Using Agent at Immigration - good idea?

[worgeordie]

My last visa extension took less than 1 hour ,and I have done many up here

in Chiang Mai ,and over the years it's only gotten easier , no getting up

at 4 in the morning to get a que ticket , and I have never used an agent,

other offices may vary ,much better things to spend my money on than

paying an agent ,

 

regards Worgeordie

 

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Some people here have said it is impossible to get stamps transferred at Suvarnabhumi

I saw that thread. 

Personally have no first hand experience regards that. 

On the other hand many posts along the lines .... "I obtained my extension in Phuket and my immigration office in new location is telling me to go back to Phuket to transfer stamps to new pp".... 

 

As mentioned chat with agent. 

[TerraplaneGuy]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I saw that thread. 

Personally have no first hand experience regards that. 

On the other hand many posts along the lines .... "I obtained my extension in Phuket and my immigration office in new location is telling me to go back to Phuket to transfer stamps to new pp".... 

 

As mentioned chat with agent. 

Is @thaivisacentre a reliable agency?

[zzzzz]

14 hours 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.....

 

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

US passport does it all by Mail in

 

Quote

Is @thaivisacentre a reliable agency?

yes 100% and currently offering extension for 14,000 ANY bank, no requirements to visit immigration, all done by  mail

Note ur extension will most likely be issued up country so u need ot a TM30 for where u live so u can do ur 90 day reports there

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Is @thaivisacentre a reliable agency?

Yes

[TerraplaneGuy]

29 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

US passport does it all by Mail in

 

yes 100% and currently offering extension for 14,000 ANY bank, no requirements to visit immigration, all done by  mail

Note ur extension will most likely be issued up country so u need ot a TM30 for where u live so u can do ur 90 day reports there

 I'm not doing an extension, I'm transferring stamps to a new passport and my challenge is I want to do it at CW but my last stamps were done in Koh Samui.  Hence thinking of an agent.

[samtam]

16 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

At what office?

 

Chaengwattana, Bangkok.

[Tedly]

 I have been using an agent for my EOS based on marriage, for me, it is worthwhile because there are so many documents needed, and I don't have to spend a whole day at immigration. Or get there and find out I need another document and have to go again. They get an appointment for me, and I go sign everything with my wife and we are out in about 30 minutes. They even go to the amphur and get the updated cor ror 22 or whatever that paper is. If I ever switch to retirement extension maybe I will do it myself since there is less paperwork. 

[Surasak]

17 hours ago, proton said:

 

309 quid is not to like, its only 207 to get one the same day back home. 

Plus the flights and other travel and accommodation expenses. I don't see a mug when I look in the mirror, but I have to wonder what you see!?

[Surasak]

17 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Chanthaburi is a real backwater city. I believe the IO when she says there are no agents here.

You are there and I am here, so I'll keep quiet.

[Surasak]

17 hours 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?

 

The only hassle was the travel to BKK to apply, and HuaHin to pick it up. But BKK trip is always fun, getting a few booze nights with my buddies there, and HH is good for shopping (according to Mrs), so no real hassle.

I cannot be in the know for every countries passport requirements. Had there been any problems with mine, I feel sure the passport application would have been refused.

[Magictoad]

21 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Starting a separate thread for this here.  FIRST let me be clear:  I am NOT talking about using an agent to obtain visas/extensions/permissions (or anything else) in violation of the law, such as where the applicant lacks the proper qualifications.  I AM talking about using an agent to go and facilitate processing of a legitimate transaction in circumstances where it is inconvenient or impossible for the applicant to do it him/herself.  For example, a qualified applicant needs something but due to work/family/illness/travel or other obstacles is unable to make the time to organize the application and/or be physically present.  

 

Some people seem to think using an agent is risky.  But they may be thinking of the first case (illegitimate transactions).

How about in the second case (legitimate transactions) - is there really any downside other than the agent's fee?  One risk I can imagine is that if the agent is dishonest you could end up losing your passport or other docs, etc.  So clearly some research would be needed.  Anything else?

 

Personally I've never used one, been here a long time and I prefer to do all this stuff myself.  But there may be a situation coming up where it's very inconvenient for me so ...

Sure; use an agent. Why not? I always do. Always have done. The procedure is too exhausting otherwise. I need the help of an expert who knows the system and the people. 

[Surasak]

18 hours ago, Surasak said:

Just a thought. While sat waiting in IMMI, watch the comings and goings. An agent is usually quite easy to spot.

I have to assume, whomever posted the thumbs down, is not so very observant?

[JB300]

18 hours 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?

The UK passport you’re renewing already has the Biometric data (Introduced in 2006 & I believe this is photo only as I don’t ever recall being fingerprinted when applying for a passport) so as long as your new photo isn’t massively dissimilar than your old photo then you’re ok. 
 

[K2938]

20 hours ago, JAG said:

Given that in my local immigration office an agent sits at the back of the room, and the IOs actively refer people to her, I would suggest that it entails no risk!

