Thai retire visa for Kiwi with less than 800k Baht
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I'm in BKK on 1 mnth tourist visa and wish to live here. One Bangkok agency said they could arrange B800,000 in a bank account to get me retirement visa. Is this legit?
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Yes agencies do that daily for many foreigners here. Price around as not all charge the same and ask people in BKK if they know the agency and make sure they are legit as some are not. Choose the agency wisely.
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I'm in BKK on 1 mnth tourist visa and wish to live here. One Bangkok agency said they could arrange B800,000 in a bank account to get me retirement visa. Is this legit?- @Bill Kiwi 68
No agency puts money in a bank account anymore. You pay the agency which then pays immigration to get rid of the financial requirement. You can normally not go straight from a 30 days visa exempt (not a visa) to a1 year extension based on retirement. But when paying a bit more, you can get 3+12 months permission of stay (not a visa). That's a 3 months Non-immigrant O visa based on retirement + a 12 months extension based on retirement. Depending on when you arrived,you should extend your stay another 30 days at immigration in BKK before you start the procedure. The cost is 1,900 baht.
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Guest495283 Guest
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@Bill Kiwi 68 Hi Bill, are you a Kiwi? I am, from Dunedin and living in Thailand on. Retirement Visa. If you wanna private message me on Facebook I might be able answer some questions for you. Face book name: spike milligan
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@Bill Kiwi 68 Hi Bill, are you a Kiwi? I am, from Dunedin and living in Thailand on. Retirement Visa. If you wanna private message me on Facebook I might be able answer some questions for you. Face book name: spike milligan
- @spikemil62
FYI, you're staying in Thailand on a permission of stay based on retirement, not a visa. That's the extension stamp with the expiration date in your passport.
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Guest495283 Guest
214245
@Leeds forever! I know of agencies that still put money in bank accts
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@Leeds forever! I know of agencies that still put money in bank accts
- @spikemil62
Really,please mention one company. Do you know how the new rules about the 800k in a bank account works? Earlier,you just needed the 800k in your account the day you applied for the 1 year extension. So, you just "borrowed" 800k för a day from the agency and paid a fee.
2019,the rules changed. Suddenly you needed the 800k in your account 2+3 months and never below 400k for another 7 months if you were going to apply for another 1 year extension. That means you need to borrow 800k for 5 months and 400k for another 7 months. No agency wants to lend you money for a year,unless you pay a ****** of money as collateral. That's why it doesn't work like that anymore. Now, agencies pay immigration to get rid of the financial requirement. No real money involved and less hassle. You pay the agent and the agent pay immigration. The only problem with this method is that you need to do the same thing next year unless your finances improve radically in 12 months. I know people doing this year after year and they have to continue doing it.
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1Guest495283 Guest
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@Leeds forever! I know of a company that does it. Happy to give examples of it being done as late as May this year. But not on here, don’t want to throw anyone under the bus
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@Leeds forever! I know of a company that does it. Happy to give examples of it being done as late as May this year. But not on here, don’t want to throw anyone under the bus
- @spikemil62
Have you seen a bank book yourself with 800k for 5 months and 400k for 7 months borrowed from an agency? I know a lot of people without enough money, and they don't borrow 1 baht. They pay for financial requirements to disappear at the immigration office when using an agency. What will happen if 5 guys steps inside an agency and wants to borrow 800k for an extension based on retirement? You think the agency will cough up 4 million baht för 5 months and 2,8 million baht for another 7 months?
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Have you seen a bank book yourself with 800k for 5 months and 400k for 7 months borrowed from an agency? I know a lot of people without enough money, and they don't borrow 1 baht. They pay for financial requirements to disappear at the immigration office when using an agency. What will happen if 5 guys steps inside an agency and wants to borrow 800k for an extension based on retirement? You think the agency will cough up 4 million baht för 5 months and 2,8 million baht for another 7 months?- @Leeds forever!
Paying for the financial requirements to disappear is looking like an increasingly risky thing to do. Several agents in Phuket are being investigated over the practice, as reported in the Phuket News. https://www.thephuketnews.com/expats-ca … -84812.php
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Agencies can do magic and get you retirement visa, but if/when the immigration investigates and discover your visa was secured fraudulently, you will be arrested, thrown in the jail, fined and deported without the possibility to re-enter Thailand for some years. The agency will not bail you out. It is best to be lawful if you want to live happily in a place of your choice.
