back hander for a visa ? is it true

[dirtycash]

i know a guy , he has been in in thailand many years now, he has no work permit, he has some income though not much, he states that he pays 17k per year to so and so for a visa .

is he full of bs or what ? this guy is not the only one i have heard many stories that visa can be bought .

though too good and tempting to go this route i myself would rather take up the ED visa , mainly because i want to really learn the language proper once and for all after 13 years, plus i want to attend school 4 days per week to give me an interest in something . plus in the end i would love to do a TEFLA or a CELTA .

[ubonjoe]

There have been reports that there are agents, lawyers and such that can arrange extensions of stay for that kind of money. Of course some could be fake stamps.

I have not heard of any visas gotten that way other than arrangements to get a multiple entry non-b you have go back to your home country to get in most cases.

[HeijoshinCool]

I knew a British woman on Koh Chang that spent the better part of a decade running a small bar, working it herself. She paid an accountant (I knew him personally) 20k per year, and he arranged everything.

Of course, she up and disappeared a couple of years ago.

[KhunBENQ]

There is kind of a "grey market".

Not always strictly illegal, just using loopholes like the income combination method where no seasoning is required and immigration doesn't ask for the source (applys to retirement extensions).

Guess you know what I mean (short term credit fee ).

So your guy is not necessary talking nonsense but maybe on a completely illegal path based on bribes.

Risky.

[Suradit69]

There have been reports that there are agents, lawyers and such that can arrange extensions of stay for that kind of money. Of course some could be fake stamps.

I have not heard of any visas gotten that way other than arrangements to get a multiple entry non-b you have go back to your home country to get in most cases.

And there are reports like this

http://www.samuitimes.com/thai-immigration-boss-warns-fake-extension-stamps/

“Recently Immigration has found a number of passports with fake rubber stamps, as people are departing from the Kingdom.

Please be aware that there are agents and people who have sold fake visa extension stamps to unsuspecting foreigners.

Please be careful when applying through a visa extension agent, that the agent shows you an official receipt of 1,900 from Immigration, for your extension.”

[sanuk711]

17k is a little over the top dirtycash........ 12-14 is the standard rate. (depending on what visa of course)....... Or so I have been told .....

[visarunner]

in the past, while reading this forum, there were numerous ads provided by google ads that offered extensions based on retirement by agents. I am curious of why they all disappeared or did theses ads just disappear from my screen?

[DinoSabanovic]

I know a guy who knows a guy who can make extension of stay for retirement or marriage.

He told me that cost is 15000 thb and 100% legal.

Now, i don't have any problem if its legal, but I do not like it if it's illegal simply because to make this you lose 15k and 3-4 days to "process" this.

I'ts better to get Non O for 5000 and later go out every 90 days. cost is roughly the same and it's 100% legal.

[Sealbash]

Ask for an official tax receipt on the visa company letterhead stating the purpose of the payment.

[Brit_Doggie]

There is no BS here not fake, i have friends who can arrange but choose to use legit means, enough said.

[johnnyj]

even without it being a backhander, $17kpa would be enough to pay off the cheaper variant of the Thailand elite card...

[konying]

Wow , some of you guys know really well connected people.

It cost me almost double in fees every year for extension based on business and I do have wp.

Just out of curiosity why would any agent do ed visa for 15-17 when doing legitimately would cost 25+?( 25 to school )

Common logic would suggest back way would cost at least 30-35

[JDGRUEN]

I have a friend who was in Thailand on an Exemption entry early last year - when a border run could get 30 more days or new Exemption, never the less he paid an Agent in Bkk area ...she ran it through Ayutthaya Immigration. Magically in 5 days time by turning over his passport and 20K Baht he went from Exemption status to Extension of Stay based on Retirement ... no financials presented to the Agent. The Non 'O' Status seems to be buried in a series of stamps - can't really tell - very confusing - but everything was dated within the same week. The Extension stamps have passed a year's worth of 90 Day Reports at more than one Immigration office. He got into this in personal desperation after a meeting with a very rude I/O in Bkk where he asked what to do and how ... the I/O kept yelling 'Go to other country' - bewildered he found an Agent after being told about her by other Expats at a transit hotel near Swampy.

