if you don't have 400k on hand

[BananaBandit]

My main pot of gold is in my hometown bank, half a world away  (I have no online account with that particular bank.)

 

Anyway, what kind of agent can help me get a marriage visa (or whatever the technical term is) without having access to 400k ?

 

How much do such services cost?   (I assume the service fee would be a recurring yearly one, no?)

 

Oh...and must pay how much extra for obtaining the one-year marriage-based extension without having to leave the country?

Edited August 10, 2020 by BananaBandit
italics needed

[northsouthdevide]

There's a agent with an office inside the old Victoria pub in pattaya. 

The fee was  around 23k a few years back, when the funds didn't have to be in the bank for months. 

I don't know what the situation is now, but as visa agents go, this one was very proficient. 

[Malawi]

If you don't qualify. You don't qualify. Simple as that.

[2 is 1]

If i don't have money or "access" to my financial. I try haddle that financial, than try fool the system! Can fool but maybe you get much more problem after!

Edited August 10, 2020 by 2 is 1

[Pilotman]

I'm sure that you can find an agent that says they can do it for you, at a price, probably in the range 30K to 40K,  although how this works in regards to the documentation, which is considerable, and home visits etc I have no idea.  Retirement visa is a lot easier to obtain.   However, whatever you will get will have been obtained illegally and has considerable risks attached, as we have seen only last week in the local press.  Your call. 

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[giddyup]

17 hours ago, Malawi said:

If you don't qualify. You don't qualify. Simple as that.

No, it's not that simple. Plenty of people use agents either because they don't wish to keep the 800K (or 400K) in a Thai bank, orthey don't have the funds. Whether you agree with it or not, it's still an option AFAIK. How much does it cost, I see people quoting as low as 15K.

[timendres]

Please know that marriage extensions get much more scrutiny than others, so you must be very careful about your agent selection, and understand the risks involved. You might explore the possibility of a loan from someone back home who knows you have the money to back the loan, and is capable of sending the money to Thailand. I would also contact the bank, as they may have options for getting your money to you. My bank in the US was able to wire money to me with a few FAXed documents.

[DrJack54]

OP, if your over 50 then do a extension based on retirement.

Marriage is far more difficult.

 

[Barney13]

Imm. told my wife it was too late for the 400k, that was last week.

[CorpusChristie]

19 minutes ago, giddyup said:

No, it's not that simple. Plenty of people use agents either because they don't wish to keep the 800K (or 400K) in a Thai bank, orthey don't have the funds. Whether you agree with it or not, it's still an option AFAIK. How much does it cost, I see people quoting as low as 15K.

Prices seem to have doubled recently 

[trucking]

14 hours ago, Barney13 said:

Imm. told my wife it was too late for the 400k, that was last week.

If it is your first ever extension based on marriage you don't need 400,000 in the bank here.

 

You need to show at least two ( three better ) monthly transfers into your Thai bank of 40,000 each. These should be transfered on the same day of the month each time ( or close). 

 

Also it is vital that when the cash enters your Thai bank it shows as an international transfer with the correct code in your bank book. If you use Transfer Wise for this transfer there is a special option given in its list of reasons to transfer that ensures this will happen.

[hanuman2543]

4 minutes ago, trucking said:

If it is your first ever extension based on marriage you don't need 400,000 in the bank here.

 

You need to show at least two ( three better ) monthly transfers into your Thai bank of 40,000 each. These should be transfered on the same day of the month each time ( or close). 

 

Also it is vital that when the cash enters your Thai bank it shows as an international transfer with the correct code in your bank book. If you use Transfer Wise for this transfer there is a special option given in its list of reasons to transfer that ensures this will happen.

It isn't his first extension.

"obtaining the one-year marriage-based extension without having to leave the country?"

Why should he transfer 2 times 40,000 Baht when he has the whole 400,000 Baht in his oversea bank account but can't access it online?

Reading carefully can go a long way.

