Friend used a visa "agent", for a medical visa but no hospital. Trouble? Anybody ever done this?

[pavierre 1]

My friend used a visa agent and is a little concerned about it. It's a well known agency with lots and lots of good reviews on google for visa runs/marriage visas/etc, and people on here have talked about it being legitimate. Still said it was quite sketchy. 

 

During March before the amnesty he reached out to the agent to see if there's anything they could do while on a tourist visa. They told him yes, they can help him get a medical visa for 90 days. Paid 20K and left his passport. They came back about 3 weeks later and it had a visa stamp... but not from his local immigration office. It was from a further one (think he's in bangkok and it was kalasin immigration). Said no other paperwork came with it, the agency said to tell immigration he used an agency if they asked questions. 

 

Is he in trouble when he leaves? It seems this is pretty common with foreigners, especially right now. Lots of agencies doing this I've heard of volunteer/medical visas. 

 

[EbhB 153]

Depends on whether there will be a general crackdown or not... 

 

 

[tonray 13,836]

11 minutes ago, EbhB said:

Depends on whether there will be a general crackdown or not... 

 

 

Gulp..... 

[BritTim 9,711]

35 minutes ago, pavierre said:

Is he in trouble when he leaves? It seems this is pretty common with foreigners, especially right now. Lots of agencies doing this I've heard of volunteer/medical visas. 

It is unlikely that he will be in trouble, but not impossible. It is always a concern when the permission to stay comes from a different office to the one immigration knows is your local one. All the officials will be able to see that the extension was arranged using an agent on dubious grounds. If the wrong senior official decided to make an issue of it, your friend could be in the firing line. Usually, though, officials turn a blind eye to hanky panky in a system they all benefit from one way or another.

[natway09 5,292]

BritTim

A very responsible & correct answer well put. It is mainly about the BBBBBht

[zzzzz 616]

afaik; there is no law that says any farang cant move anywhere in Thailand, file a new TM 30  and apply for an extension there

There is no way to tell if an agent arranged it or not, although i am sure some officials are not stupid

[Bender Rodriguez 3,053]

22 hours ago, pavierre said:

it was kalasin immigration

how much did he pay ?

 

 

[Bender Rodriguez 3,053]

8 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

afaik; there is no law that says any farang cant move anywhere in Thailand, file a new TM 30  and apply for an extension there

There is no way to tell if an agent arranged it or not, although i am sure some officials are not stupid

farang can move, but normally IMMIGRATION POLICE shows up to check if you REALLY live there

[LukKrueng 1,600]

20 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

how much did he pay ?

 

 

From the op:

Paid 20K

[jackdd 8,834]

25 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

farang can move, but normally IMMIGRATION POLICE shows up to check if you REALLY live there

I moved around many times and never had immigration check on me. Do you look suspicious so that they come to check on you?

[Bigz 268]

As long it is not a fake stamp your friend should be fine.

[Max69xl 2,764]

On 8/5/2020 at 6:04 PM, tonray said:

Gulp..... 

If the stamp came from an immigration office in Kalasin, then there will be no problem. That's not a fake stamp. If he stays in BKK, just go to CW and submit a TM30 report. 

[pavierre 1]

7 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

how much did he pay ?

 

 

I think about 20K baht? Somewhere around there. Not sure how long the extnesion was either 90 or 120 days. 

[Malawi 464]

6 hours ago, pavierre said:

I think about 20K baht? Somewhere around there. Not sure how long the extnesion was either 90 or 120 days. 

90 Days.

[hotchilli 17,388]

16 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

how much did he pay ?

 

 

 

On 8/5/2020 at 5:48 PM, pavierre said:

They told him yes, they can help him get a medical visa for 90 days. Paid 20K and left his passport.

At the end of the post it say's "when he leaves" ?

So will he leave Thailand near the end of the 90 days, if so I doubt immigration at the airport will give him much trouble.