News Forum - More than 100 foreigners in Phuket swindled by visa agency

[Faz]

  On 6/30/2022 at 1:35 AM, DwizzleyMatthews said:

Don’t shoot the messenger, only stating the facts , it is not my situation.
Would also add that many can afford to keep the money money in a Thai bank but choose to run the risk of using an agent to benefit from higher interest rates in their home country or offshore accounts etc. Their decision their risk.

Expand  

Agreed.
There are other reasons why certain foreigners can no longer meet the financial requirements.
When the Embassy letters were available to UK nationals, these stated the gross income from pensions.
When the letters ceased and replaced with overseas monthly transfers to a Thai bank, only the nett income (after tax at source) could be transferred.
In certain instances this meant some who, through no fault of their own, previously met the requirements with an Embassy letter, now found themselves 'short' using the overseas transfer method. Even the transfer fees made an impact on the actually THB received.

  On 6/30/2022 at 1:35 AM, DwizzleyMatthews said:

The 400/800k held in a Thai bank is useful for medical emergencies but I wonder what would happen if withdrawn monies caused the amount to drop below the financial requirements threshold ?, would immigration be lenient in this matter ?

Expand  

No!
There are existing reports of applications using the funds method falling just short of the requirements and being refused. The orders state a 'minimum' of 400/800K THB. No reason you can't have more funds deposited for an emergency or that rainy day.
Personally witnessed this at my own IO, where an applicant was short by 4,000 BHT of meeting the 800K requirement. He'd just moved into the Province and argued his 796K more than met the 12 x 65K transfer method (which only totals 780K) and his application had been approved at his previous Immigration office for years showing the same amount of 796K.
The IO told him to go back to his previous Immigration office if that was the case. 

Leniency was only shown in the year following the cessation of Embassy Income letters for UK, US, and Australian nationals using the income method. Immigration issued an order to that effect.
Immigration leniency order for income method..pdf

[TSS]

  On 6/30/2022 at 4:58 AM, oldschooler said:

Its a BUSINESS. It includes AGENTS. 
There are NO RULES. Except Rule 101 ; All Rules can be WAIVED ( for CASH). 

Expand  

but this wasn't in the "Retire to Exotic Thailand" brochure...

[oldschooler]

  On 6/30/2022 at 7:14 AM, TSS said:

but this wasn't in the "Retire to Exotic Thailand" brochure...

Expand  

It’s covered under the “ Amazing” part

[Cabra]

  On 6/30/2022 at 5:18 AM, oldschooler said:

No. Immigration System here is a BUSINESS. It includes AGENTS ….by Design. Visa Issued is NEVER cancelled just because Agent Involved. That’s an Urban Myth. As is the “ bound for life” to single Agent. Both Would be Bad for the Business.
 

Its Extremely Rare and would involve holder seriously breaking visa / stay conditions like Crime / Deportation/  Working Illegally / Mass Language School Non- Attendance etc,  where Cash or Connections cannot solve as too serious or high profile.

Sometimes a new over- enthusiastic IO Chief will “ audit” on whatever basis but then no one is safe and again it’s incredibly rare that farangs suffer.

Expand  

I'd never recommend an agent when the process is designed to done  without one. Sure there are good agents, and positive experiences. But buyer beware. There are too many cases of foreigners getting screwed due to bad agents or bad agent advise. 

[ExpatPattaya]

  On 6/30/2022 at 5:34 AM, oldschooler said:

Immigration here is a BUSINESS. 
It includes AGENTS ….by DESIGN.

Expand  

Immigration is part of the Royal Thai Embassy and Consulates-general offices under the Ministry of foreign affairs.  Government not Business

Visa agents do not work for the Royal Embassy or Ministry, they are in "Business"

Yes, Immigration officers here in Jomtien at Chonburi office are working with agents allegedly for money, but that does not mean they are supposed to be taking money for what they do.   In my limited knowledge it just seems a bit under the table and illegal, but TIT

  On 6/30/2022 at 5:34 AM, oldschooler said:

Try making your case to the wheelchair -bound expat living 200 kms from his Immigration Office, or to any Agent ! 

Expand  

Cannot speak for those who retire and live no where near medical care or other necessities in life.  Not how anyone I grew up with would live in retirement, but many Thai wives can get almost any Foreigner to do their bidding  

[TSS]

like ZZ TOP said "i gots to get paid...

