Hi,

Two things about the rent-the-money way ("agent meets financial requirements") which I don't understand:

 

1.) The agent deposits the money into your bank account for one day, how can he be sure to receive he money back? Does he have any hold on your bank account? Or do you need a joint account?

 

2.) I read many times that you are tied to this agent forever, except you start the non-o from the scratch. Why this? You just have to deposit money for one year (or 15 months to be sure) in another Thai bank account while the agent makes the extensions for you, and later you can show the financial requirements by yourself for an extension in future?

You do it with them in person. You can change and do it yourself any time thereafter. Some like using an agent to save time, as they know the system better.

26 minutes ago, Berti said:

Hi,

Two things about the rent-the-money way ("agent meets financial requirements") which I don't understand:

 

1.) The agent deposits the money into your bank account for one day, how can he be sure to receive he money back? Does he have any hold on your bank account? Or do you need a joint account?

 

2.) I read many times that you are tied to this agent forever, except you start the non-o from the scratch. Why this? You just have to deposit money for one year (or 15 months to be sure) in another Thai bank account while the agent makes the extensions for you, and later you can show the financial requirements by yourself for an extension in future?

 

Theoretically speaking:  

 

1.  The bank in question "understands the process".  The money is removed immediately after you receive a printed receipt showing the amount is there.

 

  2.  Technically, the 800K must stay in your account for x months (three, is it?) after your extension.  Since that doesn't happen and you cannot show it happened in your bank book, you need an agent to "fix it" so you can get the next extension.

 

    

1. Not always is the money placed in ur bank ( note SCB account)
2. Have used 3 different agents over the years
3. Never any problem than filing a new tm 30 for where i really live , so can do my own 90 day reports

18 minutes ago, TheAppletons said:

 

 

  2.  Technically, the 800K must stay in your account for x months (three, is it?) after your extension.  Since that doesn't happen and you cannot show it happened in your bank book, you need an agent to "fix it" so you can get the next extension.

 

    

But this would mean you can never change your bank account for your next extension? Even if you never used an agent.

Once you start down the "I'm using an agent to bank the funds" (where the money stays in the account just a matter of minutes <- only long enough to update the bank book and get the bank letter) you are saddled into using an agent for the foreseeable future
 

That's because as people pointed out, you're required to keep the 800K baht in the thai bank account in your name only for 3 months AFTER the extension is issued AND then you can't let the balance go below 400K baht the rest of the year (until you get it back to 800K baht 2 months before your next yearly extension application) 
 

Seeing as when you go for the extension next year you have to provide a year detail transaction report <- showing the balance on the account the whole previous year after every transaction to prove you met the seasoning you're stuck 😮

The only way to get off the agent gotten extension gravy-train, is to exit the country, get off the extension you're on, come back in "clean" bank your own funds, apply for your own Non-O visa and then the year extension, 
OR 
bank your own 800K when the agent gets you an extension and then follow the seasoning requirements for that year so the following year you can apply on your own      

That's why using an agent to bank the funds and get an extension is a slippery slope indeed because you're virtually 'locked in' to using them year after year.. 

27 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

Once you start down the "I'm using an agent to bank the funds" (where the money stays in the account just a matter of minutes <- only long enough to update the bank book and get the bank letter) you are saddled into using an agent for the foreseeable future
 

That's because as people pointed out, you're required to keep the 800K baht in the thai bank account in your name only for 3 months AFTER the extension is issued AND then you can't let the balance go below 400K baht the rest of the year (until you get it back to 800K baht 2 months before your next yearly extension application) 
 

Seeing as when you go for the extension next year you have to provide a year detail transaction report <- showing the balance on the account the whole previous year after every transaction to prove you met the seasoning you're stuck 😮

The only way to get off the agent gotten extension gravy-train, is to exit the country, get off the extension you're on, come back in "clean" bank your own funds, apply for your own Non-O visa and then the year extension, 
OR 
bank your own 800K when the agent gets you an extension and then follow the seasoning requirements for that year so the following year you can apply on your own      

That's why using an agent to bank the funds and get an extension is a slippery slope indeed because you're virtually 'locked in' to using them year after year.. 

Not correct, you can avoid leaving the country to get a non imm O by instead building up circ 13 months of financial compliance with the 800k/400k rule, from the day it was previously signed off

52 minutes ago, Berti said:

But this would mean you can never change your bank account for your next extension? Even if you never used an agent.

You can change agents no problem, or not use an agent if you build up the financial compliance 

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Not correct, you can avoid leaving the country to get a non imm O by instead building up circ 13 months of financial compliance with the 800k/400k rule, from the day it was previously signed off

did you not understand this part of my comment? 😮 I listed the ways they could get OFF agent gotten extensions 😉 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘃𝘆-𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆, 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 "𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻" 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 
𝗢𝗥 
𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝟴𝟬𝟬𝗞 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻       

1 hour ago, TheAppletons said:

2.  Technically, the 800K must stay in your account for x months (three, is it?) after your extension.  Since that doesn't happen and you cannot show it happened in your bank book, you need an agent to "fix it" so you can get the next extension.

