Using Agent at Immigration - good idea?

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, samtam said:

 

Using an agent for EOS legitimately is akin to paying for Fast Track. Been doing it for about 5 years. I provide bank letter, verified savings passbook, photos and the agent picks up from my home with my passport the day before the visit to IMM. I'm usually at IMM for about 20 minutes, and I get the EOS and Multiple Re-entry in my passport delivered back to me the next day, (sometimes the same day). The agent's work is a price worth paying (for me).

How much do they charge, and what office? 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, SpaceKadet said:

My country requires me to apply in person, and pick it up in person. That's because all new passports contain a biometric chip that has your photo and fingerprints digitized. The embassy does the photo and fingerprints when you apply. How does you agent process that? Or does UK still issue non biometric passports?

Doesn't make sense. 

I recently renewed my Oz pp while in Thailand. 

Oz pp has biometric.. 

I did it all via mail and online application. 

The existing pp was not sent with application. 

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

How much do they charge, and what office? 

Current thread on using agent for extension. 

Cost etc depends on location as does immigration office. 

[SpaceKadet]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Doesn't make sense. 

I recently renewed my Oz pp while in Thailand. 

Oz pp has biometric.. 

I did it all via mail and online application. 

The existing pp was not sent with application. 

The embassy have a machine that takes you picture and fingerprints, digitizes them and sends with the passport application to the passport manufacturer.

How can yours be biometric? How do you do your fingerprints online? Just a photo is not biometric.

Suppose most counties has not yet come to the hi-tech level of mine yet.....

 

Should add that I had to do it for the past 3-4 renewals. 20 years total.

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Current thread on using agent for extension. 

Cost etc depends on location as does immigration office. 

That's why I was asking an individual that had used one, where they used them, and how much they paid. 

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, SpaceKadet said:

The embassy have a machine that takes you picture and fingerprints, digitizes them and sends with the passport application to the passport manufacturer.

How can yours be biometric? How do you do your fingerprints online? Just a photo is not biometric.

Suppose most counties has not yet come to the hi-tech level of mine yet.....

A renewal might have fingerprints and whatnot already registered. 

 

I know the US renewal is mail in. 

[SpaceKadet]

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

A renewal might have fingerprints and whatnot already registered. 

 

I know the US renewal is mail in. 

Hmmmm. Not very secure, IMO. While your fingerprints might not change, your photo will over 20 years or so.

 

Personally, I spout a Walrus facial hair adornment since 25 years and don't recognize myself in my old passport pictures.  

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, SpaceKadet said:

Suppose most counties has not yet come to the hi-tech level of mine yet...

And what country would that be

[Packer]

No downside.

 

Unless you're poor and can only afford 1900THB.

 

Those with money use agents. 

[SpaceKadet]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

And what country would that be

The greatest country in the world. SWEDEN!

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, SpaceKadet said:

Hmmmm. Not very secure, IMO. While your fingerprints might not change, your photo will over 20 years or so.

USA, Canada, AU, etc etc do not require an appointment at embassy to renew pp. 

Even UK that uses VFS ... you can use an agent. 

Of course all applications require current photo. 

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, Packer said:

No downside.

 

Unless you're poor and can only afford 1900THB.

 

Those with money use agents. 

Particularly those with "money" that so not have B800K in the bank. 

[SpaceKadet]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

USA, Canada, AU, etc etc do not require an appointment at embassy to renew pp. 

Even UK that uses VFS ... you can use an agent. 

Of course all applications require current photo. 

Well, mine does. Perhaps the new set of fingerprints and photo is to compare to the previous ones and verify that I am who I claim to be.

 

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, SpaceKadet said:

The greatest country in the world. SWEDEN!

And that country requires you to attend embassy for passport renewal in person? 

Sounds like dark ages to me. 

I did my renewal online including one mail in application. 

Walk in park

[Yellowtail]

Just now, SpaceKadet said:

Well, mine does. Perhaps the new set of fingerprints and photo is to compare to the previous ones and verify that I am who I claim to be.

 

Or maybe they are just unable to keep track of the old files. 

[buddy2010]

3 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Do you mean that you gave your passport to an agent and he brought it back with an incorrect visa?   If so was it really necessary to get a new passport? Why not just have the incorrect visa cancelled and get the correct one?  I think I might be missing something here.

It was a fake VISA!

[SpaceKadet]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

And that country requires you to attend embassy for passport renewal in person? 

Sounds like dark ages to me. 

I did my renewal online including one mail in application. 

Walk in park

It would be nice to do everything online, but like I said:

Difficult to do fingerprint and photo online. And they will never mail your passport to you. You'll have to pick it up personally with an ID.

 

I have been bumming around third world countries for most of my professional life (40+ years), and appreciate the passport security my country have. 

And, let's face it, no matter what they say, Thailand is still a third world country. Not even post services works here, some mail never arrives, some takes months...

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, SpaceKadet said:

Difficult to do fingerprint and photo online. And they will never mail your passport to you. You'll have to pick it up personally with an ID.

All very weird and have named many countries that do not have this limitations. 

Granted USA and Canadian pp are mail in with application. 

Find that surprising. 

Currently I'm not sure USA even taking appointments for this service. 

In any event enough. Sweden is not topic of the thread. 

