review of a visa agent service total cost 75K per year.

[LburtonL]

The thread should of been named " How to get f... up the ass with a baseball bat, beeing so slack that I didn't feel anything and asking for more "

lol

Edited July 10, 2015 by LburtonL

[billphillips]

My retirement extension cost ฿1900 + ฿1000 to oil the wheels ( which I consider extortion). No wonder that you got vip treatment.

[robblok]

You got a visa based on what ?

I mean i know of someone who was over 50 who got a one year visa based on retirement for 20k.. But he did not have 800k in the bank the agent took care of that.

(of course that is not legal)

I m not eligible for retirement as I am below 50s, hate wasting time extending every 1 or 3 months, I just posed this infos for people wishing to stay longer in Thailand, however this is legal for me as I saw their presence are so visible inside the immigration office and they got VIP service.

I doubt that its legal because there are no long term visa's for people who are not married or over 50 (besides the elite visa but that is more expensive as the 70k).

BS. I got a 1-year multiple entry non-immigrant O and my farang gf too. Consulate in the Western Europe. Motivation letter + proof of sufficient funds in Western bank. plus 150 euro fee. All official. Next na khrap...

Edit: Just adding that we're BOTH far from 50 years old.

Yes there are legit Non 0 visas, you had the supporting documents... op had nothing just got one. Also getting non O after non O is a lot harder. I can get one too as I have a business back in my home country.

I was talking about the OP who just talked with an agent no papers needed nothing. Different story yours is a legit one.

[marcofunny]

Valid, but this is more like comparing apples with oranges.

Visa is issued at immigration by immigration

Who would be checking and why?

Resort in national park is a totally different matter

Apologies for mixing the fruit.

Does Thai Immigration issue visas?

I always thought they issued extensions of visas and permissions to stay. I apologize in advance if I am wrong.

My analogy re Nat'l Parks was merely to illustrate possible corruption in immigration dept.

yes I have a new NON-B visa issued by the immigration, my agent told me that is possible to convert TR visa to non-B at the immigration.

so now I have two stamps in my passport one for NON-B Visa which looks like a stamp and one stamp of one year extension.

Edited July 10, 2015 by marcofunny

[Linky]

That is what all those other people thought too when they got caught. This happened a while back when they caught a few of those agents selling visa's based on nothing. Just like yours.

your claim that it is a legit visa is incorrect and that is what you are saying now too. So you just paid for a visa without qualifying. Its not legit.

your risk your chance.

Again your talking about permanent residency paying for it without qualifying also not legit. Of course he would say its a better option. I would agree if it was legit.. but its not.

Seems you dont really get it.

From memory those guys were given fake stamps.

In this case, everything is issued officially, at immigration office by immigration officer.

They are never mentioned as they are doing something illegal. If you happen to be anywhere that immigration is checking, like an airport and they ask the right questions your 70k visa will end up costing you a lot more.

But as someone else said, i dont think you can be told.

he said I could leaving Thailand as much as I wish after I apply for a reentry permit and said I will never have any problems at suvarnabumi airport since his brother-in-law works there and he s top commander.

just an important info, I never knew that it s possible to convert a tourist visa to something else while inside Thailand.

Oh dear, what can I say.....go buy a house and land too while you are at it.

Unbelievable ?

[marcofunny]

Oh dear, what can I say.....go buy a house and land too while you are at it.

Unbelievable ?

correct me if I am wrong but I guess it s 100% legal for a foreigner to own a land if he possesses a Thai permanent residency card which those firms offer as a service.

Edited July 10, 2015 by marcofunny

[Porkster]

This country is so corrupt beyond belief!

No wonder Thailand will never improve if fools are paying stupid prices for a dodgy visa that could quite easily be revoked.

Did you notice what type of car the agents and immigration officers were driving?

5 Series BM or CS Class?

What a mug,

Well, I'm off to Vientiane end of the month for my 1 year Non Immigrant...

I would tell you how much it costs but I don't want to make you cry...

[Porkster]

Something tells me he wont be told rob, theres one born every minute apparently

One born every 25 years in this case,,, I know some gullible people here but this is 24kt Gold! [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[marcofunny]

What a mug,

Well, I'm off to Vientiane end of the month for my 1 year Non Immigrant...

I would tell you how much it costs but I don't want to make you cry...

but with those visas you need to exit Thailand every 3 months or visit immigration often, my extension is one year without leaving Thailand and don't visit the immigration office.

