How can I file a complaint against a visa agency in Thailand that has held my passport for a month?

@Thelittle ***********

what nationality you are?

@Thelittle ***********

I haven't seen any announcement to say it's been extended. If no announcement then today is the last day and you're not eligible due to the volunteer visa you had.

And thinking about it, if it is extended then you still wouldn't be eligible as you're currently on overstay.

@Thelittle ***********

not sure today last day and you had Valonteer before Bangkok immigration not accept

@Thelittle ***********

are u at chang wattana?

@Thelittle ***********

so finally did you get your extension?

@Carl *********

current passport? Maybe

@Terence **********

Excuse me I am a qualified lawyer!!! Just my 2 satong worth!!!!

@Terence **********

many dickheads on Facebook but I think you small dick head

@Tony *******

Do you think anyone cares what you think ?

@John ********

Direct message. He said the name above, its bangkok buddy travel service.

@John ********

direct message is dm

@Terary *********

Went did you enter the last time? (month) Which airport? How was your volunteer visa acquired? (agent or no agent), etc. I said impossible given OP situation.

@Maxim **********

I arrived Phuket February (last month). Agent handled the volunteer visa and converting from volunteer to covid extension in Pattaya. I personally go the second extension from Phuket immigration.

@Terary *********

Excellent news. At

Suvarnabhumi Airport you would have been denied entry. FYI, the nightmare at

Suvarnabhumi Airport didn't start with Covid, it started in 2015. There was insane enforcement of no more than 6 months per year in Thailand that was getting more and more enforced, and then Covid hit. I avoided that airport for the last 5 years. Always entering via Chiang Mai or South Thailand, never had a problem. With Covid, most flights into Thailand were layover in Bangkok first, so people recently on Volunteer visas were fucked while trying to enter via BKK. But Phuket always does things first, Sandbox, etc, so there is direct flight to Phuket. Chiang Mai is lagging behind (every flight stops in Bangkok first).

@Maxim **********

I feel like I have been pretty lucky when it comes to Visas in Thailand. Sadly I look forward to my 50th birthday (2 years from now).

@Terary *********

Same, it also helps to have a Thai wife. I'm far away from being 50 tho!

@Alastair *****

Yes, I was aware of the change weeks before it happen because my agent told me it was coming. Its also impossible to leave Thailand with a volunteer visa in your passport and come back to Thailand on the same passport, u will get denied entry.

@Maxim **********

Not true either!… Where are You getting your “facts” from??? You are correct you cannot “re-enter” on the same/existing visa unless you go to immigration before departure and get a “re-entry visa”. Or are you talking about the fact that officially immigration has not been issuing new/legit Volunteer Visas since the start of Covid. Therefore, if you have got a dodgy volunteer visa they probably won’t grand “re-entry”. At the very least they will interview you as you return.

So tell us Maxim, is yours also a dodgy volunteer visa?

@Alastair *****

You seem nervous man, chill, facts don't care about your feeling. Maybe read the thread next time and then comment so you won't spew non-sense. What I said is extremely clear. OP said that he did a volunteer visa with an agent, so I told him that went he leave Thailand, he will not be allowed back in even if he make a Thai tourist visa in a neighboring country. People on Volunteer visas (even expired) are not allowed back in unless they make a new passport. It's been a policy since the beginning of the year. Also, if you leave on an ed visa, your Thai skill will be tested upon trying to come back to Thailand.

@Maxim **********

Your still stating “facts” and quoting “policy” that isn’t true! Perhaps there’s a thin thread of truth in what you said, if you’ve been on a dodgy Volunteer Visa they’re now looking to stamp out such behaviour. So having evidence of fraud in your passport will not do you any favours!

As for Ed Visa policy changes meaning “your Thai skill will be tested”…it has always been the case that they can test your language skill if they so desire.

And once again I say, if you re-enter via Suvarnabhumi Airport it is likely you will be interviewed, other entry points are a lot less concerned.

I’m telling you this through my experience: I’m now on my second year of Ed Visa

@Alastair *****

What you are saying is factually incorrect. There is not a "thin thread of truth" it's the current enforced law in Suvarnabhumi airport since January 2022. Anyone who goes out of Thailand and tries to come back and has a volunteer visa in their passport will be interviewed and denied entry unless you can show them all the proper paperwork which frankly most don't have because most volunteer visas are done with an agent.

Regarding ed visa, it was not always "tested". It's been the case for the last 2-3 years roughly and mostly in Bangkok upon coming in. And up until last year, you could skip 90 days report (agent could do it for you).

Regarding "other entry points", land borders are closed and Chiang Mai has no direct flight, they all stop in Bangkok first. Phuket is probably the second most difficult airport to enter from if you have many stamps in your passport, but ofc, nothing top Suvarnabhumi.

