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

[Moonlover]

13 minutes ago, OJAS said:

55 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.'

 

13 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

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

 

Yes I agree @OJAS. I find it curious, at the very least that we have to find this out 2nd hand.

 

But I still do not understand why the O/P is desirous of switching to a retirement extension. Why should his wife's ill health preclude him from continuing with a marriage extension?

 

Are we getting the full story here?

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

 

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

How much? 

People bribe police all the time here, I've never heard of anyone being arrested for it. 

[YangyaiBrit]

19 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".

So, I guess that by being 'locked in'  one is tied to the agent forever, is that right? What about leaving the country for a while and coming back in again on a new Thai Wife visa? 

[Peterw42]

3 hours ago, proton said:

 

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? 

I was using an agent because I didnt have the 800k ,It was all done at my local office using my actual address.

And, as I said, later I changed back to doing it myself with no problems.

[Liquorice]

47 minutes ago, YangyaiBrit said:

So, I guess that by being 'locked in'  one is tied to the agent forever, is that right?

If you don't meet the financial requirements, then yes.

 

47 minutes ago, YangyaiBrit said:

What about leaving the country for a while and coming back in again on a new Thai Wife visa? 

You mean a Non Imm O visa based on Thai spouse, nothing, but then why do you want to change to an extension of stay based on retirement unless due to ill health your wife cannot attend the Immigration office for the 1-year extension application based on Thai spouse. In that scenario, you should speak to your Immigration office, who can make alternative arrangements.

[Pilot3Boz]

Why use an agent if you have the funds in the bank?? Simple process and you save $600USD to use for fun or entertainment?? These agents are crooks funding corruption!! Unlike the Wife version the retirement extension is a very short form simple process.. Just look online for the easy requirements.. 

[Liquorice]

10 minutes ago, Pilot3Boz said:

Why use an agent if you have the funds in the bank??

Do read the full topic before replying.

 

23 hours ago, YangyaiBrit said:

I dont have 800K in the bank

 

[OJAS]

OP - sorry if my previous comment sounded a tad harsh. It strikes me from what @proton has said that you might be in a similar situation to the OP of the following recent thread, which could be worth a read (provided you're prepared to spend some time sorting out the wheat from the chaff!):

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1312545-death-of-spouse-effect-on-my-marriage-visa/

 

However, if you're unable to rustle up 800k in a bank account for a future retirement extension, would it not be possible for you to prove finances on the basis of 65k monthly income instead?

 

Or, if this is not possible and assuming that you already have 400k safely stashed in a Thai bank account for your marriage extensions, supplement this with monthly transfers of around 35k under the combination method which is available for retirement extensions (12 monthly transfers + 400k in bank must = at least 800k)?

 

While a further marriage extension should still be valid for a full year regardless of what might happen in your wife's case in the meantime (as advised in the linked thread above), you need to start planning NOW for a possible switch to retirement this time next year. Specifically this means initiating appropriate monthly transfers ASAP to provide a run of 12 such transfers by end-2024 - and, equally importantly if you are intending to go down the combination route, discuss your plans with your local immigration office (who might have their own particular "take" on how the combination method operates, regardless of what the official rules might say).

 

If I were in your shoes I would be seeking to accomplish all this myself without having to shell out 20k for the services of an agent - which IMHO only need to be sought for the truly difficult things in life, like renewing your passport from Thailand if you're a Brit!

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

5 hours 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.

Not weird at all. Check the comment I quoted.

 

 

[crazykopite]

I’m not married learnt my lesson a long time ago what I can say is that I’ve used Thai visa for several years and they are absolutely on the ball 20,000 sounds about right to change from marriage to retirement ( extension of stay ) 

[youreavinalaff]

4 hours 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.

The OP does seem confused. That's why he's on hear looking for advice.

 

It's good, not weird, that some have given it 

[chilly07]

5 hours 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.

Firstly it's not a bribe-its payment for a service and secondly-some of us cannot  attend Immigration due to  ill  health

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, chilly07 said:

Firstly it's not a bribe-its payment for a service and secondly-some of us cannot  attend Immigration due to  ill  health

 

Firstly, it's a bribe as the rules say that if you cannot produce evidence of 800,000 then the service - issuance of the required extension - will be refused, but an agent can arrange for that 'triviality' to be overlooked for a fee that is then shared with the IO in appreciation of his 'understanding'. Secondly, there was no suggesting in this case that the OP can't attend immigration due to ill health. When - when - that is the case, there are legal and free ways that can be addressed. 

[Photoguy21]

On 12/19/2023 at 1:04 PM, 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.

 

I always use an agent and they have been spot on providing everything they said they would

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, Pilot3Boz said:

Why use an agent if you have the funds in the bank??

 

While I agree (or at least when I was on a Type-OA and a Type-O agreed) that if one meets the requirements (via funds) there is no need for an agent ... and I have NEVER used an agent myself, ...  I do have friends who have lived in Thailand for years, who have more than adequate finances to meet the extension of the permission to stay requirements, and they ALWAYS use an agent.

 

Simply put, they are in their late-70s, they detest sitting around at immigration, and an agent is far far less hassle for them, and the amount of money they spend for an agent is trivial for them.  Their tolerance for any hassle is FAR FAR less than mine.  When they fly somewhere, they fly business class. Why? Because the extra money from economy to business is trivial for them.

 

Again,  if I was still on a type-O or a type0A visa myself, I would NOT use an agent, but the point is I do know some who think different than myself, for reasons that are very logical for them. 

 

Not everyone uses an agent because they can't meet the financial requirements.