[Barney13]

Thanks trucking, I did transfer 45k on the 26th July and will do the same on 26th aug. I will then go for the extension. My concern is that it is personal funds and not pension or wages, which i think they need proof. One thing is though, it shows as international transfer on statement which is in my favor. This is plan a, then I have a week to apply for Ed visa, which is plan b, then I will go on overstay upto 90 days or until the border opens.

[checkered flag]

2 minutes ago, Barney13 said:

Thanks trucking, I did transfer 45k on the 26th July and will do the same on 26th aug. I will then go for the extension. My concern is that it is personal funds and not pension or wages, which i think they need proof. One thing is though, it shows as international transfer on statement which is in my favor. This is plan a, then I have a week to apply for Ed visa, which is plan b, then I will go on overstay upto 90 days or until the border opens.

At least your creating a plan that could work. Banana Bandit let it slip away.

[Peter Denis]

12 minutes ago, Barney13 said:

Imm. told my wife it was too late for the 400k, that was last week.

Yes, that's correct.  If you still need to transfer the money, you won't be able to use the funds-in-bank method when applying for a 1-year extension of stay based on your Non Imm O Visa.  Using that method the funds need to be seasoned for TWO months on the day of application, so not possible anymore for an application before 26 Sept (end of Amnesty).

 

But you can still use the monthly income transfer method as that requires TWO monthly-income transfers of either 40K/65K (marriage/retirement) in the months preceding your application.  So you can still do one in month of August and one in month of September.  Foreign origins of the funds transferred, needs to be proven (providing relevant bank documents), but also evidence of the  source of the foreign income might be asked by IO (e.g. a pension statement by your pension provider, or an Embassy issued income-statement).

 

When not being a citizen of US, UK or Australia, you can also make use of the Embassy issued income-statement method, to provide evidence of your monthly foreign income.  And in that case there will be no need to provide evidence of having parked or transferred money to a personal Thai bank-account.

[trucking]

14 hours ago, hanuman2543 said:

It isn't his first extension.

"obtaining the one-year marriage-based extension without having to leave the country?"

Why should he transfer 2 times 40,000 Baht when he has the whole 400,000 Baht in his oversea bank account but can't access it online?

Reading carefully can go a long way.

 

Where does it say it is not his first extension ?

 

And why would you leave to get an extension ?? You extend to avoid leaving ?

[trucking]

14 hours ago, Barney13 said:

My concern is that it is personal funds and not pension or wages,

 

Yes, apparently some  ( but not all )  immigration offices  are a bit picky. A bit of a tough rule if you are not of pensionable age .

 

I intend to visit Petchabun immigration next week to ' test the water ' and ask what their requirements are. I have the 60 day extension option as well but even with that there have been conflicting reports as to what start date should be given the 27th of September or the date you apply.

 

Best of luck anyway , and myself also.

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2020 by trucking

[Peter Denis]

1 minute ago, trucking said:

Yes, apparently some  ( but not all )  immigration offices  are a bit picky.  I intend to visit Petchabun immigration next week to ' test the water ' and ask what their requirements are. I have the 60 day extension option as well but even with that there have been conflicting reports as to what start date should be given ////the 27th of September or the date you apply.

Best of luck anyway , and myself also.

Indeed, there is little clarity about the start date of your application for a 60-day extension of stay.

1 - Some ultra-rogue offices do not want to issue  60-day extension of stay, when being on the Amnesty.

2 - Other rogue offices allow it but will want to back-date it till the moment your permission to stay expired (which would make it useless applying for).

3 - Still others will issue a 60-day extension of stay when on the Amnesty, but will do it from date of application.

4 - And some have confirmed they will issue them with the 27 Sept start-date.

> So you can get any of these four 'flavors' when enquiring at your local IO.

Note: If you have a normal IO (and not a rogue one) it will be no problem applying for the 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your thai wife / thai dependant child.

And if they tell you that they will issue from date of application, you can simply enquire whether there would be any problem when applying in the last week of the Amnesty. 

It's also important if you intend to use the 60-day extension of stay to buy time and apply from its 'valid' permission to stay for your subsequent 1-year extension of stay, whether your local IO would allow that.

