How can I extend my DTV visa in Phuket after 6 months?

@Christopher **********

Well, you are asking the agent to take care of your leaving stamp, entering another country stamp., leaving that country stamp, and entering Thailand stamp. This would include 2 countries and multiple officers.

@Sujy ********

If I understood correctly, remote passport stamping is outside the agents control. However, by getting an immigration officer onside an exception to the 360 exit/reenter requirement is possible. From my own experience, immigration officers will provide visa agent service for less than the agent charges.

@Christopher **********

No, you can't avoid leaving every 365 days or so. You are basically asking for a border run... without you being there.

@Sujy ********

I asked if it was possible to avoid the mandatory exit/reentry at 360 days? Maybe post off my passport and get it back with an exit/reentry stamp? They said that would be out of their hands and with immigration. Alternatively, if immigration were prepared to treat the 360 day point the same as 180 then another in-country extension would be possible.

@Christopher **********

For 6 months it's a good deal. It's mostly for people who do Soft Power but only for 6 months: cooking, muay thai, etc, so they will struggle for extension or border run to activate another entry. The other option is border run every 6 months with agent. Less then 16k baht, ofc, but have to leave the house. The DTV, for some, is another way to stay 5 years while truly only doing much the first 6 months on Soft Power. Nothing wrong with that, but they are cracking down on this so need agent to extend and/or to border run.

@James *******

I enquired about that today, was quoted 16,000 THB.

@James *******

It depend on many things including country of origin, what DTV you have (soft power, etc), and likely for some agent if you have bank account or not. Thai Visa Centre tend to charge more than most but they are extremely reliable.

@Sujy ********

what is the current fee for a Thai Visa Agent to get the DTV visa 180 day extension ?

@Sujy ********

thank you for your helpful reply ✅

@James *******

1) Every single person in Thailand can open a Bank account with agent help. It's again a very basic thing agent can do.

2) Bank account closed is with Bangkok Bank, and due to the scandal a year or two ago, about a bunch of Chinese getting scammed with those mule account. That's why 95% of the problems right now are with that specific bank.

3) The proof of 500k is not a requirement with an agent. It's the same with retirement, marriage, etc, people who by-pass the financial requirement either don't need to show that proof or agent will put money in your account for 10 minutes.

4) In brief, the agent is a facilitator, so you pay a premium price for the DTV extension (which is still not expensive), and your agent coordinate with immigration officer to make it happen quickly and safely. Stamp is real, etc, but officer get a cut. It's truly not complicated. it's the same with every single visa and extension. Bonus: You don't even need to leave your house! You send your passport by mail, and get it back by mail. This has been going on for decades.

5) Agent can do much more complex things then this. For example, you can be on 2 year overstay... and for a big sums, the agent can get rid of it and get you a visa without issue. So the key point that you are missing is that an agent is a facilitator and a problem solver. So you don't need an agent unless you don't respect every single requirement for said visa or extension.

@Sujy ********

understood... and is often done with the Non O Visa and yearly extensions.

BUT I think it's inviting problems when seeking to get the DTV visa extension inside Thailand.

The DTV Visa holder CANNOT open a Thai bank account as it's a tourist visa. Those who ALREADY have them are finding their bank account CLOSED 🔒 by the bank.

So how does a Thai Visa Agent show PROOF of the 500,000 Thai baht in a bank account in the applicants name?

@James *******

That's one of the most basic thing an agent can do.