I just make a new friend - an Aussie, way over age 60 who had been in Thailand on a long series of Tourist Visas and extensions. He went to the Immigration office in Khon Kaen in May of 2014 and expressed confusion and exasperation to the I/O. The I/O then kept saying 'I am here to help you' in various ways, then he made inferences that Help could be had for a payment and the payment was 20K. This Aussie fellow is ignorant of these things and easily confused due to a medical condition that has sapped his cognitive powers - low oxygen from Sleep Apnea - so he initially thought this approach was fairly normal. The I/O kept running back and forth to the Big Boss's office and did the entire application for my new Aussie friend -- all copies - no financials presented. The I/O also added 90 days onto the one year Retirement Extension - it was time still left on Tourist visa - including the 30 days TR extension he never applied for. The Extension of Stay - Retirement stamp is something like I have never seen before - A large bold square stamp taking up most of the page - with the word Retirement stamped - not in the big square stamp - but rather up in the corner of the page. At his last 90 day report the same I/O told my friend that he must come back on 5 December - (EXT. expires on 25 Dec 2015... stating that he could Help him AGAIN. My friend then began to understand the real significance of this Help and became concerned about his status. He has only reported to the Khon Kaen office to the same I/O so he does not know what other I/Os and other offices might think about his compressed application and big square stamp.

I have since spent time counseling him for hours on the shaky status he has and have made a plan for him to get a Non O' with the 800 K that he does have in the bank and then process a real Extension of Stay - Retirement. Therefore not have to have the threat and risk of someone examining his passport / Extension. I had to explain the process at least FIVE times before it began to sink in. I will have to write a step by step set of instructions from start to finished and send by email to help him and have told him I will even help him prepare his next applications to make sure he is totally legal.

In my opinion it is not just the new Expat that is causing the problem - the rude behavior in some Immigration offices and the corruption in others and the general red tape and bureaucracy causes many to just give up and give in to paying 15 to 20K and risk the consequences. While most of us have learned the process - others just seem to be overwhelmed by it all.

[godden]

Retirement extension of stay 14- 16 thousand baht are on offer in lots of places, but not for me i'm a pure as driven snow.

[4u2mad]

I have a friend who was in Thailand on an Exemption entry early last year - when a border run could get 30 more days or new Exemption, never the less he paid an Agent in Bkk area ...she ran it through Ayutthaya Immigration. Magically in 5 days time by turning over his passport and 20K Baht he went from Exemption status to Extension of Stay based on Retirement ... no financials presented to the Agent. The Non 'O' Status seems to be buried in a series of stamps - can't really tell - very confusing - but everything was dated within the same week. The Extension stamps have passed a year's worth of 90 Day Reports at more than one Immigration office. He got into this in personal desperation after a meeting with a very rude I/O in Bkk where he asked what to do and how ... the I/O kept yelling 'Go to other country' - bewildered he found an Agent after being told about her by other Expats at a transit hotel near Swampy.

I just make a new friend - an Aussie, way over age 60 who had been in Thailand on a long series of Tourist Visas and extensions. He went to the Immigration office in Khon Kaen in May of 2014 and expressed confusion and exasperation to the I/O. The I/O then kept saying 'I am here to help you' in various ways, then he made inferences that Help could be had for a payment and the payment was 20K. This Aussie fellow is ignorant of these things and easily confused due to a medical condition that has sapped his cognitive powers - low oxygen from Sleep Apnea - so he initially thought this approach was fairly normal. The I/O kept running back and forth to the Big Boss's office and did the entire application for my new Aussie friend -- all copies - no financials presented. The I/O also added 90 days onto the one year Retirement Extension - it was time still left on Tourist visa - including the 30 days TR extension he never applied for. The Extension of Stay - Retirement stamp is something like I have never seen before - A large bold square stamp taking up most of the page - with the word Retirement stamped - not in the big square stamp - but rather up in the corner of the page. At his last 90 day report the same I/O told my friend that he must come back on 5 December - (EXT. expires on 25 Dec 2015... stating that he could Help him AGAIN. My friend then began to understand the real significance of this Help and became concerned about his status. He has only reported to the Khon Kaen office to the same I/O so he does not know what other I/Os and other offices might think about his compressed application and big square stamp.

