Need Advice, Should Me and Thai Wife Travel?

[SteveJames]

Hi, I have a number of concerns, my marriage extension expires at the end of this month and I have already been in touch with my visa agent who I've had no problems with for the last 3 years they come and pick up my passport, I paid and they got the stamp. I don't want to divulge too much information about that, I'm more interested in getting answers to my questions below....

 

A few years back I did my marriage extension the in person way and put the 400,000 baht in the bank but after that had to pay an agent because it was easier and my wife got really stressed with the running around to i/o etc.  This year is a different story, the visa agent is apparently having problems reaching their contact at whatever immigration office they usually get it and they told me to wait for a week or so...they said if they are unable to do it their usual way there is a back up option but I have to pay ฿75,000.. which is almost double what I've paid the previous 3 years.

 

As you can imagine I'm not impressed by this proposal, actually I'm starting to get tired of paying the agent from year to year altogether...it was around ฿35,000 previously (+ extra ฿5K for them to update my wifes tabien bahn as we liked chilling at home letting them do everything). I hear retirement is much cheaper but I'm under 50. (41)

 

I heard its a bit hard after you pay an agent to return to the official way of doing it with the 400K in the bank, I don't want to do that anyway for the time being as I hate doing all the running around as well....  

 

I also heard if you travel out of the country and then come back with an agent visa stamp in your passport they can give you hassle coming in

 

I would really like to take my wife to South Korea, its her dream but if we go there we'll only have 3 months and then need to up again ...we may end up traveling around a lot and that could get costly ...Does anybody know about long term visa's for SK or neighbouring countries?...I don't really want to teach or do anything I just want to live somewhere.

 

I'm a Brit and its a big hassle to do paperwork to go back there and the prices have gone up for spousal.

 

Just having a rant, I guess I need to decide soon...if the agent doesn't get back to me with the previous cheaper option I'm not keen on being bullied out of ฿75,000

 

What would you do?

[FritsSikkink]

Put 400K in the bank, go to Laos and get a multiple entry year visa (need to pop out and in of the country every 3 months. 

[SteveJames]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

Put 400K in the bank, go to Laos and get a multiple entry year visa (need to pop out and in of the country every 3 months. 

I did the laos multi entry at Savannakhet several years ago and I don't like doing the visa runs, I've been in Thailand since 2012 and done it all, Ed visas 12 hour minibus trips.. tired of all that now. 

Did the 400K in the bank after 2020, me and my wife both sick of trips to immigration/anxiety so I paid Visa Agent the last 3 years..

Thanks for your suggestion though

[islandguy]

Put in 400,000. Pay a much smaller amount to agent to prepare correct paperwork and walk you through process. Cut wife’s role to absolute minimum needed. Get multiple reentry permit. Rinse and repeat

[Hamus Yaigh]

25 minutes ago, SteveJames said:

What would you do?

I'd put 400k in the bank and do it myself. Cost 1900THB. I'd also tell the wife to pull her finger out and get with the system.

[SteveJames]

7 minutes ago, islandguy said:

Put in 400,000. Pay a much smaller amount to agent to prepare correct paperwork and walk you through process. Cut wife’s role to absolute minimum needed. Get multiple reentry permit. Rinse and repeat

Thanks.  That sounds very similar to FritsSikkink above.

 

Like I said I'm not keen on border run's...I've done all that in the past too many times, it eats up passport pages and is hell in those little minibuses.  

 

I'm not keen on the 400K in the bank option, that will be an issue now I've used an agent previously....and is hard work

 

Which leaves me with 3 options? 

 

1.)wait and see if Agent comes back with the previous cheaper option...which risks me being forced to do the 75K baht plan B if we run out of time

 

2.) not worry about it and bend over and pay 75K baht anyway

 

3.) Travel together

Edited June 7 by SteveJames

[SteveJames]

32 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

I'd put 400k in the bank and do it myself. Cost 1900THB. I'd also tell the wife to pull her finger out and get with the system.

thanks for commenting/advice ....can you see my last comment......400K is an option(maybe not because they get funny if you previously used an agent) but I'm not keen on going to i/o either...I've been used to the luxury of doing nothing the past 3 years. (Last trip to I/O was in 2020)

 

Edit: I can't do the 400K now as its too late..I was relying on the agent who I contact a month in advance each year, I've also done that 60 day visit family extension once in 2019 so thats not an option.