@Maxim **********

You are confused about who is “factually incorrect”…I shalln’t argue with you further, you clearly think you know best! Good luck in life

@Alastair *****

Ofc I know better I've been living here for most of my adult life, lol! You are still an infant on ed visa, cmon.

@Maxim **********

But you don’t work within immigration or government, so you are still just a farrang with an opinion, like the rest of us!

@Alastair *****

Exactly, but some farang have been there a lot longer than others, and have been in way more situations than others, and have way more connections than others, and understand the Thai system way more then others.

@Thelittle ***********

A tourist visa received in your home country holds the same value as one done in Cambodia. If you want to enter again, go to your Embassy in Cambodia and make a new passport which will be empty of all stamps. Then apply for a tourist visa and try to get back into Thailand via Phuket. This plan is your best bet to get in, but not guaranteed.

@Maxim **********

Are you completely sure that Thai immigration doesn't have an IT system where they can see your previous entries even when you are using a new different passport. They have your picture and fingerprints in the system, haven't they?

@Klaus ********

This is true, but... they are never actively looking at your full history. The same apply when people 3-4 years ago were going to Savannakhet (Laos) for a tourist visa. If you already had 2 consecutive tourists visa in Savannakhet, the 3rd one would be denied, unless you were on a new passport. It's been like this forever, a new passport is kinda golden. Ofc things could change at any moment.

@Maxim **********

Not sure wether it's true, but did read somewhere that foreign embassies and consulates were recently connected to the immigration IT system. Might become a gamechanger in the future?

@Klaus ********

Maybe, but until borders and the country fully re-open, we won't know. Things could very easily go in both directions (less strict or more strict). Also, BKK airport has always been way more strict than any other Thai airport in such regard. When Chiang Mai has direct flight again we will have more answers.

@Klaus ********

Yes, we’ll said!👍🏼

@Thelittle ***********

I’m not denying you have the stamp (you showed it earlier in this thread!). I understand the predicament you are facing, and I can only suggest you go to the office and get your passport back. It sounds like you are now on Overstay, so will be fined when you leave thailand, and will be flagged if/when you try to re-enter you will probably get interviewed.

You could fly out to Cambodia (or somewhere close), and then try to return as a tourist. If you’re going to do that, I’d advise re-entry via Phuket or Chiang Mai if possible. If you try Suvarnabhumi airport you will be questioned!

I’m telling you this as I was on an Ed.Visa but had to leave for personal reasons. I came back into suvarnabhumi airport a few weeks later and was interviewed for 1 hour before they let me in!

@Thelittle ***********

he’s mentioned it. It’s Bangkok Buddy

@Thelittle ***********

yes same one… Tanya and Leo

@Tai ******

So go get your passport asap.

@Maxim **********

no I’m in the same boat as Maxim. They keep on saying stories.. Covid at immigration so they’re short handed at immigration. It will be here Friday.. then definitely Monday. Then it’s Wednesday. Now it’s this Saturday.

@Tai ******

You mean not in the same boat as

@Thelittle ***********

. Most agents will sadly not deliver, or deliver sometimes. I have not step foot inside an immigration office for nearly 6 years, so I can tell you that not everything is sad story. Are you on overstay? You need to physically go there and get your passport back today.

@Tai ******

It's impossible, I repeat, impossible to get a covid extension if you were on a non-o (volunteer, ed visa, etc), since January 2022 (for almost 3 months). The price with agent went from 3.5k baht mid-2021, to 7k baht late 2021, to IMPOSSIBLE in 2022. When I say impossible I mean even if you throw 50k baht at them they CANT do it.

@Maxim **********

I done mine in Feb for 15k baht.

@Ebrahim ********

Covid Extension from previously Non-O? You paid an insane premium, but it's not possible atm.

@Maxim **********

sorry there was a misunderstanding. I only have a tourist visa. Not exactly the same. Only wanted to avoid my time going to immigration and obtaining Covid extension. Now I look back and regret not spending the few hours to hand carry my own passport and getting Covid extension vs. paying an agent that hasn’t given back passport in a month, to date. Sadly, in the end, we can only blame ourselves. But a warning to others looking to obtain a visa extension when they can do it themselves. Make like Nike and just do it, yourself. Avoid the delays and possible overstay using Bangkok Buddy and other agents who over promise and under deliver. 😔

@Thelittle ***********

have you heard of Thai slander laws? I would remove the name of the agency in question because they can now file a lawsuit and get you into even more serious shit if they want to.

@Thelittle ***********

I have never heard of having to sign a contract to do the visa. This is very weird.