[Moonlover]

4 hours ago, chilly07 said:

Firstly it's not a bribe-its payment for a service and secondly-some of us cannot  attend Immigration due to  ill  health

You're being naive. Agents pay a portion of their fee to the IO. As the IO is a government servant, that's called bribery. You can couch it any way you want it's still bribery.

 

Those who are in ill-health or are disabled can have a friend or carer apply on their behalf. This is mentioned on page 2 of the TM7. My late neighbour, a German was disabled due to amputation. His wife was allowed to present the application on his behalf.

[CartagenaWarlock]

On 12/19/2023 at 12:11 AM, Neeranam said:

These agents bribe immigration officers. 

They are the middlemen who distribute money from people lucky enough to have access to earn dollars to the unfortunates who don't have the luck to earn dollars.

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

They are the middlemen who distribute money from people lucky enough to have access to earn dollars to the unfortunates who don't have the luck to earn dollars.

I am neither of those🤔

I think you mean, illegal aliens who don't satisfy immigration regulations and legal aliens. 

We don't want the former. 

[Moonlover]

6 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

They are the middlemen who distribute money from people lucky enough to have access to earn dollars to the unfortunates who don't have the luck to earn dollars.

Otherwise known as bribery.

[CartagenaWarlock]

5 hours ago, Pilot3Boz said:

These agents are crooks funding corruption!!

They are helping unlucky people who don't have access to earn dollars by taking money from lucky people who can't have a decent living in their own land and had to travel 10,000 miles to live like refugees (year-to-year contract) in a foreign land, possibly using a "wify" visa. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

Just now, Moonlover said:

Otherwise known as bribery.

You can call whatever you want to enhance your self-esteem, but to me, it's a transaction between fortunate people having access to earn dollars and unfortunate ones who cannot. 

[Moonlover]

5 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

4 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Otherwise known as bribery.

 

5 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

You can call whatever you're to enhance your self-esteem, but to me, it's a transaction between fortunate people having access to earn dollars and unfortunate ones who cannot. 

It does not in any way 'enhance my self-esteem. It's the <deleted> truth.

[oldcpu]

20 hours ago, Moonlover said:

You're being naive. Agents pay a portion of their fee to the IO.

 

 

Not always. 

 

If one fully meets the requirements then I doubt there is any payment to the IO. 

 

In such a case, for strictly the extension of one's permission to stay, the agent is given legal power of attorney and everything is 100% legal in that case and by the book. No bribes. Nothing illegal. 

 

One simply pays the agent such that one does not have to sit around the Immigration office, and one does not have to research to see if any new documents needed.  The agent does most of the work, all for a fee.

 

Would I ever go for an agent?  Highly unlikely.  I'm too cheap.   I would rather spend the money elsewhere. 

 

But as I posted already, there are those, with the money, who do not have my patience when it comes to the renewal of their permission to stay and they will happily pay an agent so they don't have to be bothered.

.

[Moonlover]

4 hours ago, oldcpu said:

 

Not always. 

 

If one fully meets the requirements then I doubt there is any payment to the IO. 

 

In such a case, for strictly the extension of one's permission to stay, the agent is given legal power of attorney and everything is 100% legal in that case and by the book. No bribes. Nothing illegal. 

 

One simply pays the agent such that one does not have to sit around the Immigration office, and one does not have to research to see if any new documents needed.  The agent does most of the work, all for a fee.

 

Would I ever go for an agent?  Highly unlikely.  I'm too cheap.   I would rather spend the money elsewhere. 

 

But as I posted already, there are those, with the money, who do not have my patience when it comes to the renewal of their permission to stay and they will happily pay an agent so they don't have to be bothered.

.

Well I am a bit skeptical about that. And the reason I say that is because of the number of posts I've read on here over the years, from folks who have been messed about by IOs for seemingly trivial reasons. It seems that any people believe that they're being 'driven into the arms' of the agents. And they wouldn't do that without an ulterior motive.

 

However, I'm a long way from that kind of environment up here in sunny Issan thank goodness, so I'll reserve judgement, but thanks for taking the time to reply.

[YangyaiBrit]

Hi all.

Has anyone used the Thai Visa Agent service in order to obtain a Retirement visa? I have been in contact with a person named 'Grace', and recently informed me that the fee for changing from a Thai Wife visa to a Retirement visa is now Bht. 27,000!  Only a few weeks ago she quoted me a figure of Bht.20,000 !  So, has anyone actually been to the Thai Visa offices in BKK and met this person in the flesh? I'm slightly concerned... I plan on visiting them on 8/Jan/24.

[DrJack54]

29 minutes ago, YangyaiBrit said:

So, has anyone actually been to the Thai Visa offices in BKK and met this person in the flesh? I'm slightly concerned..

Grace is head of @ThaiVisaCentre

Yes they can be trusted. 

[jaywalker2]

Amazing. Approx 30 posts and no one answered the op's question. O

[OJAS]

29 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

Amazing. Approx 30 posts and no one answered the op's question. O

 

So what is your answer to his question, then, eh, Mr Clever Clogs?

 

[anchadian]

1 hour ago, jaywalker2 said:

Amazing. Approx 30 posts and no one answered the op's question. O

Exactly.

  

Like many threads, only one simple answer is required as Jack has stated above.

Edited January 2 by anchadian

[Photoguy21]

On 12/19/2023 at 1:04 PM, 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.

 

I always use an agent and have never had a problem with them. They collect the documents from me at home, do all the processing and return my passport on completion. If on a Marriage visa they have a representative with us when we go to immigration. From my point of view they are very good but I am sure there are some that are less desirable lets say.