[oldschooler]

  On 6/30/2022 at 8:52 AM, Cabra said:

I'd never recommend an agent when the process is designed to done  without one. Sure there are good agents, and positive experiences. But buyer beware. There are too many cases of foreigners getting screwed due to bad agents or bad agent advise. 

Expand  

Exactly. Extensive Due Diligence VITAL when selecting Visa Agents here. Losing Passport, Stay Permission & Money combined is just about the Worst Imaginable Admin Disaster here.

[oldschooler]

  On 7/3/2022 at 4:23 AM, ExpatPattaya said:

Immigration is part of the Royal Thai Embassy and Consulates-general offices under the Ministry of foreign affairs.  Government not Business

Visa agents do not work for the Royal Embassy or Ministry, they are in "Business"

Yes, Immigration officers here in Jomtien at Chonburi office are working with agents allegedly for money, but that does not mean they are supposed to be taking money for what they do.   In my limited knowledge it just seems a bit under the table and illegal, but TIT

Cannot speak for those who retire and live no where near medical care or other necessities in life.  Not how anyone I grew up with would live in retirement, but many Thai wives can get almost any Foreigner to do their bidding  

Expand  

I clearly wrote  “ Immigration … HERE” ( in - country). 

I also find it Incomprehensible that many Retired Farangs live in Remote (or City) areas here. But they Do it seems, even when Old/Ill/Disabled !

Then yes they actually complain they have to travel all day to get to & from a decent Hospital or Immigration office or even a Homepro / Big C !!

I’m here for the Tropical Paradise Sea Lifestyle with those Key Facilities Close.

Not interested in Remote Paddy Field Shack Living nor Crowded Congested Polluted Noisy City Life.

[Benroon]

  On 6/30/2022 at 5:34 AM, oldschooler said:

Immigration here is a BUSINESS. 
It includes AGENTS ….by DESIGN.

It is therefore not “Illegal” here to use Immigration Agents. If you have a Immigration Issued Unexpired Stay Passport Stamp you are LEGAL.

Try making your case to the wheelchair -bound expat living 200 kms from his Immigration Office, or to any Agent ! 

Or to the poster here who had to use his 800k for medical bills reneged on by his insurer. Or the Family Guy whose Business Bankrupted, etc.

Tell them all to Leave or Stop, I Dare You I’ll Watch the Outcome!!

Expand  

lol ok you keep believing that!

But just quickly for the hard of thinking, if you have a LEGAL visa obtained via ILLEGAL means - it's ILLEGAL. 

[Benroon]

  On 7/3/2022 at 4:48 AM, oldschooler said:

Exactly. Extensive Due Diligence VITAL when selecting Visa Agents here. Losing Passport, Stay Permission & Money combined is just about the Worst Imaginable Admin Disaster here.

Expand  

Is there a reason you start nearly every word with a Capital letter ? It makes your posts even more incomprehensible than normal,

[TSS]

 if you have a LEGAL visa obtained via ILLEGAL means - it's ILLEGAL.    

I think here, once the ink dries, it's prolly legit

 

•  
• Quote

 

[Benroon]

  On 7/8/2022 at 10:22 AM, TSS said:

 if you have a LEGAL visa obtained via ILLEGAL means - it's ILLEGAL.    

I think here, once the ink dries, it's prolly legit

 

•  
• Quote

 

Expand  

You're probably right - and the chances of you coming unstuck are probably 0.000001% HOWEVER the requirement is you must deposit 'x' of money for 'x' time to legally, or should I say legitimately, obtain a visa. Now if an agent uses their money, whether widespread, accepted, or the norm, that's by the letter of the law illegal and your visa is fraudulent.

You only need a new head honcho with an anti farang bias or someone who has ambitions to make it up that greasy pole to order a review and decide a new direction is required, and all the agent funded visa peeps will be sleeping with one eye open at the impending deportation and attached 10 year re-entry ban as the newly formed visa gestapo knock on your door and ask to see bank statements.

Anyone using this route with a family here is imo insane !

Do I think it will happen ? Extremely unlikely, but I prefer to sleep with both eyes closed as a legal.

[TSS]

  On 7/8/2022 at 10:29 AM, Benroon said:

I prefer to sleep with both eyes closed as a legal.

Expand  

Yeah, I agree and don't know much about the agent way of obtaining a visa other than many expats must be glad they exist. I'm being enlightened by this thread. Been here 17 yrs.- still renewing my original non-imm from 2004 with the monthly transfer method rather than parking money in a thai bank.