If not, you would need to 'shop around' for a more accomodating IO for that 1-year extension of stay.

 

[trucking]

14 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Indeed, there is little clarity about the start date of your application for a 60-day extension of stay.

1 - Some ultra-rogue offices do not want to issue  60-day extension of stay, when being on the Amnesty.

2 - Other rogue offices allow it but will want to back-date it till the moment your permission to stay expired (which would make it useless applying for).

3 - Still others will issue a 60-day extension of stay when on the Amnesty, but will do it from date of application.

4 - And some have confirmed they will issue them with the 27 Sept start-date.

> So you can get any of these four 'flavors' when enquiring at your local IO.

Note: If you have a normal IO (and not a rogue one) it will be no problem applying for the 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your thai wife / thai dependant child.

And if they tell you that they will issue from date of application, you can simply enquire whether there would be any problem when applying in the last week of the Amnesty. 

It's also important if you intend to use the 60-day extension of stay to buy time and apply from its 'valid' permission to stay for your subsequent 1-year extension of stay, whether your local IO would allow that.

If not, you would need to 'shop around' for a more accomodating IO for that 1-year extension of stay.

 

 

Yes ...... so many conflicting reports which is why intend to go and ask my local immigration first ( without passport ) to see what there stance is. Might be worth trying to telephone head office first in Bangkok to see what the official line is.

 

Although there is no thread dedicated to reviewing the many immigration offices it is possible to use google maps to find your own local immigration office and read the google reviews of that place. I have done this for Petchabun and the reports are mixed between very good and very bad.

[Peter Denis]

5 minutes ago, trucking said:

 

Yes ...... so many conflicting reports which is why intend to go and ask my local immigration first ( without passport ) to see what there stance is. Might be worth trying to telephone head office first in Bangkok to see what the official line is.

 

Although there is no thread dedicated to reviewing the many immigration offices it is possible to use google maps to find your own local immigration office and read the google reviews of that place. I have done this for Petchabun and the reports are mixed between very good and very bad.

You could indeed call 1178 (Immigration help-line) to hear the 'official' stance. 

Also there responses will vary depending on who you get on the line, but might be useful when 'Can Do' response to ask for name of officer providing the info.

And when your local IO has a different stance which is negative for you, you could then call 1178 while discussing the matter with them and ask for the officer that confirmed the Can Do approach.  Obviously, this must be done in a polite, not challenging 'face saving' way.

 

[trucking]

14 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

You could indeed call 1178 (Immigration help-line) to hear the 'official' stance. 

Also there responses will vary depending on who you get on the line, but might be useful when 'Can Do' response to ask for name of officer providing the info.

And when your local IO has a different stance which is negative for you, you could then call 1178 while discussing the matter with them and ask for the officer that confirmed the Can Do approach.  Obviously, this must be done in a polite, not challenging 'face saving' way.

 

 

Yes..all this has crossed my mind. What a palaver though. Ironically , I had a planned visit to the UK in May returning early September. Covid cattled that and now the ' new normal ' looks very far from normal indeed.

 

I think there are a lot of us out here biding our time , waiting for relevant reports to come in from various offices on just how the various immigration offices are handling this. Hopefully , as the next few weeks pass, the rogue offices will become fewer as the knowledge of the official policy seeps down the long tentacles of the immigration beast. I know that when I apply for anything I will be the living embodiment of unctuousness . Oliver will have nothing on me . ' Please sir , can I have an extension '

I don't mind debasing myself if the occasion requires just so long as i don't have to put my hand in my pocket. That would be like a scene from Henry V. 

 

“In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility; but when a bung is asked for , then imitate the action of an outraged expat; stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favor'd rage.”

[natway09]

Find a dubious agent who will find you a bent Immigration Officer somewhere.

Beware that you will be stuck with this agent & it will not come cheap

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, timendres said:

Please know that marriage extensions get much more scrutiny than others,
...

The 'extra scrutiny' is in the form of the ~10K Baht extra - not needed for a retirement-based - which the "district sign off" guy wants.
 