[gk10012001]

I used an agent once in Pattaya to get a 30 day extension to my visa exempt.  It was my second visit to Thailand and Asia and I was less than sure of the process and forms and Jomtien etc.  Which agent I used I don't remember.  It may have been the old Key Visa?  Gave em my passport, answered a few questions, one form or whatever.  Paid what I thought was a reasonable fee for the convenience of them doing this.  The next day I went back to the agent office and picked up my passport.  I didn't see anything wrong or improper or skirting of any rules.  Maybe things are different now and the immigration people want to see you in person, or things like this can't be done by proxy or by a runner, but not from what I have heard

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

All very weird and have named many countries that do not have this limitations. 

Granted USA and Canadian pp are mail in with application. 

Find that surprising. 

Currently I'm not sure USA even taking appointments for this service. 

In any event enough. Sweden is not topic of the thread. 

The US passport control is pathetic. You do not even have to go through immigration to exit the country. 

 

Most systems in the US are designed for honest people, which used to work every well, but, well you know. 

[JB300]

Sorry I’m one of those people who believes that time is worth more than money so I use an agent to make my life easier at any opportunity I can (just like in the UK, I use an accountant to file tax returns & a gardener to take care of my gardens). 

 

1. Annual Extension 8K (have the 800K in the bank) + 4K for a multi reentry permit. 

 

2. TM30 (when I moved condo) 500b.

 

3. 90 day report (1st one after getting back from an overseas trip) 100b (because I do my annual extension with them, 200b if not) … rest of them I do online. 

 

4. Residency Certificate (opening bank account, driving licence etc…) 500b 

 

5. UK Passport renewal 12K (+ 1K for them to arrange the transfer of the visa/permission to stay to the new passport).
 

All 100% legit, I’m paying for a “Concierge” service not for somebody to “Bend the Rules”.
 

One thing I would say to the OP is in all of the above Immigration interactions your agent needs to have your passport & in the case of annual extension of stay you have to go to Immigration to have your photo taken (my experience in Bangkok & Pattaya, your local IO office might have different rules) so you need to be in-country even if using an agent. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

1 hour ago, JB300 said:

Sorry I’m one of those people who believes that time is worth more than money so I use an agent to make my life easier at any opportunity I can (just like in the UK, I use an accountant to file tax returns & a gardener to take care of my gardens). 

 

1. Annual Extension 8K (have the 800K in the bank) + 4K for a multi reentry permit. 

...

All 100% legit, I’m paying for a “Concierge” service not for somebody to “Bend the Rules”.
 

Thanks - do you mind passing on the name of the agency?  You can pm me.

[DrJack54]

22 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Thanks - do you mind passing on the name of the agency?  You can pm me.

Don't follow your thread. Using agent for the guy you quoted is location specific.

The prices he stated are typical Pattaya. 

In fact the 8k+4k my guess is Maneerat.

 

Best to indicate the immigration office that you deal with for helpful advice. 

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

Stamps like the ones I just mentioned (especially if that agent is banking the money for you too) are the ones that can cause heightened scrutiny when an immigration officer looks in your passport.

Nonsense, an extension of stay stamp issued using an agent is exactly the same as a stamp issued when dealing directly with an IO, there is no distinction to be seen when a passport is examined.

[JB300]

9 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Thanks - do you mind passing on the name of the agency?  You can pm me.

In Pattaya I use Maneerat on Soi 13/2 (Soi Post Office)

 

When I lived in Bangkok (5 years ago) I used Asia Visa Consulting

 

IIRC, Extensions were 7,900, multi re-entry permits were an additional 4,000 & 90 day reporting was 375. 

[JB300]

9 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Nonsense, an extension of stay stamp issued using an agent is exactly the same as a stamp issued when dealing directly with an IO, there is no distinction to be seen when a passport is examined.

The only thing I can think of where the stamp might look different is an agent can get your extension done up to 90 days before it’s due whereas doing it yourself it would be 30/45 days before it’s due. 
 

E.g Because of travel plans I did my extension > 60 days early this year so a sharp eyed IO officer could work out it was done via an agent… 

 

[jaywalker2]

12 hours ago, SpaceKadet said:

It would be nice to do everything online, but like I said:

Difficult to do fingerprint and photo online. And they will never mail your passport to you. You'll have to pick it up personally with an ID.

 

I have been bumming around third world countries for most of my professional life (40+ years), and appreciate the passport security my country have. 

And, let's face it, no matter what they say, Thailand is still a third world country. Not even post services works here, some mail never arrives, some takes months...

Thailand's postal system used to be completely unreliable. Not anymore. Even better than the U.S., at least in Bangkok

[TerraplaneGuy]

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't follow your thread. Using agent for the guy you quoted is location specific.

The prices he stated are typical Pattaya. 

In fact the 8k+4k my guess is Maneerat.

 

Best to indicate the immigration office that you deal with for helpful advice. 

Chaeng Wattana - BKK.  I'm trying to get my stamps transferred to my new passport there.  The issue is that I only recently moved back to BKK so my last extension stamp was done in Koh Samui and people say CW is reluctant to do this seemingly straightforward procedure in such cases, instead sends you back to the office you got your last stamp at.  I don't want to have to go to Samui for this.  I'm thinking an agent could possibly get it done at CW.