 

    

 

You need an agent to pass on the bribe money for the IO to ignore the fact you are not entitled to the extension

5 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

did you not understand this part of my comment? 😮 I listed the ways they could get OFF agent gotten extensions 😉 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘃𝘆-𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆, 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 "𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻" 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 
𝗢𝗥 
𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝟴𝟬𝟬𝗞 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻       

Yeah i did miss that, most people who post about this don't realise about the second option and often on here it's denied possible

18 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

most people who post about this don't realise about the second option and often on here it's denied possible

on that we agree 👍 🙂 

You just have to be careful if you want to switch to doing it yourself by using the method of proper funding after using an agent. There are a couple of ways you can still be foiled.

 

1) Your agent got your extension from Nakon Nowhere, a few hundred km away from where you live, from an office that's known for agent extensions.

2) Your extension was obtained outside of the normally available timeframe, so you have a dated stamp in your passport that's impossible to have. (for example, 60-90 days before your previous stamp ended rather than the normal 30-45 days)

 

Both of these will likely result in you being turned away from the immigration office before they even want to look at your bank statement with instructions to go back to your agent.

For anyone changing from use of agent to DIY... I suggest you start over. 

Yes it's possible to do it without starting over and obtaining a new Non O but not best option. 

 

Note also that the io can check back the bank book to not just the date of last extension but also two months prior. 

True that sounds nonsense but  first hand happed to me at CW and I haddiscussion with the (head) io that sits rear L32 area.

1 hour ago, Tod Daniels said:

did you not understand this part of my comment? 😮 I listed the ways they could get OFF agent gotten extensions 😉 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘃𝘆-𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆, 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 "𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻" 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗢 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 
𝗢𝗥 
𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝟴𝟬𝟬𝗞 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻       

You're still not making any sense. Of course you need to put 800k in the bank if you want to apply (without help) for an extension of stay on a retirement visa. You have to do that whether you've used an agent in the past or not. So what's the difference? Swapping from using an agent to doing your own visa extensions is no more difficult than starting by doing it yourself in the first place.

5 minutes ago, OutofLondon said:

You're still not making any sense. Of course you need to put 800k in the bank if you want to apply (without help) for an extension of stay on a retirement visa. You have to do that whether you've used an agent in the past or not. So what's the difference? Swapping from using an agent to doing your own visa extensions is no more difficult than starting by doing it yourself in the first place.

Don't know where to start. 

Your post is completely incorrect. 

As pointed out by guy you quoted... 

Financial compliance is checked retrospectively. 

If you have used an agent the bank records will not show funds in the account. 

Use of agent in this thread is not hand holding only. 

It's covering the financial requirements. 

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't know where to start. 

Your post is completely incorrect. 

As pointed out by guy you quoted... 

Financial compliance is checked retrospectively. 

If you have used an agent the bank records will not show funds in the account. 

 

 

My point is once you've got the funds you can start applying for your visa in the same way everyone else does next year (or whenever) - you haven't made life more difficult for yourself.  Any seasoning you have to do is exactly what you would have had to do when you first applied for a visa extension. So it's no more difficult. If YOU don't understand THAT, then I don't know where to start either!

 

3 minutes ago, OutofLondon said:

My point is once you've got the funds you can start applying for your visa in the same way everyone else does next year (or whenever) - you haven't made life more difficult for yourself.  Any seasoning you have to do is exactly what you would have had to do when you first applied for a visa extension. So it's no more difficult. If YOU don't understand THAT, then I don't know where to start either!

 

 

A friend tried what you said and his wife was given a 15 minute lecture Thai by the dragon lady and then she told him to leave the country and start again. So no, transitioning away from agent is not a simple as you make it out to be.

 

"If YOU don't understand THAT, then I don't know where to start either!" 🤣

1 minute ago, OutofLondon said:

My point is once you've got the funds you can start applying for your visa in the same way everyone else does next year (or whenever) - you haven't made life more difficult for yourself

No. 

If you had been using an agent you would need to run a whole year with both a agent acquired extension + 12-14 months of meeting financial  compliance. 

The requirement is 800k in bank account for two months prior to application + maintained for 3 months after and not below 400k in other months. 

This is checked retrospectively 

 

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

For anyone changing from use of agent to DIY... I suggest you start over. 

Yes it's possible to do it without starting over and obtaining a new Non O but not best option. 

 

Note also that the io can check back the bank book to not just the date of last extension but also two months prior. 

True that sounds nonsense but  first hand happed to me at CW and I haddiscussion with the (head) io that sits rear L32 area.

