Answered12 days ago
Can I switch from an agent-based extension to an income method for my Thai visa?
Is it easily possible to switch from an extension of stay obtained through an agent with no money in the bank to income method at a Thai Immigration Office? If it is not possible, what the best way to do it?
Answer summary
Switching from an extension of stay obtained through an agent (with no personal funds) to an income method at a Thai Immigration Office can be complicated. Many users suggest that if funds were supplied by an agent, you may struggle to honor the necessary terms for the next extension. Options could include: maintaining the required funds (like 800k THB in your account for specific months), transferring at least 65k THB monthly from overseas for 12 months, or starting over with a new visa application. It's essential to ensure you meet all financial requirements and consult the immigration office for specific guidance.
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Louis *************
OPThank you all for your comments, some are helpful, some are simply wrong and some are lacking crucial information. I have to get a new extension in April next year and by then I can show 12 months of money transfers and also get an embassy letter confirming my income. I plan to go to Vientiane and apply for a Non-O visa (retirement) which I will extend in country using the same updated documents. Not the easy way I hoped for but it seems it's the only possible way.
Graeme *******
Louis Stophpooper nothing is easy in Thailand, you said your Embassy gave you a letter that means dont even worry about money on the bank here, I use the Embassy letter / Avadavet every year to show income.
Louis *************
OPI'm going to get the letter/affidavit in April next year when I'll need it for a new extension.
Edward ********
Not for everybody but switching to LTR-WP worked.
Alexander *******
In my case they kicked up a stink at C W Immigration. I had to leave the country and come back visa exempt and start the whole process again. I only used an agent during covid and a couple of extra years. Don t plan on using them again.
Beay ********
You will have to have a year in which you meet the requirements for both 'avenues'. 1) The 800 K, 'three months before and two months prior, never below 400K', which implies your own actual funds and not any agent-assisted funds. And 2) The 65K monthly deposits. After running both in parallel for a year you should be (never say will; different offices, interpretations) but you should be able to switch over to getting extensions based on the 65K monthly.
Simon *******
Yes it is possible but you need to show the 65,000/month in another bank account for 2 years then change on your second year or after 1st year show 12 months of 65,000 and sort though agent ,if agent has no need to put the 800,000bht into your account is should be very cheap to do your renewal.
Beay ********
You will have to have a year in which you meet the requirements for both 'avenues'. 1) The 800 K, 'three months before and two months prior, never below 400K', which implies your own actual funds and not any agent-assisted funds. And 2) The 65K monthly deposits. After running both in parallel for a year you should be (never say will; different offices, interpretations) but you should be able to switch over to getting extensions based on the 65K monthly.
Beay ********
Wow, when Brandon likes your answer you gotta be doing something right! 😉 Some influencer wanna-be didn't quite dig my response to him overstaying on his DTV, ha!
Alexander *******
In my case they kicked up a stink at C W Immigration. I had to leave the country and come back visa exempt and start the whole process again. I only used an agent during covid and a couple of extra years. Don t plan on using them again.
Louis *************
OPAlexander Paton Thank you, I haven't thought about coming back visa exempt and then apply for an extension of stay with retirement as the reason. The Non-O visa application in Vientiane can take up to ten days which I can avoid this way.
Louis *************
OPWas it straightforward in your case or did you have to jump through any loops? Any advice is highly appreciated.
Louis *************
OPAlexander Paton Good to know. I'll leave just before my permit to stay expires so I don't expect any questions.
Alexander *******
Louis Stophpooper when I was leaving immigration asked why I was allowing my retirement extension to get cancelled. I told them I was changing my visa status. They were fine with that.
Louis *************
OPAlexander Paton Great, thanks again.
Alexander *******
Louis Stophpooper yes that s exactly what happened.
Louis *************
OPAlexander Paton Sorry, didn't get your message.
Louis *************
OPAlexander Paton not a bore and thank you for taking the time to write this down. Is it correct that you came back visa exempt, converted to Non-O first and then applied for a 12 months extension of stay?
Alexander *******
Louis Stophpooper hi louis I sent a message for you to look at
Alexander *******
Louis Stophpooper i ll tell you my story but it might be a bit of a bore.
