Answered10 months ago
Are visa agencies that cover required fund amounts for visas in Thailand legitimate or fraudulent?
Does anyone have experience with Visa agencies that claim to cover your dollar amounts needed needed for visas real or b.s.? Thanks
Answer summary
Several users discuss the practices of visa agencies in Thailand that claim to assist with the financial requirements for retirement visas. It is noted that some agencies facilitate temporary fund transfers to meet visa requirements, often leading to a dependence on these agents for renewals at an ongoing cost. However, concerns were raised about the legitimacy of these practices as immigration regulations may be tightening.
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Михайло ********
Yes, in Vientiane they can do it
Carlos *********
All visa agents will do that for a price
Greg *********
It works but your tied to that agent. The agents do charge half the original amount every year for renewing. Immigration is starting to crack down on that practice from what I understand
Nick **********
dollar amounts ?
Jim *******
@Nick *********
Back in 2003, it was 20K US$.Now it it is close to 30K US$ dollars against Thai baht.
You might want to ask US Feds why is that.
John *********
Rodney *************
OP@John ********
Have you personally used this agency? Thx
Krystian ******
Its possible but they will charge you for it.
Wannikea *********
Welcome to the merry-go-round.
Brandon ************
If you're talking about inside of Thailand, with an application at immigration, then yes. It's a common practice used by agents to bypass the financial requirements of a retirement visa. They take you to the bank, transfer the required funds into your account, get the letter and bank statement from the bank, then transfer the money out of your account. It's only in there for a few minutes. And then because the bank letter/statement does not show the funds in your account the required amount of time, part of the money you pay to the agent is so the immigration officers look the other way about that.
Rodney *************
OP@Brandon ***********
can you recommend an agency?Brandon ************
@Rodney ************
I've never used one so I cannot give you a personal recommendation. But you should be able to find reviews for most legit agentsRodney *************
OP@Brandon ***********
I appreciate your time.Yo***
@Brandon ***********
what about the certification by the bank that the funds have been stayed for 3 months or 4 months etc,, in the bank account? There should be the required time for the extension?
Nongnuch ********
@Yo***
that's what the tea money is for. Immigration will ignore that the applicant has violated the rules 🙃 🙂 However, this method ensures that for the annual application to the next extension, you will need to pay the agent, againYo***
@Brandon ***********
Some questions. You said, the agent transfer their funds to your account, and get the letter and bank statement just the moment that the funds are in. And the funds stay just for few minutes in your account. Then they withdraw the funds out of your account. In the bank letter and statements this funds are showed up? or not? I think funds must show up in the letter and statement, because it is needed for extension reason for the immigration. right? the bank letter and statements say, you have funds in your account now, even though it just few minutes in your account. right? then, immediately after issued bank letter and statements which included your funds in, they withdraw that funds. right? Seemingly, you have funds for extension in the letter and statements in your account. right? I could understand this process. But, if right, what about this? there is no record at all in the bank statement or transaction history of the account? Although you put 10 thb into your account just for 1 minutes or seconds, you can find this in your transaction history. 10 THB is in and out. like this. how possible they could do this without anything in transaction history of your account? or bank deleted it? Just very curious.Brandon ************
@Yo***
Why would the bank delete it? It's not in the transaction history that immigration gets. They get a bank statement that shows 800,000. That's all they care about after receiving their extra money to make sure that's all they care about.Yo***
@Brandon ***********
I know some, who said, it did not show up in their transaction, they used agents ways. that is why I am wondering and curious. The money was never in and out in their account. no history at all. What happened and how possible?? Just curious. PS) I understood what you meant with agents ways and tea money etc.. But there are some I know they also used agents without their real funds, as you mentioned. The agent did something and they all got the extensions. I thought the agents did what you mentioned above. But if they did so, put the real money into their accounts, they must find it in their history. But there is no record at all. This could mean, there is no real money in and out? or they did a magic??Brandon ************
@Yo***
I really have no idea what you're talking about. Of course it shows up. I'm not sure what gave you the idea that it doesn't. It's a regular transfer in and out.Yo***
@Brandon ***********
i understand what is tea money here, and what immigration office ignores or never cares for. What my question is, if the agent put their real money into the account, for example, when the agent put their money into my account, let me say, 800,000 Thb, This money is in my account, even it is very short time in there only. and immediately the money is out by the agent. Here is my question. When you check your transaction history in your bank app or web, you can find all transactions in your bank account. It does not matter how long the money stays. All cents which are in and out are all to be found in transaction history. Even, you can find only 1 THB in and out in the transaction history, 1 ThB is in at 25.12.2025, and out 25.12.2025.like this.. even in SMS , you take all transactions with detailed times and date in and out all. But if we can not find this 800,000 THB in transaction history, what happened then??? The agent did not put the real money into the account??? How could they do this??Activity
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