[Porkster]

Of course its not genuine.. you don't qualify. Its a doggy visa and you have one at your own risk.

Same goes for those ED visa's they are good till they are not.

You can't get a non B like that with no qualifications. That is why you pay the big money. Why else pay so much, otherwise everyone would get one.

it s the same level of risk of losing my saving account at a bank or getting hit by a van while crossing the road(very very slim less then %0.0001), the agent looked very professional and serious, he has photos with very very high and important people in the gov, his desk was full of passports dozens of them, he even proposed to me a permanent Thai residency guaranteed 100% for the fee of 750,000 and he said I could apply for it with my current visa and he said it s better option then the elite card.

It gets worse as I'm scrolling down!

Mate! WAKE UP! [emoji112][emoji112][emoji112]

750,00฿ to become a resident??

Please for the sake of us farangs, don't make them think we're dumber than they already do!

Have a read and think about what you've been told...

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/thai-permanent-residency.php

Edited July 10, 2015 by Porkster

[Porkster]

What a mug,

Well, I'm off to Vientiane end of the month for my 1 year Non Immigrant...

I would tell you how much it costs but I don't want to make you cry...

but with those visas you need to exit Thailand every 3 months or visit immigration often, my extension is one year without leaving Thailand and don't visit the immigration office.

Yes that's right, I have to get in the car and drive 5 minutes down the road to the immigration office every 3 months... It can be a bit of a queue sometimes because everybody's doing it!... I wonder why?

[marcofunny]

Yes that's right, I have to get in the car and drive 5 minutes down the road to the immigration office every 3 months... It can be a bit of a queue sometimes because everybody's doing it!... I wonder why?

and pay 1900 for extension which costs 7600 a year, i don't want to waste a whole day to go to immigration as it s very far from my home, the total cost for ED one year is at least 45K (sum of tuition fee with extension ) a year with frequent trips to immigration and sometimes hassle with crackdowns and tests at ministry.

Edited July 10, 2015 by marcofunny

[Porkster]

I'm going to sleep now because my wife will start snoring any minute...

We've tried to help you with the knowledge that we've gathered after living here for a number of years...

So I'll leave you with a bedtime song dear

youtu.be/azxoVRTwlNg

Edited July 10, 2015 by Porkster

[sparkey]

Surely apart from having the visa revoked and having to leave the country what more can a thai legit immigration officer do. If it's a legit stamp from a legit office. I can't see what repercussions there would be to the op . Surely only the officer that issued it would be in the sherbet.

[maanoi]

Oh dear, what can I say.....go buy a house and land too while you are at it.

Unbelievable

correct me if I am wrong but I guess it s 100% legal for a foreigner to own a land if he possesses a Thai permanent residency card which those firms offer as a service.

You can't own land with permanent residency. You would need citizenship for that. Did he give you a price for citizenship?

[marcofunny]

Oh dear, what can I say.....go buy a house and land too while you are at it.

Unbelievable

correct me if I am wrong but I guess it s 100% legal for a foreigner to own a land if he possesses a Thai permanent residency card which those firms offer as a service.

You can't own land with permanent residency. You would need citizenship for that. Did he give you a price for citizenship?

hundreds of real estate agents in Pattaya and Phuket sells homes to foreigners ( I guess through shelf companies or leasing) so far I never heard of any major crack down on them there s even a whole district of luxury homes in pattaya which is sold to wealthy Russian investors, the reason why I also like this service because I don't want my passport to be filled with Cambodian visa which take a whole one page every 3 months, I guess the price is fair, some people here don't understand that Thai consulates have different rules for different nationalities and the one year multiple entry option is not available for everyone

and if I take two weeks break from my work and fly back to western Europe i would have lost more then 75K sure.

Edited July 10, 2015 by marcofunny

[steve187]

Be it legal or not i would have gone for an elite at 100,000 baht per year ( 500.000 up front for 5 years) but comes with other perks and is 100% legal

[marcofunny]

Be it legal or not i would have gone for an elite at 100,000 baht per year ( 500.000 up front for 5 years) but comes with other perks and is 100% legal

totally agreed unfortunately i don't have that much savings to pay for that upfront fee and that agent accepted the payment in three separated installments during the 3 weeks.