When i first retired years ago I had the 800K in the bank and did the retirement extension myself. When covid came along i didn t want to go to Immigration so got an agent to process my visa. He charged me 15 k. I carried on with him for a couple more years and I didn t need to keep the 800k bank balance so it dropped. I live in bkk but the stamps were from Nakhon Sawan. I got the bank balance back up to 800k and asked the agent to get me stamped at bkk. He said he couldn't. By the way i had heard that Nakhon Sawan is where the dodgy Indians and Chinese get their visas and I could have a future problem with these stamps in my passport.
I approached a bkk agent. He charged me 25k even though i had the correct bank balance and he got me back into bkk. The following year I went to do it myself. The officer threw a fit and told me to call my agent so she could speak to him. I told her I didn t have his contact details. She went back through my bank records snd found an anomaly caused by one of the Nakhon Sawan agents. She refused to give me the visa and said there would be an enquiry. The bkk agent told me to get out the country as they could lock me up. So I went out the country snd came back and started the whole process again myself. Non O and then retirement extension. I m back in the system now.
Hope that wasn t too much of a drag to read.
When i first retired years ago I had the 800K in the bank and did the retirement extension myself. When covid came along i didn t want to go to Immigration so got an agent to process my visa. He charged me 15 k. I carried on with him for a couple more years and I didn t need to keep the 800k bank balance so it dropped. I live in bkk but the stamps were from Nakhon Sawan. I got the bank balance back up to 800k and asked the agent to get me stamped at bkk. He said he couldn't. By the way i had heard that Nakhon Sawan is where the dodgy Indians and Chinese get their visas and I could have a future problem with these stamps in my passport.
I approached a bkk agent. He charged me 25k even though i had the correct bank balance and he got me back into bkk. The following year I went to do it myself. The officer threw a fit and told me to call my agent so she could speak to him. I told her I didn t have his contact details. She went back through my bank records snd found an anomaly caused by one of the Nakhon Sawan agents. She refused to give me the visa and said there would be an enquiry. The bkk agent told me to get out the country as they could lock me up. So I went out the country snd came back and started the whole process again myself. Non O and then retirement extension. I m back in the system now.
Hope that wasn t too much of a drag to read.
Dennis *********
Alexander Paton I do believe that's the correct way to do it.......
Andy **********
I looked into this ahead of my first extension coming early next year.
I have the Bt800k in the bank and I have about 6 months of Bt65k+ going into my account.
Because of the need to maintain the Bt400k after X months through the first extension year, if you aren't doing that, you are technically on overstay.
I have the Bt800k in the bank and I have about 6 months of Bt65k+ going into my account.
Because of the need to maintain the Bt400k after X months through the first extension year, if you aren't doing that, you are technically on overstay.
Ant ***********
Do you have a Thai bank account ?
With 800K in it for the required amount of money
If you haven’t been able to do this since you used an agent last time
Then the answer is use an agent again
Or
No can do
With 800K in it for the required amount of money
If you haven’t been able to do this since you used an agent last time
Then the answer is use an agent again
Or
No can do
Jesper *******
If you have use the agents 800k for extension....you will not be fulfilling the requirements for the next extension (keeping the 800k in acct for 3mths)....in oder to use the 65k method u need to show past 12mths statements of overseas deposit and at the same time fulfilling the requirements of the current extension.....and not all immigration office accepts the 65k method without affidavit from the embassy.....myself have 800k(own) in the acct for 3yrs and show a 12mths statements of 65k deposit hoping to switch method and was rejected by CW bkk for not showing affidavit from embassy and can only use the 800k method
Deepak *******
Keep depositing 65k every month, on and around a specified date. After one year, go to the immigration and request for a change.
Andy **********
@Deepak ******
and you immediately show that you on overstay as you are non compliant with your existing extension !
Nick **********
Technically you are out the frying pan and into the fire..the 1yr ext requires a minimum of 400k untouched out of the ficticious 800k by agent..if immo checks you in trouble
Kool *******
It is only possible if the agent can give you bank statements showing the appropriate money was in the account each month for 12 months in order to switch financial methods. If not then you were on overstay as soon asxall the money was taken out of the account, and with the updated fast deportation rules that went into effect on Aug 28th could be a concern depending how immigration treats the overstay, if you don't continue using the same agent.