 

So I only have a few options, potentially throw 75K away on the agent or try traveling somewhere....I'm not keen on the immediate countries either like Phillipines, Vietnam... they all have that seedy vibe to them as well..(Wife likes South Korea)

Edited June 7 by SteveJames

[SteveJames]

will I get any replies not suggesting the 400K method as I can't do that for reasons stated above

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, SteveJames said:

thanks for commenting/advice ....can you see my last comment......400K is an option(maybe not because they get funny if you previously used an agent) but I'm not keen on going to i/o either...I've been used to the luxury of doing nothing the past 3 years. (Last trip to I/O was in 2020)

 

Edit: I can't do the 400K now as its too late..I was relying on the agent who I contact a month in advance each year, I've also done that 60 day visit family extension once in 2019 so thats not an option.

 

So I only have a few options, potentially throw 75K away on the agent or try traveling somewhere....I'm not keen on the immediate countries either like Phillipines, Vietnam... they all have that seedy vibe to them as well..(Wife likes South Korea)

What will traveling change? You still need a visa when you come back.

[SteveJames]

19 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

What will traveling change? You still need a visa when you come back.

Like I said above I've only got a few options now, 400K not possible, one being travel and the other being fork out crazy money to agent (over 3 years they've had 120K off me already)

 

I'm just wondering if we could get out of Thailand for a bit(Ive been here since 2012 and a bit bored of it now), maybe find another country to settle in....I'm fed up of the Visa hassle here and the under the table fees if you use an agent

 

I'm wondering if I can get a new passport at some point if we travel somewhere else..I've still got about 12 pages still left in my current one that doesn't expire until 2029..so no rush...would just be nice to get a clean one without agent stamps for if we did return...

 

Don't know what to think but not keen on 75K fee this year, seems like they're taking the pis$.....I'll be hemorrhaging money each year if thats the case... 40K was bad enough

 

Maybe it is different for all of you replying but don't forget I'm married...its not just like I'm deciding on a retirement visa...if I don't get my visa I have to leave my wife of 7 years

 

Edited June 7 by SteveJames

[SteveJames]

guess nobody else has any thoughts on this?

[indyo]

give 75K to your wife for the stress and do it by yourselves

[JimTripper]

Get a new agent. Your current one is a f@g. Use a new immigration office. Rent a super cheap room in another province if you have to. Try Pattaya, plenty of agents around who could do it. Use the room as a vacation spot during the year as needed.

Edited June 7 by JimTripper

[Upnotover]

5 hours ago, SteveJames said:

I'm wondering if I can get a new passport at some point if we travel somewhere else

You don't have to travel anywhere to get a new passport.  You can do it right now from Thailand if that is want you want.  As for the "running around" surely relocating to a new country would be a far greater upheaval than a couple of trips to immigration once a year.

[SteveJames]

1 minute ago, Upnotover said:

You don't have to travel anywhere to get a new passport.  You can do it right now from Thailand if that is want you want.  As for the "running around" surely relocating to a new country would be a far greater upheaval than a couple of trips to immigration once a year.

How long does a new passport take at the Trendy Building? I did it once before but I can't remember....

 

However, I can't do trips to immigration myself as mentioned(the 400K route requires 45 days prior) and my existing one runs out at the end of this month

 

Its the cost of the agent to do it which is annoying me because its gone from $1000 a year to around $2000 ...thats crazy...  so traveling for a bit was an option and I was wondering if I could apply for a fresh passport while I was away..  

 

I heard there might be a Bird Flu Pandemic so it might not be wise to go traveling after all

[thainet]

5 hours ago, SteveJames said:

Like I said above I've only got a few options now, 400K not possible, one being travel and the other being fork out crazy money to agent (over 3 years they've had 120K off me already)

 

I'm just wondering if we could get out of Thailand for a bit(Ive been here since 2012 and a bit bored of it now), maybe find another country to settle in....I'm fed up of the Visa hassle here and the under the table fees if you use an agent

 

I'm wondering if I can get a new passport at some point if we travel somewhere else..I've still got about 12 pages still left in my current one that doesn't expire until 2029..so no rush...would just be nice to get a clean one without agent stamps for if we did return...

 

Don't know what to think but not keen on 75K fee this year, seems like they're taking the pis$.....I'll be hemorrhaging money each year if thats the case... 40K was bad enough

 

Maybe it is different for all of you replying but don't forget I'm married...its not just like I'm deciding on a retirement visa...if I don't get my visa I have to leave my wife of 7 years

 

Not sure what you mean by 'Agents stamps'. Agents don't stamp your PP. They only facilitate the process and of course the stamps come from the IO.

 

And I can't fathom you wanting to pay 75k, for a 1900 baht process.

[thainet]

3 minutes ago, SteveJames said:

How long does a new passport take at the Trendy Building? I did it once before but I can't remember....

 

However, I can't do trips to immigration myself as mentioned(the 400K route requires 45 days prior) and my existing one runs out at the end of this month

 

Its the cost of the agent to do it which is annoying me because its gone from $1000 a year to around $2000 ...thats crazy...  so traveling for a bit was an option and I was wondering if I could apply for a fresh passport while I was away..  