Now, let me explain you my personal experience. I have lived in Thailand for over 15 years on retirement visa that I personally apply for lawfully and secure at the immigration, namely with a THB +800k balance in a savings account that I top up with THB 100 each time to reflect a current balance, secure a bank letter supporting my account balance and present it with my savings account bank book. I did this for 10+ years while I maintained my savings account with the same bank. When I decided to change to another bank, I thoughtfully withdrew THB 800,088.88 from my old bank and deposited the same amount on the same day in my new bank. The next year, I updated my new bank account with THB 100, secured a bank letter to support my bank balance and applied for my retirement visa with all complete and accurate documentation. The senior, intelligent and professional immigration officer asked for my old bank account book, when I reiterated that I am applying for retirement visa based on my new bank account balance reflected in my new account book. I was told that he needs to see my old account book, which I did not have, but I could produce it the next day. I was asked to wait. I waited 15 minutes, then asked how long I had to wait and I was told 'just wait'. I suspected the officer had requested my prior year application pulled out from the immigration archive. I waited another 30 minutes, after which I informed the front desk lady that I will go home to fetch the old bank account book, while my passport was retained by the immigration. I went home and collected a copy of my prior year application, copy of the old bank letter and the original old bank account book and presented it to the front dest lady who submitted it to the competent immigration officer, who promptly issued me my retirement visa, after he was convinced of the transfer of funds from my legitimate old bank account to the new bank account. Guess what would have happened if an agency had secured my prior retirement visa with their monkey business...???
I have known a senior police officer who is a friend assigned to immigration, DEA and border control assignments. This friend shared valued guidance and information. I was told that no immigration officer will take bribes or break the rules, because the penalties are dismissal and loss of government service. He also told me NEVER to use an agent for any visa application. Thai Officers are there to provide lawful advice and service. I believe that when you offer bribes you are committing an offense. When you hire an agent you are paying them to commit an irregularity/offense, and you will be responsible for the consequences.
Please consult the immigration for any guidance that you seek. You will be amazed at the result.
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@Bill Kiwi 68
Nope
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If you need help contact me [link moderated]
Thank you
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"When you hire an agent you are paying them to commit an irregularity/offense, and you will be responsible for the consequences."Agencies can do magic and get you retirement visa, but if/when the immigration investigates and discover your visa was secured fraudulently, you will be arrested, thrown in the jail, fined and deported without the possibility to re-enter Thailand for some years. The agency will not bail you out. It is best to be lawful if you want to live happily in a place of your choice.Now, let me explain you my personal experience. I have lived in Thailand for over 15 years on retirement visa that I personally apply for lawfully and secure at the immigration, namely with a THB +800k balance in a savings account that I top up with THB 100 each time to reflect a current balance, secure a bank letter supporting my account balance and present it with my savings account bank book. I did this for 10+ years while I maintained my savings account with the same bank. When I decided to change to another bank, I thoughtfully withdrew THB 800,088.88 from my old bank and deposited the same amount on the same day in my new bank. The next year, I updated my new bank account with THB 100, secured a bank letter to support my bank balance and applied for my retirement visa with all complete and accurate documentation. The senior, intelligent and professional immigration officer asked for my old bank account book, when I reiterated that I am applying for retirement visa based on my new bank account balance reflected in my new account book. I was told that he needs to see my old account book, which I did not have, but I could produce it the next day. I was asked to wait. I waited 15 minutes, then asked how long I had to wait and I was told 'just wait'. I suspected the officer had requested my prior year application pulled out from the immigration archive. I waited another 30 minutes, after which I informed the front desk lady that I will go home to fetch the old bank account book, while my passport was retained by the immigration. I went home and collected a copy of my prior year application, copy of the old bank letter and the original old bank account book and presented it to the front dest lady who submitted it to the competent immigration officer, who promptly issued me my retirement visa, after he was convinced of the transfer of funds from my legitimate old bank account to the new bank account. Guess what would have happened if an agency had secured my prior retirement visa with their monkey business...???I have known a senior police officer who is a friend assigned to immigration, DEA and border control assignments. This friend shared valued guidance and information. I was told that no immigration officer will take bribes or break the rules, because the penalties are dismissal and loss of government service. He also told me NEVER to use an agent for any visa application. Thai Officers are there to provide lawful advice and service. I believe that when you offer bribes you are committing an offense. When you hire an agent you are paying them to commit an irregularity/offense, and you will be responsible for the consequences.Please consult the immigration for any guidance that you seek. You will be amazed at the result.- @chutimaprojects
Not correct at all. I don't know where you got that crap info.
Every agent is licensed (except for the usual egghead's of course). They are actually paying immigration, and immigration will claim that the approved visa/extension was granted because of "special circumstances". If you have ever visited a busy immigration office, you'll see agents with stacks of visas that will be approved. It's borrowing money from agents which was normal procedure years ago that actually is illegal. The winners money-wise is immigration. Go figure. So, it's not illegal using an agent.
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Thank you very much for your time. I already got cold feet and gone to easier country to stay. Thank you to everyone who contributed.
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Thank you very much for your time. I already got cold feet and gone to easier country to stay. Thank you to everyone who contributed.- @Bill Kiwi 68
"and gone to easier country to stay"
Really,in Southeast Asia? As far as I know there's no easier country to stay in than Thailand with or without 800k in the bank. You asked questions which is good,but then you started listening to wrong people. People without a clue.
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