2 hours ago, timendres said:

...
so you must be very careful about your agent selection, and understand the risks involved.

100% correct on this - if one's "agent" and/or an IO they work with, is not paying the lion's share of the loot up the chain, a 'crackdown' could lead to disaster.  But how to make sure they are both "honest crooks" - playing within the established immigration-corruption pyramid-scheme?  Actually attending immigration with the agent removes some doubt.
 

2 hours ago, timendres said:

You might explore the possibility of a loan from someone back home who knows you have the money to back the loan, and is capable of sending the money to Thailand. I would also contact the bank, as they may have options for getting your money to you. My bank in the US was able to wire money to me with a few FAXed documents.

Definitely preferred, if possible - and one can risk this portion of their liquid-assets in a bank in a foreign-country, in which they have no rights.  Even married to a citizen, you are just a "non-immigrant" given a year at a time - unless one obtains PR or Citizenship.

  

5 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Find a dubious agent who will find you a bent Immigration Officer somewhere.

Beware that you will be stuck with this agent & it will not come cheap

Finding a "non-bent" one is much harder.  I don't think they can get past the info-desk without "playing the game."  And given the reported amount of money to buy a signficant position, ROI on that "investment" is expected.

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I'm sure that you can find an agent that says they can do it for you, at a price, probably in the range 30K to 40K,  although how this works in regards to the documentation, which is considerable, and home visits etc I have no idea.  Retirement visa is a lot easier to obtain.   However, whatever you will get will have been obtained illegally and has considerable risks attached, as we have seen only last week in the local press.  Your call. 

So you are saying that retirement extensions done through an agent are illegal, that means everyone who has these extensions is in Thailand illegally?

That visa company in Bangkok you were referring to are still open and operating, that would tell you that nothing was done illegally at all.

[vandeventer]

I rang 1178 three times with three different people for the same problem. And yes

I got three different answers.Maybe is better to go to your local  Immigration Office? 

[Pilotman]

11 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

So you are saying that retirement extensions done through an agent are illegal, that means everyone who has these extensions is in Thailand illegally?

That visa company in Bangkok you were referring to are still open and operating, that would tell you that nothing was done illegally at all.

No, that's not what I am saying.  I am saying that if you do not meet the criteria laid down in immigration law, for an extension  of stay, then if you get one, it has, de facto, been obtained outside of immigration law. 

[finnishmen]

khon kaen immigration police made to you 1 year visa marry visa etc, 15K baht and have sure legal papers,pattaya have many agent who make this year visa 10-20K b. if take more have big lier and scammer. and money need be 3 month in bank account 90 day plus 1 day more need be, i has 30 dauy and immiogration officer say tomorrow him can make papers, and next day i need bank new paper account have thsi money. not only bank book, you need in immigration office bank true stamped paper you account have this money before x to this day. and after visa need 1-2 month have account this money ,next 90 day report immigration chek you bank accounjt again have you this money in bank and then stamp 1 year visa ready to you passport. easy made all visa papers ewery year diy ,not need agent, go bank take 400K loan go immigration add papers and voila you have 1 year visa again then go back bank pay loan off. or pay this loan ewery month off you pension salary little ewery month simple easy way if not have now 400K money in hand. many pension not have and make loan and pay ewery month little back but have visa and can live thailand cheap and then have easy pay loan off.

Edited August 11, 2020 by finnishmen

[lemonjelly]

I’m just hoping that local immigration office gives me the 60 day extension which will just about give the 60 day seasoning for the 400k which I’m busy finding atm, hoping to get it into the bank middle next month 

[KhunFred]

22 hours ago, northsouthdevide said:

There's a agent with an office inside the old Victoria pub in pattaya. 

The fee was  around 23k a few years back, when the funds didn't have to be in the bank for months. 

I don't know what the situation is now, but as visa agents go, this one was very proficient. 

She is a good agent, though overpriced. You can use the service at Chonburi Immigration if you only need an extension. 14 thousand baht. Still overpriced compared to the "statutory declaration" days.