I wish if Thai elite was a bit cheaper and accepted payments of a yearly installments instead of a huge upfront fee (500K) and I also wonder why the people at Thai elite does not reduce the period from five to one year or even 6 months, I am sure they will have more customers because it s always easier to come out with lower amount of cash and I don't see the difference between someone planning to stay only one year and another one longer.

or simply maybe someone could start a business lending money(with reasonable interest fees) to foreigners who wish to obtain the Thai elite card.

Edited July 10, 2015 by marcofunny

[paz]

later in the week I met both of them at their offices the first agent offered me a one year extension for the price of 85K the second agent was 75K so I agreed he informed me that the process will take 40 days (it took only 18 days for me)

I assume you are 50 or older. The "service" you've have been conned to pay for (illegal extension for retirement without having funds) has a street-price of 15-20K Bt.

As other have mentioned, a true VIP card would cost 100,000 Bt a year.

Think better next time instead of coming years as if you have accomplished something/

[BritTim]

I know at least 3 agents where one gets a 1 year visa for 15k. Topmost 20k, so its a rip of, sorry. 75k is hilarious, I never heard an immense sum like this.

The price for dodgy extensions depends on which immigration office is used. I doubt you will find an agent who can do it for 15k or even 20k in Bangkok. That said, yes, 75k seems over the top.

How safe a dodgy extension is depends largely on how high in the immigration hierarchy the pay off is being made. The stamp is genuine, and it is very unlikely anyone is going to investigate corrupt practices of a really senior official.

Personally, I try to stay squeaky clean. You never know when you could upset the wrong person who uses your questionable status against you. In the end, that is up to every individual to decide.

[marcofunny]

I know at least 3 agents where one gets a 1 year visa for 15k. Topmost 20k, so its a rip of, sorry. 75k is hilarious, I never heard an immense sum like this.

The price for dodgy extensions depends on which immigration office is used. I doubt you will find an agent who can do it for 15k or even 20k in Bangkok. That said, yes, 75k seems over the top.

How safe a dodgy extension is depends largely on how high in the immigration hierarchy the pay off is being made. The stamp is genuine, and it is very unlikely anyone is going to investigate corrupt practices of a really senior official.

Personally, I try to stay squeaky clean. You never know when you could upset the wrong person who uses your questionable status against you. In the end, that is up to every individual to decide.

the reason why I fully trusted this agent because he showed me the passport of one of his customers who is selling

food right at the middle of the crowded Nana road and in-front of the police for over 5 years now, he told me that this guy uses his services regularly for everything his customers are also some of the famous gems stone shop keepers at chareon krung road.

he even told me that I could open a shop and work with this type of visa without any problems but I must pay every month some protection fees to the police.

Edited July 10, 2015 by marcofunny

[Jessi]

Something tells me he wont be told rob, theres one born every minute apparently

Your right.

This comes under the heading of "You don't understand this is different"

[Jessi]

Immigration corruption simple as that

There is a lot of corruption in the Immigration department.

Most of the money the OP paid will go to the Immigration officers.

[overherebc]

I know at least 3 agents where one gets a 1 year visa for 15k. Topmost 20k, so its a rip of, sorry. 75k is hilarious, I never heard an immense sum like this.

The price for dodgy extensions depends on which immigration office is used. I doubt you will find an agent who can do it for 15k or even 20k in Bangkok. That said, yes, 75k seems over the top.

How safe a dodgy extension is depends largely on how high in the immigration hierarchy the pay off is being made. The stamp is genuine, and it is very unlikely anyone is going to investigate corrupt practices of a really senior official.

Personally, I try to stay squeaky clean. You never know when you could upset the wrong person who uses your questionable status against you. In the end, that is up to every individual to decide.

the reason why I fully trusted this agent because he showed me the passport of one of his customers who is selling

food right at the middle of the crowded Nana road and in-front of the police for over 5 years now, he told me that this guy uses his services regularly for everything his customers are also some of the famous gems stone shop keepers at chareon krung road.

he even told me that I could open a shop and work with this type of visa without any problems but I must pay every month some protection fees to the police.

To the OP.

Serious suggestion coming up.

Try a visit to IDC, see if you can convince Imm' to let you visit and give the guys in there some cigarettes or food etc.

Picture yourself in there for even only a few days while your agent is lying on the beach you used to go to.

[robblok]

For the record, I don't mind the OP getting a doggy visa and myself I would jump at the opportunity to pay 750.000 for permanent residency if it was legit (remember legit people wait years for it even with all the documents and only a limited number is allowed)

I only mind that he calls it a legit visa, and it is not.

