Retirement visa through agent jumps to 20,000 baht

[JustAnotherFarang]

I have been doing my visa through the same Thai Visa com agent for 4 years now, first year was 12,000 and they promised it would be the same the following year but it jumped to 14,000 and then 16,000 and this year it has jumped to 20,000 baht.  Now Im beginning to think they rather have me over a barrel and want to explore other agents and options as Im sure that 20,000 is too much.  So how easy it it for me to jump ship and get with another reputable company as I am unable to show the funds in my bank at the present time.

 

Thanks for your advice and kind opinions

 

JAF

[Mike Lister]

Does your agent supply the proof of money required in the bank or do you have that? If you have the money in the bank required for the visa, those charges are outrageous.

[JustAnotherFarang]

3 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

Does your agent supply the proof of money required in the bank or do you have that? If you have the money in the bank required for the visa, those charges are outrageous.

no i dont have sufficient funds

Edited July 1 by JustAnotherFarang

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

have been doing my visa through the same Thai Visa com agent for 4 years now,

Understand not naming agent.

However you need to provide more details.

Assume you are obtaining annual extensions based on retirement without financials.

Perhaps depends on agent location. 

If you are referring to Bangkok agents 20k would not surprise me

[JustAnotherFarang]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Understand not naming agent.

However you need to provide more details.

Assume you are obtaining annual extensions based on retirement without financials.

Perhaps depends on agent location. 

If you are referring to Bangkok agents 20k would not surprise me

yes, annual extensions based on retirement without financials.  The agent is well known, based in Bangkok.  Im looking for cheaper alternatives and how to break free

[Pattaya57]

Oh boo hoo. I'm breaking the law by having an agent pretend I have 800k baht in bank, now they want 20,000 baht to pay off the bank officials and IO who basically lie to give me my 12 month extension...

 

...ok I've ran out of sympathy, get baht in the bank and get a legit Visa

[NativeBob]

I used to pay 25K and 20K each year but later I decided to stop it.

Applied for new passport and did things right. 

Do not want to rely on greedy dude and corrupt IO. 

[bbko]

4 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Oh boo hoo. I'm breaking the law by having an agent pretend I have 800k baht in bank, now they want 20,000 baht to pay off the bank officials and IO who basically lie to give me my 12 month extension...

 

...ok I've ran out of sympathy, get baht in the bank and get a legit Visa

IMO those using a visa agent to bypass the 800k in the bank are illegal immigrants, I don't like them in my home country and I don't like them here either. 

[n00dle]

3 minutes ago, bbko said:

IMO those using a visa agent to bypass the 800k in the bank are illegal immigrants, I don't like them in my home country and I don't like them here either. 

shame you dont actually matter then, innit?

[NativeBob]

41 minutes ago, bbko said:

IMO those using a visa agent to bypass the 800k in the bank are illegal immigrants, I don't like them in my home country and I don't like them here either. 

yes. that's THE main idea. the agent will vanish is <deleted> hit the fan. and than what?

that corrupt IO has all the info and only good luck stops him (them) to visit you and extort money for "protection"

or that "list" will fall into the hands on his competitor

no way Jose, me no want to play poor sucker!

 

I used loan shark, very nice old china-man from Bang Rak, paid him 2% /month but everything looked legit.

Edited July 1 by NativeBob

[bbko]

52 minutes ago, n00dle said:

shame you dont actually matter then, innit?

I never tried to say I did

Edited July 1 by bbko

[JustAnotherFarang]

2 minutes ago, bbko said:

I never tried to say I did

I think he meant your opinion doesnt matter - and he's right, you and your opinion, in this regard, dont matter

[oldcpu]

11 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

yes. that's THE main idea. the agent will vanish is <deleted> hit the fan. and than what?

that corrupt IO has all the info and only good luck stops him (them) to visit you and extort money for "protection"

 

 

I suppose another risk, is that the "powers that be" might decide to crack down on the Agents and the IOs who together work to approve retirement extensions of a person who does not actually have the 400k (married to a Thai) or 800K, in the bank.  I do believe there is a risk, if that happens, then in addition to going after the agents, and the IOs, they could go after the foreigners who used same agent's services.

 

I recall back in the late 1990s, it was possible on a 30-day Visa-exempt status to never leave Thailand, and simply pay an IO (who one would meet discretely after office hours, in some location outside of immigration), to take one's passport and get the necessary entry/exit stamps for one - and do this every 30 days ... every month, month after month after month.

 

However eventually, after some time, this was stopped.

 

The IO was in a LOT of trouble, and the entry stamps in the passport were very slightly different such that it was detectable that such an illegal service was used.  Anyone showing an IO their passport could land themselves in trouble if those stamps were spotted. 

 

Some foreigners discovered with those stamps in their passport, upon discovery, they were in essence made personna non-grata to Thailand ... I don't know for how long a period of time.

 

Often those who used such an IO passport service (to stay in Thailand), immediately reported their passports lost. As soon as they obtained a new passport, they destroyed their old passport.  This required a lot of paperwork, etc ... but it avoided being personna non-grata.  Of course back in the late 1990s, there was not as much computer system tracking.

 

So my view is there is always a risk, when trying to work around the system, that it could bite one in the end.

 

That monologue of mine is NOT to say I think agents are bad.  I have elderly friends who ALWAYS use an agent. They meet all the requirements but they find using an agent is much easier for them, and they don't mind one second in paying the money.  So I fully believe using agents is suitable for some who also meet the requirements.

 

Also,  I (for one), am glad that the current approach works for you, but please do be aware it does carry some risks - if not now - then potentially in the future.

 

Best wishes.

[NativeBob]

3 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Anyone showing an IO their passport could land themselves in trouble if those stamps were spotted. 

those stamps bear "Garuda" and that is very major offence in Thailand. 

"working girl" ended up in jail "White Tiger" at Surat Thani - concrete construction, hard to breath, poor food and very very hot in cells. She lost few teeth and most of her hair. Used to be pretty though. She claimed an agent but the judge didn't take it as an excuse. 

Back in 2002-3

[DrJack54]

Thread completely off topic to OP question.

Thread closed.