. Merry Christmas😂🎄

[Bangkok Barry]

 

It would be interesting to know, and the OP hasn't told us, why he is thinking of changing to a retirement extension, paying an agent 20,000 to bribe an immigration official, when he has a perfectly good marriage extension for half the financial requirement and no agent/bribe fee to pay. Surely paying 20,000 (and circumventing the law) rather than 'suffering' one day of inconvenience and providing a few forms and a bank letter isn't worth 20,000? But each to their own, I suppose. Some people have money to burn.

[Lemsta69]

4 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

It would be interesting to know, and the OP hasn't told us, why he is thinking of changing to a retirement extension, paying an agent 20,000 to bribe an immigration official, when he has a perfectly good marriage extension for half the financial requirement and no agent/bribe fee to pay. Surely paying 20,000 (and circumventing the law) rather than 'suffering' one day of inconvenience and providing a few forms and a bank letter isn't worth 20,000? But each to their own, I suppose. Some people have money to burn.

 

Not your business. Advise him of the pros and cons, sans faux moralising, and let him make his own decision.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

 

Not your business. Advise him of the pros and cons, sans faux moralising, and let him make his own decision.

 

I guess you didn't read to the end, where I wrote But each to their own, I suppose.

[DualSportBiker]

I changed from marriage to retirement visa three years ago. It was mildly problematic. I did it myself as the last visa agent I used during covid screwed me over. 
 

I was accused by the IO of have left my wife and therefore living illegally on a visa obtained through falsifying my application. They demanded to see my wife and talk to her on the spot and threatened me with immediate imprisonment. 
 

when I called my wife who was on a trip with friends, and the phone was unreachable, they thought they had their catch. Anyhow, they did spike to my wife and kinda regretted it, but they then issued my visa and rescinded offers of uncomfortable stay!

 

They did explain that there is no path from marriage to retirement visa. The logic of a wife passing away did not suggest that was a mistake. Their position was that a marriage visa is easier for foreigners as the wife will do the work! Doing a retirement visa is work for us foreigners and therefore less attractive. 
 

Anyhow, my renewal the following year was seamless. 

[klauskunkel]

8 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

I changed from marriage to retirement visa three years ago. It was mildly problematic.

When changing from Marriage Extension to a Retirement Extension the Immigration Office requirement is to have the wife present and for her to sign an acknowledgement form regarding the changeover. Subsequent extensions do not require the spouse's presence anymore.

[proton]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

If you don't have the requisite 800k for a retirement visa, and extensions, why are you changing from marriage to retirement ? 

 

This is the reason he gave- in Feb of this year

 

'Due to my Thai wife's ill health, I am considering changing my current Non-O 'Thai Wife' visa into a Full Retirement visa. I currently live in Thailand and I have a renewable 1-year 'Thai Wife' visa.'

[brianthainess]

46 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

I changed from marriage to retirement visa three years ago. It was mildly problematic. I did it myself as the last visa agent I used during covid screwed me over. 
 

I was accused by the IO of have left my wife and therefore living illegally on a visa obtained through falsifying my application. They demanded to see my wife and talk to her on the spot and threatened me with immediate imprisonment. 
 

when I called my wife who was on a trip with friends, and the phone was unreachable, they thought they had their catch. Anyhow, they did spike to my wife and kinda regretted it, but they then issued my visa and rescinded offers of uncomfortable stay!

 

They did explain that there is no path from marriage to retirement visa. The logic of a wife passing away did not suggest that was a mistake. Their position was that a marriage visa is easier for foreigners as the wife will do the work! Doing a retirement visa is work for us foreigners and therefore less attractive. 
 

Anyhow, my renewal the following year was seamless. 

Strange as Yesterday I went and applied for my marriage extension, in TRAT, there seemed to me even more papers to sign than last year, I must have written my PP num. dob, and my address+ all the other info on my passport on separate forms about 8 times, they have one of the strictest 'rules' of any province, and they complained to ME! about to much paperwork, I told them you make the list why are you complaining to me?, I was first in after lunch and last to leave at 4pm, they then handed my missus the requirements for the retirement requirements and has Highlighted the 800,000b.   

They hate the marriage extension and always try to make me change. At a conservative guess I recon I must have signed my name at least 60 times. wonkers. 

[OJAS]

50 minutes ago, proton said:

 

This is the reason he gave- in Feb of this year

 

'Due to my Thai wife's ill health, I am considering changing my current Non-O 'Thai Wife' visa into a Full Retirement visa. I currently live in Thailand and I have a renewable 1-year 'Thai Wife' visa.'

 

If this is true, then it is a pity that he chose not to make this clear in his initial post, I think.