Agents To Help Apply And Process Retirement Visas?

[poochai]

i was advised by one of my thai friends to apply for a retirement visa as i intend to stay long term. could you guys recommend me some good and reliable agents to help me apply and process it?

[Lickey]

You certainly dont need an agent for something so simple as a retirement visa, [unless you are under 50] use the search facillity on this forum or as soon as you can, go to your closest Immigration Office with you partner, ask questions, collect the forms ect,

I think most posters on here will agree that retirement is the easiest to obtain..

[roadschooler]

Incredibly easy and the whole process takes less than an hour.

[Tod Daniels]

An extension of stay based on retirement is a REALLY straightforward process. (Although it does depend a little bit on where you're gonna be here in the glorious "Land 'O Thais")!!

There is very little peril and NO heart wrenching situations in getting it once you’re here on what ever visa (or visa exempt stamp you come in on).

Send me a P/M and I’ll give you some (free) advice, and NO I usually don’t give advice out for free, EVER!!

The only thing I can say is; you certainly don’t need an "agent" to do it for you. ..

Tod Daniels

[Lickey]

Poochai, if you are aplying in Udon Thani provence, then look no further,, for us to come to Udon, introduce you to the Immigration boss, sort your paper work, a meal at pizza hut, a quick tour of Udon falang places, all in 3000bht, the offer stands!!

You must have 800K in a thai bank 2 months before you apply, that is RULE, or made up to 800K by pension payments monthy, which MUST be confirmed by your embassy,

Keep posting your thoughts, we are here to help..

Cheers, Lickey.

[Pib]

No use to waste your money on getting an agent to help you as the process is way too easy assuming you meet the income requirement and you can fill out one very short TM7 application form which is mostly name and address info. You'll also need to provide a copy of your passport with the application and a recent passport-sized picture of yourself. Oh yea, the application/extension of stay will cost you 1900 baht. It's also a good idea to smile at the immigration officers once or twice as they process your application.

Also recommend you get a single or multiple re-entry permit right after you get your extension of stay...the re-entry permit keeps your extension of stay valid if you have to exit/re-enter the country. A single permit costs 1000 baht and requires completion of a very short TM8 form (mostly name and address info), a passport-sized picture of yourself, and 1000 baht for a single use re-entry permit or 3800 baht for a multiple use re-entry permit. Highly recommended you get at least a single re-entry permit in case you have to leave the country quickly on an emergency (you don't want to be worrying about running the to immigration office to get a permit when you must leave fast) and to cover a yearly visit to the home country.

When I did my extension of stay with single re-entry permit at Bangkok Immigration last last year it took approx 1 hr & 15 min from walking in and out the immigration front door. Way easy. Remember, be sure to smile a few times.

[PoorSucker]

From Police order 777/2551

2.22 In the case of a retiree:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 1 year at a time.

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM);

(2) The applicant is 50 years of age or over;

(3) Proof of income of not less than Baht 65,000 per month;

or

(4) Account deposit with a bank in Thailand of not less than 800,000 Baht as shown in the bank account for the past 3 months at the filing date of the application. For the first year, the applicant should have that amount in his bank account for not less than 60 days

or

(5) Annual income plus bank account deposit totaling not less

than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date of application

[poochai]

i went to an agent yesterday morning and was told that he could help me apply for a retirement visa. his asking price is 37,000THB for a 15-month visa. it includes opening a bank account on my behalf and helping me source 800,000THB. frankly speaking, i'm not really keen to wire the equivalent of 800,000THB from my bank in my home country to a thai bank here, park it here for 60 to 90 days and then re-wire the funds back to my bank in my home country. banks will charge for wire transfers and the total commissions that i have to pay may add up to no less than 5,000THB.

any more ideas?

[Jingthing]

I think what that agent is doing is illegal and corrupt. That doesn't mean it won't work. I think it will. I also have never heard of an applicant getting in trouble for paying for that kind of scheme, but that doesn't mean it can't happen in future. I don't think very much more than what I said can really be said here, based on the legal issues. If I went too far even with this post, sorry mods, just delete it.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Jingthing

[PoorSucker]

Just put your cash in a Thai bank for two months.

37.0000 for a 1 year stamp, they really want rip you off.

I can fix that for you for four beers.

[Jingthing]

Just put your cash in a Thai bank for two months.

37.0000 for a 1 year stamp, they really want rip you off.

I can fix that for you for four beers.

You're gonna stick 800K in his Thai bank account, are you? Or more politely, helping me source 800,000THB, wink wink nod nod.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Jingthing

[Lite Beer]

i went to an agent yesterday morning and was told that he could help me apply for a retirement visa. his asking price is 37,000THB for a 15-month visa. it includes opening a bank account on my behalf and helping me source 800,000THB. frankly speaking, i'm not really keen to wire the equivalent of 800,000THB from my bank in my home country to a thai bank here, park it here for 60 to 90 days and then re-wire the funds back to my bank in my home country. banks will charge for wire transfers and the total commissions that i have to pay may add up to no less than 5,000THB.

any more ideas?

