sdchargerfan Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Anyone have any experience with one of those legal / professional services companies who charge 500-800 USD and practically guarentee to get you issued a 1 year Visa (marriage, business, etc)? My only experience has been working for Thai companies and getting Non-Imm B Visas with work permits, and also having Tourist Visas. I'm not currently working but I plan to continue to stay in Thailand and would like to get a 1 year Visa. Eventually I will need to either get a job or start a consultancy. I assume my options at this time would be Marriage or Business, but there is also the One Year Non-immigrant Visa which I don't really understand. Anyways, anyone have experience working with this companies? Is it recomended? These companies position themselves as being able to smooth the process and get Visas approved quickly, but I am sure they charge a premium for their services. Worth it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobl Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 There's a common misconception that for a business visa, you need $tupid. That would be an investment visa. Another common misconception is that you need a boatload of paperwork to get a standard business visa. You don't (unless you already have a business in mind, work offers etc which needs a boatload of paperwork from your prospective client/employer). It may or may not be easy for you, you don't say what nationality you are. But you might be able to easily get a 1 year business visa for the purposes of simply investigating business opportunities in Thailand, from the consulate in your home country. I'd rather do a quick trip home than pay these guys... Personally I wouldn't put "marriage" in the category of "options"... By all means, get married if you're in a suitable relationship in which case, some paperwork and 400k in the bank and you're done. But don't do it for the sake of a visa... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saengsureeya Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) What those companies do is: - they guide you through the process of obtaining a visa or an extension of stay. They'll tell you what paperwork you need and prepare the application for a visa or extension. It's nothing more than a filter between you and immigration or an embassy/consulate. It's completely legal. - same as above, but now they will also take care of immigration visits; seems to me that this is on the edge and some tea-money is involved. - now they obtain a visa or arrange an extension without you having the correct paperwork or comply to the requirements. This is illegal. In fact; I think that it is even impossible to obtain a visa in Thailand...........visa's are only issued by Thai Embassies and/or Thai Consulates abroad. So, if there is a company that states that they will take care of your visa.........where does it come from? Edited January 31, 2012 by saengsureeya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdchargerfan Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Bobl, thanks for the response. I have USA citizenship. As for marriage simply for the sake of a Visa, that's not the case at all. I am in a commited relationship with a great girl and we are already engaged. The reason I bring up the marriage visa is because its an option, and I'm not sure of the transitions, benefits, or disadvantages of holding a marriage visa over a business visa. At some point in the future, I think it would be better to hold a marriage visa, especially since we plan to start a life here in Thailand together. However, in the meantime, I'm wondering if using the services of one of these outfits would be worth the money or not. Perhaps it's quite easy for me to handle the paperwork and such on my own? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdchargerfan Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 saengsureeya, from what I heard it seems now Thailand allows you to convert Tourist visas to other Visas so long as you have enough time on that Visa for processing (something like 3 weeks) without leaving the country. I could be wrong though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Conversion is only allowed in the one year extension of stay process so you must qualify (retirement or marriage financials in place is most common). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobl Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 On the other hand, you said in your first post "Eventually I will need to either get a job or start a consultancy" which you can't legally do, with a marriage visa. If you plan to go the "working in thailand" route, you're going to need to register a company and/or get a work permit regardless of what visa you start off with... On the subject of "converting" a tourist visa - yes I believe this is fairly easy if you get married. You'll need your marriage certificate and a few other docs from your wife, plus 400k in the bank, and they'll convert you to a 90 days non-o, which you can then extend to a 1 yr. I don't think (fairly sure you can't but haven't researched it) you can convert a tourist to a business, in-country. Also depends where you are. Not all offices will do conversion you might be sent to Bangkok... But to answer your original question, which I suppose I haven't, the paperwork & requirements are pretty straightforward and once you've decided which visa to go for, you should be able to quite easily piece together the info you require (from here, and Thai consulate web site) and diy... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4evermaat Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Bobl, thanks for the response. I have USA citizenship. As for marriage simply for the sake of a Visa, that's not the case at all. I am in a commited relationship with a great girl and we are already engaged. The reason I bring up the marriage visa is because its an option, and I'm not sure of the transitions, benefits, or disadvantages of holding a marriage visa over a business visa. At some point in the future, I think it would be better to hold a marriage visa, especially since we plan to start a life here in Thailand together. However, in the meantime, I'm wondering if using the services of one of these outfits would be worth the money or not. Perhaps it's quite easy for me to handle the paperwork and such on my own? See this post i wrote a few months ago. Non-imm multiple ED visa is your best bet. There are a few honorary consulates to pick from, although I only deal with one. it is surprisingly cheap, compared with taking a full trip back to a US territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyL Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 What these companies do is determine your situation and give you advice that is specific to your situation. They take your hand and guide you thru every step of the process. All of this is perfectly legal. You're paying for the convenience of having your very own guide, rather than shifting thru the mounds of info available on the internet, from friends, strangers in bars, etc. Much of that information either doesn't apply to your situation or is totally false, such as the assertion that Saengsureeya made in post # 3. Maybe they don't convert tourist visa to O visas at his local office, but they do in Bangkok and the local office should refer someone to Bangkok. They do this type of conversion in Chiang Mai, incidentally, too. I know many people who use a visa agent for their initial application and extension and then, once they've figured out how everything operates, they go it alone in subsequent years. Up-to-you! If like a challenge, are reasonably literate and have some time available -- it's definitely a do-it-yourself project. But, if you're pressed for time, don't like to keep track of a bunch of stupid details and can spare $500 - $800, then by all means, use an agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 From the OP: Anyone have any experience with one of those legal / professional services companies who charge 500-800 USD and practically guarentee to get you issued a 1 year Visa (marriage, business, etc)? Are you talking about a visa, ie from a Thai consulate, with which you have to make border runs every 90 days, or about a one-year extension of stay, ie from the local immigration office? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryLH Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 OP, Padres too? "...get a job or start a consultancy" which you can't legally do, with a marriage visa." Why not? Did they change the rules? I never had a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) A man I met here in Chiang Mai had a local company doing it all for him including a WP. All he did was sign the paper work and when he asked questions they said no worries. He got everything he paid for. His business consulting. Edited February 1, 2012 by moe666 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 But don't forget that you sign the papers, and with that also that the information in the documents you signed is true. If false statements are being made on your behalf, you can be prosecuted for it. Always be careful with which agency you use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobl Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 "...get a job or start a consultancy" which you can't legally do, with a marriage visa." Why not? Did they change the rules? I never had a problem. My bad, sorry. What I meant to say was "can't legally do, with only a marriage visa" meaning at some point in time, he still has to go through the work permit mill... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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