Is this serious?

[Yellowtail]

Just now, K2938 said:

Is this serious?

Even if everything is completely legal, and the IO gets no kick-back, who do you think the IO would rather work with? 

 

The agent has every form filled out correctly and has every piece of documentation signed and stacked in the correct order, as opposed to someone arguing about why they have to provide a particular photocopy.

[JAG]

1 hour ago, K2938 said:

Is this serious?

Yes.

[1FinickyOne]

I used to do all of my visa and 90 day notice by myself... I lived in an outer province where there was no agent...

 

I now live in CM area and absolutely love having an agent. I do 100% qualify on my own but I love that the agent fills in all of the paperwork and yes, of course properly as that is their job, where I might have made a mistake. They deal with all photos for the appplication. 

 

For my annual retirement visa I need to get the letter from the bank, but after that, I go to the agent and sign my name as they flip the pages. It takes a couple of minutes, They make an appointment usually for the next day and meet me at Immigration where I am ushered to a room and my photo is taken and my passport is handed back to me. within 5 minutes. I am charged a nominal fee for this and it includes the visa fees. 

 

I don't think there is a way around showing up at Immigration and having my photo taken. I have been using an agent for over 10 years and am very pleased with the professional service they provide. 

[Caldera]

6 hours ago, zzzzz said:

yes 100% and currently offering extension for 14,000 ANY bank, no requirements to visit immigration, all done by  mail

 

How does the bank part work in practice when doing everything by mail? Do you need to mail them your bank book? How do they get the money back after putting it into your account?

[Equatorial]

58 minutes ago, Caldera said:

How do they get the money back after putting it into your account?

 

That's what I like to know! 

 

Can they just pull 10,000 or 100,000 Baht out of your bank account whenever they want to? 

[Yellowtail]

7 minutes ago, Equatorial said:

 

That's what I like to know! 

 

Can they just pull 10,000 or 100,000 Baht out of your bank account whenever they want to? 

I think for only B14K, you have to meet the financial obligation yourself. 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I think for only B14K, you have to meet the financial obligation yourself. 

No... Annual extension retirement with agent covering financial requirements the fee is ~13-17k

 

[Yellowtail]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

No... Annual extension retirement with agent covering financial requirements the fee is ~13-17k

 

Wow, that's down a bit from the last time I checked. The last agent I talked to was (I think) B27K, and they were not interested in doing it for people that met the requirements. 

 

I think we used to pay B500 for someone that just walked you through, had you sign and stood in line for you. 

[cjinchiangrai]

The only downside to using legitimate agents for legitimate services is finding a trustworthy one and the value for the money. I have plenty of time o there is not really much to gain, but up to you.

[zzzzz]

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

 

How does the bank part work in practice when doing everything by mail? Do you need to mail them your bank book? How do they get the money back after putting it into your account?

ahhhhhh  I have found out how they do it
Look at a scb bank book, am sure others as well,  notice there are NO numbered pages 

all i can say, it works 
 

Quote

I think for only B14K, you have to meet the financial obligation yourself.

nope, only a bank account 

[hotsun]

I did a marriage extension one time at chaengwattana, i wouldnt recommend it. I think the only reason i got it was because the IO was female and loved our child or else it would have meant multiple trips

[Mason45]

On 5/24/2025 at 5:22 PM, Surasak said:

I used an agent to renew my UK passport last April. The lack of hassle was worth every penny I paid, which was £309.00, including the passport cost. All done in 3 weeks. What's not to like?

Just as a matter of interest can an Australian Passport be renewed by an agent in Pattaya, if so what would the approximate fee be. The last time I renewed my Aussie Passport in Bangkok was a real hassle considering where I lived at the time. If I can use an agent in Pattaya I'd gladly pay.

[Liverpool Lou]

16 hours ago, JB300 said:

 

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… 

So?  Both are valid extensions.

[JB300]

6 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

So?  Both are valid extensions.

Absolutely & my bank accounts would stand up to an audit to show I followed the rules, but I was just highlighting the only example I could think of where a stamp from an Agent assisted extension could look different to a DIY one. 
 

Simple answer if somebody was worried about this is to go see your agent within the 45/30 days permitted by your IO office & the stamps would look identical. 

[DrJack54]

13 hours ago, Mason45 said:

I renewed my Aussie Passport in Bangkok was a real hassle considering where I lived at the time. If I can use an agent in Pattaya I'd gladly pay

Yes you can use an agent in Pattaya to do passport renewal for Oz pp. 

Be aware that now Australian pp can be renewed via mail to Bangkok embassy. 

The current pp is not sent with the application which is a bonus. 

The new pp will be posted to your Pattaya address. 

My process time was 20 days from posting application till receiving the new pp via  mail back to my condo. 

Here is link to application

https://thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/Australian_Passports_Page.html#Apply for or renew your passport