I have read in these forums that once you use an agent, you will have a difficult time switching to DIY. I had an agent do my Retirement Visa because I didn't have the 800,000. Then I got married and my wife wants to do the Marriage Visa based on my pension. We got the checklist from immigration and she talked to the guy there. She insists that if we give him all the papers, there won't be a problem. Has anyone else tried this? I'm not really interested in hearsay. Does anyone have any actual experience or documentation indicating there would or wouldn't be an issue?
UPDATE: My wife could not be persuaded, so I let her drag me to Immigration. She was trying to figure out the paperwork, and after two tries, I had an Immigration Captain explain to her that we would have to show the $800,000 for the Retirement Visa before she issued the new Marriage Visa. The Captain cornered me when she sensed that was an issue, and I had to confess to using an agent. She then confirmed that I could leave and come back and start over. I was pooping my pants though.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses the challenges of switching from a Retirement Visa obtained through an agent to a Marriage Visa, particularly when financial requirements for the Retirement Visa were not met. The author is concerned about proving the necessary financial resources for the new visa, including maintaining an 800,000 Baht balance. As exemplified by comments in the thread, experiences vary by immigration office, and many users share insights on the necessity of meeting specific banking conditions, the risks involved in attempting a visa switch, and the complications introduced by using an agent.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.