Phuket retirees refused visa renewal for failing bank balance asked to apply for COVID visa

[ChrisY1]

 

I can't see where it says one must maintain Thb 400K in the account

 

In the case of retirement:

Criteria for Consideration

1. Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).
2. Must be 50 years of age or over.
3. Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month; or
4. On the filing date, the applicant must have account  deposited  (saving / fixed account) in a bank in Thailand of no less than
   Baht 800,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must have proof of a
   deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no less than 60 days prior to
   the filing date; or
5. Must have an annual earning and funds deposited with a bank totaling no less than Baht
   800,000 as of the filing date.
6. An alien who entered the Kingdom before October 21, 1998 and has been consecutively
   permitted to stay in the Kingdom for retirement shall be subject to the following criteria:(a) Must be 60 years of age or over and have an annual fixed income with funds maintained in
   a bank account for the past three months of no less than Baht 200,000 or have a monthly income of
   no less than Baht 20,000.(b) If less than 60 years of age but not less than 55 years of age, must have an annual fixed
   income with funds maintained in a bank account for the past three months of no less than Baht
   500,000 or have a monthly income of no less than Baht 50,000.

Documents to be submitted

1. Application form
2. Copy of applicant’s passport
3. Evidence of income such as a retirement pension, interest or dividends; and/or
4. Account  deposited  (saving / fixed account) certificate issued by a bank in Thailand and a copy of a bankbook
5. Only in the case of Criterion (6), the applicant must submit documents equivalent to Clauses 1-4
   stated above.

[jackdd]

35 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

I can't see where it says one must maintain Thb 400K in the account

The source which you quote has just not been updated.

See document 14 in this topic:

 

[from the home of CC]

5 hours ago, Oldie said:

How legal is it to use an agent to achieve something that cannot be achieved legally? 

people can always justify breaking laws if it benefits them..

[from the home of CC]

4 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

This is one of the gray area's of agent use.

If Immigration are provided with documents that state you have the funds, an extension can be legally issued in Immigrations eyes.

However if the documents are found to be false then any extension issued on that basis is illegal (probably).

The extension could also be obtained by the provision of a "brown envelope" to waive some parts of the submission, e.g. funds, this would be both illegal and legal, illegal is the "brown envelope" part, however senior officers do have the authority to waive some requirements legally.

Clear as mud isn't it.

conspiring to bribe an immigration officer is legal in your country?

[Andyfez]

Why is this news?

[Benmart]

6 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

Dufus

This one is on him... 

I once called someone a Dufus, only to find I was looking at my reflection in a mirror.

[Aarin]

5 hours ago, jackdd said:

Lucky that they are offered this option, and aren't getting deported for being on overstay or being told that they have to leave.

They know he will be spending. They are not going to kick any retirees out. 

[kiwikeith]

5 hours ago, Oldie said:

I have never used an agent. So I would like to understand what exactly happens if I don't have the required money for a retirement extension and I use an agent. How does the agent achieve legally that there is no problem to get the retirement extension? 

 

5 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

To my mind a legal agent is one that has premises and deals with Immigration and can be seen to do so, e.g. takes you to Immigration after compiling the pack of papers (maybe with items missing).

an illegal agent is somebody that takes your money and passport and comes back an hour later and says there you go.

So the IO that offered me a retirement visa, through only talking with my wife when I was extending a non o, she said I give you agent no need money in bank, no need police report, must have been talking about a 

Legal agent, she did mention 17kbaht fee for the legal agent though. 

[foreverlomsak]

57 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

conspiring to bribe an immigration officer is legal in your country?

Nobody is speaking about my country, it's what's happening in Thailand and I'm conspiring with nobody just giving facts and assumptions.

[herwin1234]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

If he didn't have the money and he knew he didn't have it, I am surprised he didn't get an agent to do it for him.

Immigration have their rules, which you have to respect at the end of the day, whether you agree with them or not.

If there weren't a visa amnesty he wouldn't be being offered any new visa at all.

actually the immigration officers are nice to him and giving him an extra three months on a covid visa so he could figure out to go to a visa agency and solve his problems. (i bet the immigration officers even advised him to use a visa agency.)

INSTEAD this jerk goes to a newspaper to complain. 

[biggles45]

7 hours ago, Oldie said:

How legal is it to use an agent to achieve something that cannot be achieved legally? 

Very, I know 3 guys who dont qualify but get an agent to do it without a problem..... You can guess why immigration allow thus to happen! 

[foreverlomsak]

21 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

 

So the IO that offered me a retirement visa, through only talking with my wife when I was extending a non o, she said I give you agent no need money in bank, no need police report, must have been talking about a 

Legal agent, she did mention 17kbaht fee for the legal agent though. 

yes / no / maybe / sometimes / always

take your pick

TIT is the only real answer you can get

[mikeymike100]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

One of the quirks of Thailand. We all know it is illegal, but yet it happens continuously for many who don't have the money, or don't want to bring it to Thailand.

The agents aren't actually doing anything illegal, they are just facilitating a transaction. Now the immigration officers who stamp the visa, maybe another story. However as we all know anything can be bought in Thailand!!

