43 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

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

No, the topic includes a lot of chat about how to go from agent to DIY. There are probably at least 10 or more posts on this already.

26 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

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.

ok I'll explain again to make it simple for you, apply for extension 3 weeks early, start with the 800k before then, then the following year extension you have 13 months compliance and can get your extension 1900 baht

22 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

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. 

what do you estimate the costs of starting over? not starting over zero costs just patience 

Hi

Just wondering if someone out there can point me in the best direction please.

I have been in Thailand for a few years on a Marriage extension visa, but now I have hit 65 I've been told that I have to spend 26 weeks a year back in NZ to be eligible. 

I think a retirement visa would now be more beneficial.  As I also hold my old UK passport I have thought that this might be the best one to use because it will allow a 5 year visa?  However, I have lived for 20 years in NZ and my income is there.  Is this going to be a problem please?

7 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

No, the topic includes a lot of chat about how to go from agent to DIY

Your posts are off topic. 

From the OP..... "The agent deposits the money into your bank account for one day" 

 

The thread concerns having used an agent and having them cover the financials you then want to change to obtaining the annual extension yourself. 

You would need to do one full year of agent + your funds in the bank in order to change. 

Even then it would depend on where the stamps were issued and even the date on the stamps. 

Safest way is to "start over" 

7 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

what do you estimate the costs of starting over? not starting over zero costs just patience 

For a start you have omitted the opportunity cost of the 800k.

My cBus super fund has yielded over 8% ongoing. 

Having those funds not parked into Thai bank account for a year would cover a lovely holiday in Saigon. 

BTW you could border bounce to start over. 

Currently not so easy with Cambodian land borders closed 

 

Also you are basing your advice on your experience with Jomtien (?)

Agents may/do things differently elsewhere. One example being stamps issued in another province

10 minutes ago, Mukdahan Mark said:

Marriage extension visa, but now I have hit 65 I've been told that I have to spend 26 weeks a year back in NZ to be eligible. 

You need to clarify. 

Are you referring to retirement pension in NZ. 

In Oz referred to a "old age pension" 

The requirements to receive an age pension in NZ not covered in this forum. 

That has nothing to do with your extensions in Thailand being based on marriage or retirement. 

 

BTW: To be clear.. While we use the term "Non O retirement"   in reality you don't need to be retired. 

The requirement is age over 50.

A condition is not working in Thailand. 

 

20 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Your posts are off topic. 

From the OP..... "The agent deposits the money into your bank account for one day" 

 

The thread concerns having used an agent and having them cover the financials you then want to change to obtaining the annual extension yourself. 

You would need to do one full year of agent + your funds in the bank in order to change. 

Even then it would depend on where the stamps were issued and even the date on the stamps. 

Safest way is to "start over" 

Thanks! Everyone is talking about this, but I get the "off topic" scolding.

 

You're basically repeating what I said earlier. The best way is to try it first and save having to "start over" in the likely case you will succeed. Starting over is always an available, very inconvenient option.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

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

As pointed out by @BrandonJT earlier. 

 

That would be illegally then? extensions have to be from the province you live in

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

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

 

Maybe..........but where do you think your agent fees are going?

 

Part going to a corrupt bank employee to falsify documents, and part to a corrupt IO, likely in a different district from where you reside, to knowingly accept false documents.

 

Start over clean.

24 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

....but where do you think your agent fees are going?

Old news 

 

bank

agent

immigration 

3 hours 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.

Seems the best idea, yes

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

ok I'll explain again to make it simple for you, apply for extension 3 weeks early, start with the 800k before then, then the following year extension you have 13 months compliance and can get your extension 1900 baht

Do you suffer from a reading comprehension disorder?
OP asked about using an agent to apply for an extension without funds.
If you don't have the funds, how can you deposit, 800K 3 weeks beforehand.

 

As mentioned above by @BrandonJT.
Friend entered Thailand on a TV, had bank account from beforehand and transferred the 800K.
Went to an agent in Bangkok, who obtained him the Non O, 1 year extension and multi entry permit from CW.

Travelled up to Amnat Charoen where he lived with his girlfriend and filed a TM30 on arrival.

Submitted first 90 day report, and they refused, telling him to go back and report to CW.
Reason ......... the Non O and extension were both issued the same day.
Did 90 day border hops instead.
Applying for first extension at Amnat, they requested bank statement going back to two months before the extension was applied for, to ensure it was seasoned, which obvious it wasn't, so he had to do a further border run, apply for the Non O in Savannahket, then 2 months later apply for the extension at Amnat again, which they granted.

7 hours 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.

4 hours ago, Berti said:

Seems the best idea, yes

 

That's using an agent to do the legwork when you meet the financial requirements, but that wasn't your initial question.

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

what do you estimate the costs of starting over? not starting over zero costs just patience 

starting over>
put 800,000 in the bank, fly to laos or cambodia ( without a re entry permit so ur current extension is killed off)
apply for a 90 day non o visa
return

after 2 months apply for the yearly extension 
can't be that expensive,  You could also go overland to laos if ur counting coins

10 hours 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.

 

So if someone got the agent extension 90 days prior to expiry and transferred 65k/month for the entire 15 months they'd be ok? 

14 minutes ago, Bobthegimp said:

 

So if someone got the agent extension 90 days prior to expiry and transferred 65k/month for the entire 15 months they'd be ok? 