I have since spent time counseling him for hours on the shaky status he has and have made a plan for him to get a Non O' with the 800 K that he does have in the bank and then process a real Extension of Stay - Retirement. Therefore not have to have the threat and risk of someone examining his passport / Extension. I had to explain the process at least FIVE times before it began to sink in. I will have to write a step by step set of instructions from start to finished and send by email to help him and have told him I will even help him prepare his next applications to make sure he is totally legal.

In my opinion it is not just the new Expat that is causing the problem - the rude behavior in some Immigration offices and the corruption in others and the general red tape and bureaucracy causes many to just give up and give in to paying 15 to 20K and risk the consequences. While most of us have learned the process - others just seem to be overwhelmed by it all.

Boy thats a 25% increase from what I was offered in KK

[captspectre]

There have been reports that there are agents, lawyers and such that can arrange extensions of stay for that kind of money. Of course some could be fake stamps.

I have not heard of any visas gotten that way other than arrangements to get a multiple entry non-b you have go back to your home country to get in most cases.

if it were true, do you really think anyone would ;post the name of the person here?

[wump]

I know lots of guys who did the "12k extension" route forever. Basically, this is a fake doctor's certificate and they get a medical extension every 3 months. I tried to get a real medical extension some 4 months ago and all the visa companies told me that "this avenue is finished because of the military". I really wonder on what basis you guys are getting your fake extensions.

[robblok]

I too have heard of fake visa's especially retirement visa's where people get to loan the money (friend saw the money go into his bank and out of it in days but this was done by a immigration official)

<deleted>

Edited April 16, 2015 by ubonjoe
A off topic comment meant to derail the topic has been removed

[keestha]

Dodgy if you don't qualify for a one year extension for instance, to pay for a stamp which might be false, or might be genuine. A number of years ago, almost all foreigners who resided permanently on a certain island, arranged their visa/entry stamp/extension through "Mr. T" or whatever he called himself. Till one day they were all notified they should go to the Immigration Office in Bangkok to collect their passports.

On the other hand, it can also be that if you qualify for a one year extension, the local immigration office is reluctant to accept applications if not channeled through a certain middleman, who will charge a hefty fee for this.

[JDGRUEN]

I think some agents even have bankers on the take - to keep changing the name on a 800,000 Baht bank account... and use it over and over again ... The expat customer never knows about it. (taken from things I have heard)

[ray richards]

Stick to the law's & rule's as this government are slowly sifting out many underworld characters, we all have to do these 90 day border runs or reports etc etc & they are a pain in the butt , some of my pals that went down the backhanded route are disappearing & not coming back to Thailand i wonder why? could be they're in the slammer?

[Muzarella]

If is very easy to get resident status in the USA paying the way.....it is easy in ANY country. Everything have a price.

Here, is not a secret. To get any extension, it is very easy, and with legal stamps, and some "created" legal documentation. Will cost up from 10000 to 50000 THB to do it, but not problem at all.

Any good and old visa agency will do it.

[louse1953]

I too have heard of fake visa's especially retirement visa's where people get to loan the money (friend saw the money go into his bank and out of it in days but this was done by a immigration official)

<deleted>

Days,my mates account held the required money for 30 seconds.That's 24k/minute.

[arthurwait]

See the staff car park.

[Andrew65]

I have a friend (a Brit) who will be back here in a few months. His contact has told him: don't worry about 800k, come in on a VOA as normal.

After a few weeks, give this guy your passport + 25k Baht. Three days later receive the passport back, then head to CW for the extension for retirement - lovely-jubbly!

I hasten to add that I am in the process of doing the retirement visa the kosher way, with the 800k and the non-imm-O.

Just relating what a friend will be doing.

[ubonjoe]

I let this topic run for a bit after it was posted. Since most posts are now promoting an illegal activity it is now closed.