I'm confused - Using a Visa Agent

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Ken Kenobi said:

 

As for how much my friend paid the Pattaya visa agent , I believe it was around 17,000.00 Baht , not sure about the address thing. 

That would be correct. 

Approx 13k for extension (covering financials and bit under 5k for bank account.

90 reporting available on request.

You are answering baiting questions from folk having certain attitude to agents. 

 

[Ken Kenobi]

5 hours ago, zzzzz said:

or just leave, let current extension expire ( dont buy a re entry permit) 
come back and start over
Visa agents are here to stay, its as HUGE golden goose for the Officers 

suggest he file a new tm 30 for the area he lives so can do is own 90 day an also no problem if he needs a cor

 

I have a funny feeling that my friend was very happy to pay a visa agent to sort every thing out , and a comment my friend also made was that using a visa agent , as it was a simple stress free process, which he will use again .

[Ken Kenobi]

5 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

In his case it is bribing immigration to get a visa because he can't comply with the rules.

90 day reports won't be send every month, there is a clue in the 90 day part. 

My friend can't comply ( currently ) with the rules , so to him the only '' simple '' option was to use a visa agent .

[Ken Kenobi]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

That would be correct. 

Approx 13k for extension (covering financials and bit under 5k for bank account.

90 reporting available on request.

You are answering baiting questions from folk having certain attitude to agents. 

 

Thanks, I have talked to other expats , and they said that normally using a visa agent costs around 25,000.00 Baht 

[Rob Browder]

17 minutes ago, Ken Kenobi said:

Thanks, I have talked to other expats , and they said that normally using a visa agent costs around 25,000.00 Baht 

12,500 Baht in Pattaya for the 1-year extension, though can be more elsewhere.  It is 25K Baht in Pattaya if the applicant is currently on a tourist-type entry, and needs to also get the "Non-O Visa" part done, in addition to the 1-year extension.

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, Ken Kenobi said:

Thanks, I have talked to other expats , and they said that normally using a visa agent costs around 25,000.00 Baht 

Your friend already had a non O in the past

 

The 25k you refer to was to obtain the non O most likely from visa exempt entry and subsequent 12 month extension.

That is not your friends situation. 

 

[zzzzz]

1 hour ago, Ken Kenobi said:

Thanks, I have talked to other expats , and they said that normally using a visa agent costs around 25,000.00 Baht 

If u already have  a bank account ( not mean have 800,000 but 2,000 or so) and a non o visa,  25,000 is way to much>
TVC charges 18,000 and u send them ur passport, they get ur 1 year extension and send it back to you>
You than file a new tm 30 where ever u live and do ur own 90 day reports or they will do them for 500 baht
 

[scottiejohn]

2 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

If u already have  a bank account ( not mean have 800,000 but 2,000 or so) and a non o visa,  25,000 is way to much>
TVC charges 18,000 and u send them ur passport, they get ur 1 year extension and send it back to you>
You than file a new tm 30 where ever u live and do ur own 90 day reports or they will do them for 500 baht
 

You send your passport to some dodgy agent rather than hand it over personally?

BTW how do you send it?

 

[pub2022]

7 hours ago, zzzzz said:

suggest he file a new tm 30 for the area he lives so can do is own 90 day an also no problem if he needs a cor

 

 

Would that means leaving Thailand and come back?

[Plan B]

9 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Nothing of any note in your post.

When you state .,....

"When the time came to extend to 12 more months, this time completely legit,..." 

I don't follow. Applications are checked retrospectively. 

Changing from agent assisted extension (cover financials) back to DIY then exit Thailand "start over" standard MO..

Now I'm confused. You're saying that if you use an agent the only way to get another extension is by using an agent again? And that if want to do it yourself then exiting and starting over is "standard MO"?? 

If that's how it is, I had no idea.

[Briggsy]

6 hours ago, Plan B said:

Now I'm confused. You're saying that if you use an agent the only way to get another extension is by using an agent again? And that if want to do it yourself then exiting and starting over is "standard MO"?? 

If that's how it is, I had no idea.

Yes, once you have used an agent to start or continue an extension, Immigration is resistant to you switching back to doing it yourself. They will tell you you need to keep using the agent. The 'fix' for this is to leave Thailand and re-enter thus ending the agent-assisted extension.

[BenCrew]

21 hours ago, Marcous said:

He will most likely have problems obtaining a certificate of residence at his local office. Of course, he can pay the agent for that, too.

 

Not possible to get a certificate of residence that is from a different province than the visa stamp. 

[freedomnow]

Can you do this in Chiang Mai also or only Pattaya ?

[Briggsy]

8 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

Can you do this in Chiang Mai also or only Pattaya ?

I assume you are asking if you can use a Pattaya agent whilst living in Chiang Mai.

 

The Pattaya agents will work with you wherever you live in Thailand. So, yes. However be aware that your extension will be processed at Chonburi Immigration and you may have difficulty accessing some Immigration services like 'certificates of residence' if you go down that route.

[PJ71]

On 12/26/2024 at 1:15 PM, proton said:

 

Lives in Korat, extension stamped in Pattaya! Maybe he could go into his real immigration office in Korat and ask them if this was legal? 

Why on earth would he want to do that, he has the visa / extension / permission of stay ( whatever you want to call it ), job done.