Graeme *******
So if you don't have the money, how do you manage to live here.
Louis *************
OPGraeme Drake I have money in the bank, just short of 800k. My monthly income in the past was just below 65k but is higher now.
Graeme *******
Louis Stophpooper ok.
Todd *********
Graeme Drake you can’t afford an agent? Or just enjoy standing in line?
Graeme *******
Todd McGowan don't do any of that,walk in say Visa renewal someone takes all the paperwork and passport, gets me to sign about 10 times, immigration officer calls me stamps passport, slso does 90 day see you in month, that's it out for lunch.
Graeme *******
Todd McGowan correct. Guess it depends what office you visit I myself Maha Sarakham only once busy when many Chinese there getting visas. Most times with 90 day check about 10 minutes then last week for visa extension about 20 minutes in total maybe. Luckily don't need bank letter.
Todd *********
Graeme Drake uh-huh. Happens every time. Most immigration offices empty. Just waiting for ya.
You do ALL of that. First you drive to your bank. And wait for them to serve you. And then you explain what you need. And then when you can come back to pick up. And then you drive to immigration. Hope it’s a quiet time. Go thru the stack of papers.
All while your 800k sits doing nothing. While others making 12% annually in an index tracking ETF and doubles to 1.6M in just 6 years. But we all have to make the choice
You do ALL of that. First you drive to your bank. And wait for them to serve you. And then you explain what you need. And then when you can come back to pick up. And then you drive to immigration. Hope it’s a quiet time. Go thru the stack of papers.
All while your 800k sits doing nothing. While others making 12% annually in an index tracking ETF and doubles to 1.6M in just 6 years. But we all have to make the choice
John **********
I have seen people claiming they've done it but I'd take that with a pinch of salt. There's no simple way to do it because if you used an agent to supply the funds for your current extension then you won't have honoured the terms of the current extension so your next extension will be refused.
You could use an agent again this year, but with you having your own 800k in the bank for 2 months before applying for the extension, keeping it there for 3 months after and never going below 400k at any point. You would at the same time have to transfer a minimum of 65k baht each month from overseas for the full 12 months prior to applying for the following extension.
Or you could start over by leaving Thailand, applying for a new Non-O visa and then follow the money rules above.
I'm assuming your not from a country whose embassy in bangkok issues income certificates otherwise you'd already be using that method
You could use an agent again this year, but with you having your own 800k in the bank for 2 months before applying for the extension, keeping it there for 3 months after and never going below 400k at any point. You would at the same time have to transfer a minimum of 65k baht each month from overseas for the full 12 months prior to applying for the following extension.
Or you could start over by leaving Thailand, applying for a new Non-O visa and then follow the money rules above.
I'm assuming your not from a country whose embassy in bangkok issues income certificates otherwise you'd already be using that method
Louis *************
OP@John *********
the 2 months rule is only for your first extension, after that you need 800k for 3 months prior your applicationBeay ********
Louis Stophpooper Well, the 'standard' is, or supposed to be, 800K baht in the account for two months prior to the day of the extension application, for every extension, and then the 800K remaining fully banked for three months after the extension's granted. But all that matters is how the immigration office at which one is extending wants to handle it.
John **********
@Louis ************
depends where you are. Officially it's 2 months but some immigration offices do want to see 3 monthsLouis *************
OPThanks for clarifying this. My Immigration office wants 3 months.
Lynn *********
I was going to ask same question. I would have thought putting the required amount in each month for 12 months should make it possible for second extension?
Graham ******
Lynn Walters not unless you maintained the 800k for the first 3 months of your first or current extension then never dropped below 400k for the rest of the year
Louis *************
OPGraham Seal That's only half the truth. You need to have 800k in the bank again for the last 3 months prior your application.
Doc ********
Lynn Walters You can use that method for your second extension you just have to ask the local immigration office where you are to make sure you can do it.
Frank **********
Probably not Mr. Stoppooper.
Bob **********
Ask at immigration they may do it ,if not you got to start over and have the 800k in your Thai bank
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