A Retirement Extension costs 1,900 Baht. Lasts for 12 months not 15 months.

You put your 800,000 in the bank and spend some of it during the year. Next year you top it up to 800,000 again.

Even if you did wire it back home at a cost of 5,000 Baht it would be a lot cheaper than the 37,000 Baht scam.

You can always you a combination of bank deposit and income if you have any.

[BuckarooBanzai]

In my opinion the absolute best way to do it is to get a statement from your embassy that you make 65,000 baht a month income. This proof of income statement has been listed in one of the posts above. Assuming you have this income you don't have to worry about any transfer of funds. You most likely will still need a local bank account as they figure this is essential for daily transactions but no set balance will be required.

Stay away from people you don't know trying to help you for exorbitant sums of money. It is simply not necessary or cost effective!

[moe666]

After all of the infomative post it seems that the member wants to spend big money on a very simple process. If you want to stay here long time you will need to follow the rules which requires a monthly income of 65,000baht or the 800,000baht in a bank account 2 momths before applying. Or continue to make visa runs, which over the course of several years will cost you more than some transfer fees.

[bifftastic]

Sorry, Poochai, I don't get it.

You asked if it's a good idea to use an agent, everyone said "no, you can do it yourself".

Then you went to see an agent who wants you to give him 37,000 baht for doing what everyone here says you can do yourself! Then you ask "any better ideas?"

Yes, do it yourself.

Get yourself down to the Thai consulate or embassy in your home country, tell them you want to retire in Thailand, they'll issue you with a non imm type O visa, come to Thailand, open a bank account, go and see the Immigration people who will tell you what you need to do, which is; either transfer 800,000 Thai baht into your Thai bank account and leave it in there for 2 months, or get proof from your embassy (in Thailand) that you have an income of at least 65,000 Thai baht per month.

Then, go back to immigration and show them the rest of the paperwork (passport with copies, photographs, address etc.) and they will give you an extension of stay, valid for one year. Send, or take in personally, your 90 day report every 90 days, and that's it. Wait 9 or 12 months (depending on which method of income proof you choose) and repeat.

[tgeezer]

i went to an agent yesterday morning and was told that he could help me apply for a retirement visa. his asking price is 37,000THB for a 15-month visa. it includes opening a bank account on my behalf and helping me source 800,000THB. frankly speaking, i'm not really keen to wire the equivalent of 800,000THB from my bank in my home country to a thai bank here, park it here for 60 to 90 days and then re-wire the funds back to my bank in my home country. banks will charge for wire transfers and the total commissions that i have to pay may add up to no less than 5,000THB.

any more ideas?

Here's an idea; if you are not entitled to the extension then don't apply. There is a real danger that if agents are employed corruption will be involved and once anyone smells extra money, none of the genuine applications will be safe from hassle.

If you bring money from abroad you will need to park it for a total of five months if you intend to re-apply. If you have the money why not follow the proper procedure? the idea of shifting it around the world seems ludicrous. I am from UK and it is definitely cheaper to keep the money here than to borrow it or move it around.

All genuine applicants for retirement extension are very happy with the service we receive from Immigration, so don't rock the boat.

[longball53098]

The OP says he is here in LOS now but no mention of the type of Visa he is here on or the length of the entry stamp.

Does he plan to remain here and obtain the long stay extension or will he return to his home land and get a long stay there?

So before he gets the incorrect advice maybe he can tell us what visa he has now and the current length of stay and what his intentions are?

Has he been here before and does he have a Thai bank account now?

He is over 50 so the first step getting a retirement stay is filled.

Does he have a income that will qualify him for the 65,000 per month income method or will he need money in the bank?

He needs to provide some more detail to get real answers here

But the first answer to the OP,,,,,,,,,do not use any agent as the process can easily be done by yourself.

[poochai]

@longball53098

what do you mean by "long term extension"?

here are the details:

(1) i arrived in bangkok on a 60-day tourist visa which expires in the middle of april

(2) just before its expiry i'd like to apply for a retirement visa which will enable me to stay here long-term. i prefer not to return to my home country to apply for the retirement visa (if i can help it)

(3) i can't get papers from my embassy here in bangkok to show that my monthly salary is at least 65,000THB as i'm not working anymore

(4) i can't open a bank account here while i'm on a 60-day tourist visa

(5) i don't wish to park 800,000THB in a thai bank account

(6) i've been here in bangkok in the past mostly on short visits not lasting more than a week

did i omit any material info?

[Lite Beer]

As you do not wish to comply with the requirements you will not get a long term extension.