[PJ71]

13 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

You send your passport to some dodgy agent rather than hand it over personally?

BTW how do you send it?

 

Why are they 'dodgy'?

 

Many of these visa agents have been set up and well established for many years, this is NOT new....

[PJ71]

30 minutes ago, BenCrew said:

 

Not possible to get a certificate of residence that is from a different province than the visa stamp. 

I've been here 24 years, think i've got 4 or 5 COR so it's not a common problem.

 

Worst case scenario is you drive to the province and get the COR, not hard.

[BenCrew]

3 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

I've been here 24 years, think i've got 4 or 5 COR so it's not a common problem.

 

Worst case scenario is you drive to the province and get the COR, not hard.

Don't understand how they could issue a COR with a different province on the visa stamp. This has been debated on here before, and the conclusion was that it was not possible.

[EVENKEEL]

On 12/25/2024 at 10:15 PM, proton said:

 

Lives in Korat, extension stamped in Pattaya! Maybe he could go into his real immigration office in Korat and ask them if this was legal? 

I'd wager you're banging on Thai tax doors as well. Please I must pay taxes.

[PJ71]

12 minutes ago, BenCrew said:

Don't understand how they could issue a COR with a different province on the visa stamp. This has been debated on here before, and the conclusion was that it was not possible.

I think there's a misunderstanding, take my case for example.

 

I do not live in Pattaya but use an agent there at Jomtien IO, the address on my paperwork is the agents office. If i want a COR i will pay the agent to get me COR but it's likely i'd need to go there and comply with more BS such as medical cert for COR.

 

For me going to Pattaya is no problemo as i have a property there.

[zzzzz]

14 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

You send your passport to some dodgy agent rather than hand it over personally?

BTW how do you send it?

 

dodgy??  5555
ems

as to using an agent in Pattaya, You need appear in person to get ur extension so unless ur living in  Pattaya, you need add on the expense of travelling, hotels, etc to the 12,500-13,00 charged
Many other agents use immigration offices where you do NOT need appear in person
 

[baansgr]

With interest rates being so high it makes financial sense to use an agent....unless you are doing 65k a month if you really need that much..extension costs 12k baht...5% of 800k baht equals 40k baht

[proton]

1 hour ago, PJ71 said:

Why on earth would he want to do that, he has the visa / extension / permission of stay ( whatever you want to call it ), job done.

 

Until he wants to get out of the grip of having to use an agent and go back to getting an extension from his real office. Getting an extension from a province you do not live in is not legal.

[Marcous]

2 hours ago, BenCrew said:

 

Not possible to get a certificate of residence that is from a different province than the visa stamp. 

Not possible to do it yourself, but 1000 BAHT to an agent will get you a COR no matter what your stamp says. I know because I have done it.

[billd766]

On 12/26/2024 at 1:09 PM, Dan O said:

In the future if he wants to go away from using a visa agent he will need to start planning well in advance in order to produce valid banking documents to cover the whole 12 months for the renewal 

I normally plan to be completely ready for my extension 2 to 3 weeks earlier than the the extension date, so I start the paperwork about a month before that.

 

I am on a marriage extension and have been for a few years using the income method that requires no money in the bank. IMO the only thing to be careful of, is the Forex rate.

 

I do it myself and apart from the 2 copies needed, one for the Kamphaeng Phet office and one copy for the regional office in Chiang Mai, it is simple and straightforward, just a small PITA.

 

The biggest hassle for me is that Bangkok Bank want 3 working days notice for a 12 month statement. I simply go to the bank a month early, tell them what I need and when I will collect it, make sure that I get 3 copies, (including one for me), and make sure that the bank staff stamp and sign every page. 

 

NO agent required.

[billd766]

On 12/26/2024 at 1:15 PM, proton said:

 

Lives in Korat, extension stamped in Pattaya! Maybe he could go into his real immigration office in Korat and ask them if this was legal? 

That may not be his best plan.

[PJ71]

4 hours ago, proton said:

 

Until he wants to get out of the grip of having to use an agent and go back to getting an extension from his real office. Getting an extension from a province you do not live in is not legal.

hahahahaha.

 

If you're concerned about corruption you're in the wrong place.

[Phantom57]

“

If you're concerned about corruption you're in the wrong place.”

Honestly, I don’t think the issue is about corruption, it is about the legality of one’s extension if properly audited,  following this corruption.

[BenCrew]

4 hours ago, Marcous said:

Not possible to do it yourself, but 1000 BAHT to an agent will get you a COR no matter what your stamp says. I know because I have done it.

Maybe, but not from the province you live in, the province of your visa stamp. The only way was to go to the British / US Embassy who used to issue them, but not any more. If you're going to buy a car or motorcycle, you want it registering to where you live, and also the driving license. 

[Caldera]

44 minutes ago, Phantom57 said:

Honestly, I don’t think the issue is about corruption, it is about the legality of one’s extension if properly audited,  following this corruption.

 

But where are the honest cops who would "properly audit" something like this? Not in Thailand.

 

We've seen plenty of examples of what happens if and when those schemes go bust. There might be some hassle but nothing too major, and then miraculously, another agent or even the same one will find and sell a new solution. There's just too much money on the table.