Nah, wasted effort starting over, better to comply with the financials for the following year then apply for extension, in the unlikely event it is declined then start over

4 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

You do it with them in person. You can change and do it yourself any time thereafter. Some like using an agent to save time, as they know the system better.

years 1,2 & 3 you use an agent ( you can use the agent for as many years as required) to supply the money, then 2 months before year 4  application date, you deposit the required money into your bank account, but as you have not complied with the previous whole years financial requirements you again use the agent. but this year it should be at a reduced cost as you have supplied the money. As you now have the money in your bank you can satisfy the financial requirements. Year 5 you do the extension yourself

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Nah, wasted effort starting over, better to comply with the financials for the following year then apply for extension, in the unlikely event it is declined then start over

Nah, you miss the point you couldn't comply the following year if you used an agent for the financials because you wouldn't be able to meet the financial requirements for a further year after that.
In that situation, to do it yourself the following year, start again with a Non O visa.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

No. 

If you had been using an agent you would need to run a whole year with both a agent acquired extension + 12-14 months of meeting financial  compliance. 

The requirement is 800k in bank account for two months prior to application + maintained for 3 months after and not below 400k in other months. 

This is checked retrospectively 

 

It's not complicated. You go to our agent to do your extension, with 800k, which has been in your account for 2 - 3 months, and the following year, you do it yourself. Agents don't charge much to get your extension if you have the 800k in your account, so I would use them even if I have the required banked funds. I'm talking about Pattaya, where immigration "things" are usually smoother.

6 minutes ago, steve187 said:

years 1,2 & 3 you use an agent ( you can use the agent for as many years as required) to supply the money, then 2 months before year 4  application date, you deposit the required money into your bank account, but as you have not complied with the previous whole years financial requirements you again use the agent. but this year it should be at a reduced cost as you have supplied the money. As you now have the money in your bank you can satisfy the financial requirements. Year 5 you do the extension yourself

Exactly as I suggested, the agents will get you extensions with your own banked money at a reduced cost.

2 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

It's not complicated. You go to our agent to do your extension, with 800k, which has been in your account for 2 - 3 months, and the following year, you do it yourself. Agents don't charge much to get your extension if you have the 800k in your account, so I would use them even if I have the required banked funds. I'm talking about Pattaya, where immigration "things" are usually smoother.

Topic is about using an agent when you don't have the funds, not hand holding when you have the funds.

2 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

1) Your agent got your extension from Nakon Nowhere, a few hundred km away from where you live, from an office that's known for agent extensions.

Yes, was going to mention this. Have read reports of these issues, and saw one 'live' at CW, talking with another guy who was getting his extension the same time I was. This was a few years back. He was 'getting off' the agent train, going DIY, thought he was prepared. He came away from the desk cubicle, looking kind of stunned. The IO had pointed out the previous extension, maybe plural, had been acquired from a different immigration office. He had been living in Bangkok all along and the agent who'd handled his extensions was based in Bangkok as well. So the agent had run up to, or run the passport, somewhere north of Bangkok, from where the extensions were obtained.

 

So no extension that day. We talked a bit more, as we were both also getting re-entry permits. (He was going to make a quick trip out and back before the current extension from up-country was due to expire). 

 

The IO had told him he'd have to go to that office and apply for the extension there. Not sure how it all worked out for him, but I figure he just went back to the agent. At least for that extension.

3 hours ago, Berti said:

But this would mean you can never change your bank account for your next extension? Even if you never used an agent.

You can open a new account and transfer any funds, but for the next extension you'd have to provide evidence for both accounts.

21 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Nah, you miss the point you couldn't comply the following year if you used an agent for the financials because you wouldn't be able to meet the financial requirements for a further year after that.
In that situation, to do it yourself the following year, start again with a Non O visa.

Nah, like i said re read my original posts, it's around 13 months compliance is enough

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

Nah, like i said re read my original posts, it's around 13 months compliance is enough

If you used an agent because you didn't have the necessary funds, but later deposited the funds, how for the next extension could you provide evidence of 13 month's compliance?

There is only 12 months in a year, 13 months would take you back to the point the agent applied because you didn't have the funds.
You'd have to wait for the following year in order to comply.

17 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Nah, like i said re read my original posts, it's around 13 months compliance is enough

Yes yes... Previous posts of yours changing from agent to doing DIY with overlap of one year is possible. 

Think your office was Jomtien. 

Some other agents both in Pattaya area and places such as CW etc send the passports "up country" 

As pointed out by @BrandonJT earlier. 

Fact is the last year you use the agent then have them cover the financial requirements. 

Keep your 800k in your super account or wherever your wealth it kept. 

It will earn ~8%. 

When you wish to DIY then mini holiday for new Non O is simple. 

Especially now with eVisa. 

The options are there. 

 

Starting over is bullet proof.