 

I heard there might be a Bird Flu Pandemic so it might not be wise to go traveling after all

Yes and I heard polio is making a comeback...you seem rather paranoid SJ.

[SteveJames]

1 minute ago, thainet said:

Not sure what you mean by 'Agents stamps'. Agents don't stamp your PP. They only facilitate the process and of course the stamps come from the IO.

 

And I can't fathom you wanting to pay 75k, for a 1900 baht process.

I'm aware Agent's only facilitate the stamps, I was using it as short hand for "Stamps from Immigration offices facilitated by Agents"

 

its only 1900 if you've never used an agent and go and do it at i/o yourself but I don't have 45 days left now so I can't do that, I only have the option of waiting on my agent. It was usually 35-40K a year for the last 3 years now there seems to be an issue this year

[theoldgit]

As your issue is regarding your continued stay in Thailand, rather than visas or immigration to countries outside of Thailand, I’ll move your thread to the Thailand visas forum.

 

Your post does highlight the dangers of using agents who deal with corrupt Immigration Officers.

[DrJack54]

OP, you of course realize that agents can assist with obtaining non O and subsequent extensions in two ways.

Firstly by side stepping financial requirements etc  and the other is simply hand holding exercise.

 

One option is at some point exit Thailand and reenter visa exempt.

With that 30 day stamp you have time to obtain non O (marriage) at your immigration office with or without agent. 

You require 400k in Thai bank in your name only. Funds  in the bank on the day you apply.

That provides 90 day permit.

When funds have been in bank minimum 2 months obtain 12 month extension.

It's not difficult. Not wanting to deal with immigration is childish excuse.

Process fully explained in attached thread.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1315828-visa-exempt-to-90-day-non-o-spouse-visa-conversion-in-thailand/

 

[Liquorice]

19 minutes ago, SteveJames said:

One question, can you explain why you think not wanting to deal with immigration is "childish"?   its a stressful ordeal that sometimes involves running around to renew certain marriage documents, multiple trips, lengthy waits, grumpy officers and some people just want to get on with their lives.

You realise you come accross as a real slouch, "I don't want to do anything".

Your current agent has picked up on that and is taking the piss!

 

It's not a stressful ordeal to do the extension yourself if you know what you need.
Most of the documents required are right there in your hand, passport, Tabien Baan, wife ID. 

The only running around is an updated Khor Ror 2 from the Amphoe and a trip to the bank.

 

There are other options;

1, Do nothing. Go into overstay and if caught tell them you can't be deported because you can't be bothered..

2. Find a different agent.

3. Apply for the Elite visa.

4. Apply for the LTR visa.
 

[Rob Browder]

On 6/7/2024 at 4:38 PM, SteveJames said:

will I get any replies not suggesting the 400K method as I can't do that for reasons stated above

I do not blame you for not wanting to put your wife through the hell of an extension at immigration.  Their treatment of your wife can range from abusive/cruel (worst-case), to a PITA (best-case), possible involving multiple visits to get every "this year they want" requirement (changed picture requirements, etc).  

 

Given the timing of the 400K and your extension expiration date + already used the 60-day extension + under-50 - the far easiest / least-expensive solution is leave Thailand for a visa.  But, you do NOT have to do the Multiple-Entry route, with repeated trips.

 

You can get a single-entry Non-O based on marriage which gives you 90-days upon entry.  You do not have to show money in the bank proof for this in Laos, and can FLY/Ride there, to avoid a long bus-trip to get it.  Your wife can come with, so make it a little vacation.  You will need to sign-up for an appointment at the chosen consulate online - either Savanakhet or Vientiane.  I suggest those two, because we have recent trip-reports, so you can know what to expect - though there are other options.

 

Deposit 400K just before you leave, so it will be in the bank more than enough time for an extension after you return.  It is 2 months before you apply required - though some offices in the sticks are/were asking for 3 mo in-the-bank before applying.

 

Upon your return, wait 60 days of the 90 days permitted-stay received on-entry, THEN, ask your agent, again - and ask the fee-cost, given you have the required money in the bank for the required time.  At this point, they are just handling the paperwork for you.  Maybe you have to show up for a picture at the immigration office - that's it. 

[OJAS]

On 6/7/2024 at 10:10 PM, Upnotover said:

You don't have to travel anywhere to get a new passport.  You can do it right now from Thailand if that is want you want.

 

In view of @SteveJames's aversion to what he perceives as excessive bureaucracy, it might, indeed, be better IMHO if he did travel elsewhere in order to renew his British passport! For instance, if he were to go to either Malaysia or the Philippines he would be able to renew using HMPO's online facility - which is denied to those renewing from Thailand for some ridiculous reason.