Don't understand your question. 

Immigration will not accept what you outline

The OP is regarding change from using agent to DIY using money in bank method. 

You cannot switch from using agent to income method even with embassy letter. 

Extensions financial requirements are checked retrospectively. 

I did this a week ago.. I changed from extension retirement money in bank method to income method using income method. 

I showed 12+ month transfers. 

IO went through my previous extension financial compliance with fine tooth comb. 

If I had used agent then auto fail

 

This thread is giving misleading advice. 

To change from agent to DIY then "start over"

Few posts of success from running compliance simultaneously with agent obtained extension is misleading. 

Maybe possible at some offices (Jomtiem) however generally not. 

 

 

30 minutes ago, Bobthegimp said:

 

So if someone got the agent extension 90 days prior to expiry and transferred 65k/month for the entire 15 months they'd be ok? 

No.

The agent would have obtained the extension based on 800K in the bank, so for the next extension you'd have to show evidence of that 800K remaining in the bank for 3 months afterwards, then no less than 400K for the next 7 months, as well as 12 x 65K monthly overseas transfers to qualify for the next extension.

Essentially, 2 bank statements, one proving you complied with the previous extension, and one proving you meet the requirements for the new extension.

 

If the extension obtained by the agent was from a different IO to where you reside (usually the case) then you'd have to file a new TM30 with the IO where you actually resided, but immaterial as you'll have to use the agent again.

8 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Do you suffer from a reading comprehension disorder?
OP asked about using an agent to apply for an extension without funds.
If you don't have the funds, how can you deposit, 800K 3 weeks beforehand.

 

are you always this dumb, the subject moved on to how to switch to non agent

7 hours ago, zzzzz said:

starting over>
put 800,000 in the bank, fly to laos or cambodia ( without a re entry permit so ur current extension is killed off)
apply for a 90 day non o visa
return

after 2 months apply for the yearly extension 
can't be that expensive,  You could also go overland to laos if ur counting coins

i was looking for how much it usually costs, i.e. a lot more, plus much more hassle

16 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Starting over is bullet proof. 

 

Seriously, this is ALL you need to know in order to avoid the increasing paper-chasing minutiae and pedantry of different immigration offices (and the officers therein) and certain banks.

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

i was looking for how much it usually costs, i.e. a lot more, plus much more hassle

Its very simple exercise to work out cost of "start over" to obtain Non O. 

Obviously depends on how you do it and how long you stay out of Thailand. 

You could also even border bounce and start over from visa exempt. 

You haven't considered opportunity cost. 

To run agent and funds in bank in concert for 12+ months would cost over 60k.

Far more than start over option. 

And AGAIN running agent and financials in concert would not work for many of the various situations. 

On 10/18/2025 at 7:21 AM, Berti said:

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?

One catch with this, is if you change immigration offices - even if you didn't ever use an agent, before.  They are very jealous of other office's agent-money, so may ask for 2 years bank-statements, whether you used an agent before or not.  This was reported happening at CW. 

In over 50 years of doing extensions at Immo/Bangkok (work, marriage, retirement) I have never observed any of the IMMO officers deal with agents or treat any applicants different from one another.

 

What is more, I have never seen, or been approached by, an agent at Immo/Suan Plu or Immo/CW.

 

Because of the regular rotation of Immo staff at the Bangkok Division 1 HQ, it would be very difficult to set up a graft system that would be handed off from officer to officer and overseen by a single or multiple corrupt Immo officers.

 

In sum, as an expat, you are likely to get the most professional and legal service at Immo/CW of all the IOs around the country.

10 minutes ago, TaoNow said:

What is more, I have never seen, or been approached by, an agent at Immo/Suan Plu or Immo/CW.

The word ostrich springs to mind. 

I can assure you that stamps are issued at CW and elsewhere for extensions retirement using funds in the bank method where the agent covers the financial requirements. 

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't understand your question. 

Immigration will not accept what you outline

The OP is regarding change from using agent to DIY using money in bank method. 

You cannot switch from using agent to income method even with embassy letter. 

Extensions financial requirements are checked retrospectively. 

I did this a week ago.. I changed from extension retirement money in bank method to income method using income method. 

I showed 12+ month transfers. 

IO went through my previous extension financial compliance with fine tooth comb. 

If I had used agent then auto fail

 

This thread is giving misleading advice. 

To change from agent to DIY then "start over"

Few posts of success from running compliance simultaneously with agent obtained extension is misleading. 

Maybe possible at some offices (Jomtiem) however generally not. 

 

 

It's true that some offices will reject an extension from offices on a blacklist but agents can find a way around this  I was told, though it involves getting an extension at an approved office first and then your desired office the following year. Of course at Jomtien (and other offices) you could probably bribe them yourself 

2 hours ago, TaoNow said:

In over 50 years of doing extensions at Immo/Bangkok (work, marriage, retirement) I have never observed any of the IMMO officers deal with agents or treat any applicants different from one another.

When I did extensions at CW, while I was sitting in queue, agents would walk in with a client - text something on their phone - then walk directly to an IO with their client, who would get a quick picture taken at the IO's desk, then they left.

 

Granted, CW processing "by the book" is more consistent than some other offices, but don't kid yourself that is all that is happening.