Everyone can make his / her own choices about this and this is to me a victim-less crime that rates far lower on my radar as farangs and Thais who drink and drive.

Personally I would not risk it but I also don't think the risk is real high.. just not that kind of a person with my visa's because if you build a life here and get blacklisted your really screwed.

[konying]

For the record, I don't mind the OP getting a doggy visa and myself I would jump at the opportunity to pay 750.000 for permanent residency if it was legit (remember legit people wait years for it even with all the documents and only a limited number is allowed)

I only mind that he calls it a legit visa, and it is not.

Everyone can make his / her own choices about this and this is to me a victim-less crime that rates far lower on my radar as farangs and Thais who drink and drive.

Personally I would not risk it but I also don't think the risk is real high.. just not that kind of a person with my visa's because if you build a life here and get blacklisted your really screwed.

I do not see it as a dodgy visa.

I see it as a legit visa but dodgy process obtaining one.

[robblok]

For the record, I don't mind the OP getting a doggy visa and myself I would jump at the opportunity to pay 750.000 for permanent residency if it was legit (remember legit people wait years for it even with all the documents and only a limited number is allowed)

I only mind that he calls it a legit visa, and it is not.

Everyone can make his / her own choices about this and this is to me a victim-less crime that rates far lower on my radar as farangs and Thais who drink and drive.

Personally I would not risk it but I also don't think the risk is real high.. just not that kind of a person with my visa's because if you build a life here and get blacklisted your really screwed.

I do not see it as a dodgy visa.

I see it as a legit visa but dodgy process obtaining one.

Whatever

Sounds like a tax return based on wrong input without supporting documents. Where I come from they call that fraud.

A visa is legit when your documents / status support it.

But this is just semantics as I said does not rate high on my crime list (but I would not do it)

[Jessi]

If you get nicked and finish up in the IDC, please buy yourself a jar of Vaseline, They have some very big coloured boys locked up in there.

[bigt3116]

That is what all those other people thought too when they got caught. This happened a while back when they caught a few of those agents selling visa's based on nothing. Just like yours.

your claim that it is a legit visa is incorrect and that is what you are saying now too. So you just paid for a visa without qualifying. Its not legit.

your risk your chance.

Again your talking about permanent residency paying for it without qualifying also not legit. Of course he would say its a better option. I would agree if it was legit.. but its not.

Seems you dont really get it.

From memory those guys were given fake stamps.

In this case, everything is issued officially, at immigration office by immigration officer.

yeah and it s much better solution then being on overstay or tourist visas, once I had to overstay due to medical reasons because i was unaware that such a service do exist and I can always come out with the money (boring from relatives etc..) if I knew those solutions do exists.

reading the different posts on this website no body ever mentioned those firm services especially to those in dire needs such as mine,

so shortly if you wish to remain longer in Thailand and you have 70K or more it s worth checking the services of those firms and those firms looked like they have a fast and reliable solution to every problem as long as someone paid up their fees.

"I ve just cleared a 10 months overstay at the Nong khai border crossing, no problems, just a moral lesson and some questions by the immigration officer paid the 20K Baht fine and had two stamps on my passport one with the exit stamp and one with the overstay case number with the total fine paid."

10 months overstay due to medical reasons, what were you.............dead ?

Also, genuine medical reasons would have allowed you to get medical extensions.

[bigt3116]

Oh dear, what can I say.....go buy a house and land too while you are at it.

Unbelievable

correct me if I am wrong but I guess it s 100% legal for a foreigner to own a land if he possesses a Thai permanent residency card which those firms offer as a service.

You can't own land with permanent residency. You would need citizenship for that. Did he give you a price for citizenship?

hundreds of real estate agents in Pattaya and Phuket sells homes to foreigners ( I guess through shelf companies or leasing) so far I never heard of any major crack down on them there s even a whole district of luxury homes in pattaya which is sold to wealthy Russian investors, the reason why I also like this service because I don't want my passport to be filled with Cambodian visa which take a whole one page every 3 months, I guess the price is fair, some people here don't understand that Thai consulates have different rules for different nationalities and the one year multiple entry option is not available for everyone

and if I take two weeks break from my work and fly back to western Europe i would have lost more then 75K sure.

Are you now saying you are working in Thailand too ?