All you will get in the immediate vicinity is a single entry Non Imm O Visa giving 90 days or Tourist Visas.

As you seem set on shelling out a load of money you can always enroll with a Thai Language School and get Visas that way.

Sponsors Banners will give details.

Applying for a Non Imm O-A Visa in your own Country would enable you to keep your money there.

[pjclark1]

@longball53098

what do you mean by "long term extension"?

here are the details:

(1) i arrived in bangkok on a 60-day tourist visa which expires in the middle of april

(2) just before its expiry i'd like to apply for a retirement visa which will enable me to stay here long-term. i prefer not to return to my home country to apply for the retirement visa (if i can help it)

(3) i can't get papers from my embassy here in bangkok to show that my monthly salary is at least 65,000THB as i'm not working anymore

(4) i can't open a bank account here while i'm on a 60-day tourist visa

(5) i don't wish to park 800,000THB in a thai bank account

(6) i've been here in bangkok in the past mostly on short visits not lasting more than a week

did i omit any material info?

4) Yes you can, just walk into any bank with your passport, a Thai address (your guesthouse address without the guesthouse name will do) and 1000bht.

You might need to try 2 or 3 banks as they have 'bad days'

5) No cash in bank, no retirement extension of stay.

What country are you from?

If from the UK you can return home then apply at a UK consulate for a multi entry non immigrant 'o' VISA, lasts 15 months, costs 120UKP

PS

VISAs can only be obtained outside Thailand

Extensions of stay are from Immigration offices inside Thailand

[Jingthing]

Maybe I read the OP's post 8 to mean something entirely different than is it worth it to pay a lot of money to have someone hold your hand while you do the process legally. That clearly isn't worth a lot of money but it is worth some money to people who want the service and don't feel comfortable doing it themselves. I agree it is quite doable, but not everyone is the same. There may be special issues for non-English speakers.

However, how I read post 8, is what do people think about paying 37K baht (a lot) for a completely different kind of service. I think he's talking about a FIXER/short term money loaner. An agent with contacts in immigration and perhaps even bankers, where an account is opened in the clients name and somehow made to look like the LOANED money has been seasoned for two months. After the stamp is obtained, the money gets returned, because it was just a loan. These services are openly advertised in Pattaya and they bring up all kinds of OTHER more serious questions than is it worth it.

Edited March 15, 2011 by Jingthing

[kokesaat]

This has worked for me for the past 10 years when dealing with 4 of the local banks (Siam Commercial, Bangkok Bank, Siam City, and Ayuttaya): When the bank asks for my passport, I give them a color photo copy of the photo page that I keep folded in my wallet. They take it and copy it, I sign the copy, and they seem satisfied.

[stuandchris]

You are on a tourist visa.

Don't have proof of 65,000 income.

Don't want to transfer 800,000 to a Thai a/c.

Simple mate I am afraid, you can't get a retirement visa legally.

Options are.

1.Pay a fortune for an illegal hookey one from an agent.

2.Fly home, get a 1 year Non O visa that lasts for 15 months and then get a retirement visa after that.(not that much more than your agents asking for.

[Pib]

@longball53098

what do you mean by "long term extension"?

here are the details:

(1) i arrived in bangkok on a 60-day tourist visa which expires in the middle of april

(2) just before its expiry i'd like to apply for a retirement visa which will enable me to stay here long-term. i prefer not to return to my home country to apply for the retirement visa (if i can help it)

(3) i can't get papers from my embassy here in bangkok to show that my monthly salary is at least 65,000THB as i'm not working anymore

(4) i can't open a bank account here while i'm on a 60-day tourist visa

(5) i don't wish to park 800,000THB in a thai bank account

(6) i've been here in bangkok in the past mostly on short visits not lasting more than a week

did i omit any material info?

You can open a bank account...you may need to visit a few banks...but you can open a bank account. And if you can't/don't want to meet the income/funds requirements for a retirement extension of stay, then you won't be able to get an extension of stay. Now, that agent may somehow end up helping you get an extension at a BIG, BIG cost and through questionable means...and you'll probably have to repeat the BIG, BIG cost and questionable means on a yearly basis with a prayer and your fingers crossed each time. Just open a Thai bank account...park the money in the account for the minimum time requirement...and get your retirement extension stay easily, quickly, and cheaply. Then you can transfer the money back to the home country until you need to transfer it back for the minimum time requirement before applying for another 12 month extension of stay.

[Lite Beer]

A post offering a somewhat dubious service has been removed along with the reply to it.

[Langsuan Man]

did i omit any material info?

Yes, how old are you and how are you supporting yourself ?

[Lickey]

Im sure the OP has been given the best advice available, if he wants to go the way of an agent for something so easy, so be it, Chok Dee..

[Pib]

Yeap, it's his money.