[mikeymike100]

5 hours ago, sweatalot said:

if I had such an agent visa I couldn't sleep peacefully. Who guarantees that the next crack down  will not invalidate all such visas and make me and the agent a criminal offender ?

The agents are NOT doing anything illegal, they are just a go between. The stamps in your passport, for extension of stay,  from immigration are all valid and above board. It just needs a senior IO to OK it, its very simple!

[Oldie]

18 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

The agents aren't actually doing anything illegal, they are just facilitating a transaction. Now the immigration officers who stamp the visa, maybe another story.

 

This is a real problem. The agents cannot be careful enough. If they have bad luck the immigration officer issues the retirement extension without checking the requirements. 

[Oldie]

35 minutes ago, herwin1234 said:

actually the immigration officers are nice to him and giving him an extra three months on a covid visa so he could figure out to go to a visa agency and solve his problems. (i bet the immigration officers even advised him to use a visa agency.)

INSTEAD this jerk goes to a newspaper to complain. 

Something must be wrong with this guy. Scary. Poor immigration officers. 

[Baggy]

7 hours ago, Oldie said:

I have never used an agent. So I would like to understand what exactly happens if I don't have the required money for a retirement extension and I use an agent. How does the agent achieve legally that there is no problem to get the retirement extension? 

Don't ask,

Visa agents simply know what to do, no questions asked, so best to use Visa Agent.

[EricTh]

If I had known of such rule, I would have applied for the Covid visa instead of putting my money in Thai banks.

 

This is a ridiculous excuse.

Edited February 24, 2021 by EricTh

[Baggy]

57 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

The agents are NOT doing anything illegal, they are just a go between. The stamps in your passport, for extension of stay,  from immigration are all valid and above board. It just needs a senior IO to OK it, its very simple!

And it works, so no problem, everyone is a winner!!

[Ricebarnandrooms]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

failed to maintain the B400,000

So it was a married visa. Not retirement

[Baggy]

8 hours ago, Oldie said:

How legal is it to use an agent to achieve something that cannot be achieved legally? 

You ask too many questions,  just go with the flow. 

[madmitch]

The person in front of me when I renewed my extension in December was a 90 year old Italian. He didn't know about the 800,000 baht three months after renewal rule and was told to go to his Embassy to get an income letter as he'd dropped to around 700,000 baht during this period. He obviously had money as he had a large amount transferred in a while after that and was aware of the 400,000 baht requirement.

 

But in this case, rules is rules. The skinny bespectacled IO asked me to help explain, which I did. But I felt really sorry for the guy.

[madmitch]

2 minutes ago, Ricebarnandrooms said:

So it was a married visa. Not retirement

Please read the retirement requirements and not the outdated ones quoted earlier in this thread.

[Ebumbu]

I got an extension based on income (65k baht or more international transfer every month) last October. Easy as pie. 

 

 

[Ricebarnandrooms]

2 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Please read the retirement requirements and not the outdated ones quoted earlier in this thread.

??  Retirement is 800K. Must be in 3 months before and 3 months after renewal. Or a lump sum plus monthly pension from abroad to bring the total to 800k 

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

This is one of the gray area's of agent use.

If Immigration are provided with documents that state you have the funds, an extension can be legally issued in Immigrations eyes.

However if the documents are found to be false then any extension issued on that basis is illegal (probably).

The extension could also be obtained by the provision of a "brown envelope" to waive some parts of the submission, e.g. funds, this would be both illegal and legal, illegal is the "brown envelope" part, however senior officers do have the authority to waive some requirements legally.

Clear as mud isn't it.

 

In other words, the criminals, those who accept brown envelopes for turning a blind eye, are the ones who can demand you leave the country for being in Thailand illegally. Great, isn't it. What a wonderful culture.

[Oldie]

2 minutes ago, madmitch said:

The person in front of me when I renewed my extension in December was a 90 year old Italian. He didn't know about the 800,000 baht three months after renewal rule and was told to go to his Embassy to get an income letter as he'd dropped to around 700,000 baht during this period. He obviously had money as he had a large amount transferred in a while after that and was aware of the 400,000 baht requirement.

 

But in this case, rules is rules. The skinny bespectacled IO asked me to help explain, which I did. But I felt really sorry for the guy.

It is a strange situation. This 400.000 Baht rule is in place so that the people can't cheat (too much). On the other hand the people can get the extension without any money at all but with the help of an agent and the immigration. Perhaps only we here on ThaiVisa know this ????

[Solinvictus]

Someone should buy him a beer. But then again, he might be the kind that says 'uh I don't drink.' Twice lame.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Solinvictus

[EricTh]

6 minutes ago, Oldie said:

It is a strange situation. This 400.000 Baht rule is in place so that the people can't cheat (too much). On the other hand the people can get the extension without any money at all but with the help of an agent and the immigration. Perhaps only we here on ThaiVisa know this ????

I would like to know how an agent can extend if we don't have the money.

[Ricebarnandrooms]

5 hours ago, LosLobo said:

But, with respect , there is no such visa as a retirement visa.

Reason for visa “ retirement “ pretty clear to me and I worked there.