Is it advisable to use visa agents to obtain a retirement visa in Thailand without showing the required funds?

@Thomas *****

i have a US military disability pension of $4,100 per month. i have bank records showing my deposits for over 5 years . i have just over $15 k in savings and am here 40 days into my first 60+ 30. i don’t mind putting the 800k baht i. the bank. what’s the best way for me to proceed?

@Nigel *******

define "legal" here in Thailand. No helmet on any motor bike... illegal. No driver's license for car or any motor bike... illegal. Driving a car or any motorbike under the age of (depending) is illegal. Speeding is illegal. Crossing the solid yellow line is illegal. Not wearing underwear is illegal (no, really, it is on the books). Yet everyone from the grade school Thai kid to the 70+ year old foreigner does it. So exactly what is the "legal route" you are on about? Not that I am suggesting that anyone breaks the law herein, but we have to remember that we are in SEA. Here there are ways that things are supposed to be done and then there is the way those things are actually done. As for your last point, that you will be 'using the same agent for the following year/s'... well, why not? Less hassle, less time spent enjoying the wonders of the Immigration office and the charming folks there, not to mention the fact that you could be sitting on a beach or up in the mountains exploring the beauty of this country and its people and culture. Agents have their ways to simply simplify the system.

@Robert *******

Lighten up. K sitting in a Thai bank is dead money. It will not work for you for it cannot. You say "bribe" the IO say "Really?" They would prefer you to use a reputable agent. As for living with "so little money"... there are local families here that never see that amount of money in a year and manage to get by. There are foreigners can do the same. They will have to forego going to the bars every night, or bar girls every other night, or staying at -star hotels, take the bus rather than a flight, shop at markets rather than at high end stores. But to suggest that they "end up on the streets dying in some dark corner".... really?! Those who cannot make it are usually sent home on flights arranged by there country's reps here helped to the airport by the local IO plods or a charity organization. It is a rare occurrence and no one dies.

Thanks mate. 2 different agents have told me that. At this stage I am happy to go by the book.

@Craig ******

get another agent. What they have told you is wrong.

@Us ****

my thinking also

@Us ****

You only need the 800k tied up for about 5 months not for life

If you haven't got the money and you need to do it use an agent I'm going to guess that the standard fee from Bangkok crowd is around $40,000 for the whole process including the three months and on immigrant owe to start off with and you can add on four or five thousand for a multi-entry Visa as well. If you've got the money yourself do it yourself. Both work fine

@Tom *******

not true everywhere

@Tom *******

why would you have to use the agent again as you've stated ?

@Galen *****

Well, good luck with that happening at any Immigration Office 'cause you're going to need it!

@Galen *****

If you start this thing... what are the criteria? Let's say they do what you ask for. The next one might have only 19 "perfect" years... what about him? Exception or not? If yes... where is your threshold? 10 years? 15 years?

I got your idea, and it's actually nice, but it won't work, because there will be always someone who feels discriminated or disadvantaged or, or, or... and why should they deal with moaning foreigners?

They could give a person the benefit of the doubt based on a strong history and circumstances. Maybe the individual has the money, but not in the Thai account at the moment. Might reduce the need for agents.

@Galen *****

That doesn't make sense. The money is in the bank exactly for emergencies. They want to know you can support yourself in an emergency. If that money was already spent on an emergency, that means you will not have the money for the next emergency and may become Thailand's problem due to that fact.

@Craig ******

I think people use the agency because they don’t like tying up all that money in Thailand, & Thai bank accounts & having it sit in an account & not being able to use it

@Craig ******

who gets

800k when u go to next life ??

@Craig ******

Good advice If you can afford to do it put the 800k in and Forget about it and enjoy your life in thailand, The following year will only cost you 1900bht and very easy to renew because you've done it , right 🙏🙏🙏

@Craig ******

just leave it fir 1st year then arrange for pension or ss to be sent " foreign source, and retrieve your 800k

@Craig ******

me too 👌👍

@Martin ********

please send to me also

@Martin ********

can you send contact. I need a new agent for that. Was using one but she had a baby and stopped working

@Martin ********

can you please cc me? I need.one as well.

@John *********

in some places yes but in others you can easily change over to doing it yourself when that becomes more convenient

@John *********

but you can easily earn 40,000 baht per year by having the 800,000 elsewhere, that more than pays for the agent to do your annual renewal.

@Kate ******

Smart lady. Works that way in a lot of countries.

@Kate ******

Absolutely correct. Great response and spot on!

@Kate ******

seems to me Kate that you actually understand Thailand. Well stated.

@Stuart **********

18,000 . A risk but if you can't afford to have the 800k in place .

@Michael ******

Not at all . You can jump off anytime you want.

@Michael ******

again BS

@Michael ******

but you can easily earn 40,000 baht per year by having the 800,000 elsewhere, that more than pays for the agent to do your annual renewal.

@Brandon ***********

of course it’s okay…the country runs on bribery, I mean that’s what the Police check points are for, nothing to do with safety just tea money.:)

@Brandon ***********

Bonjour à Vous Monsieur. Hello Sir, I always read your remarkable and precise answers very carefully. For my wife and I, retired, this will perhaps be a first time in Thailand this year.

Natallia et Dominique

@Brandon ***********

agree... and I believe sooner rather than later this loop-hole 'could' be stopped... and people will then have Immigration knocking on their doors asking to look at their Bank book... ending with a big red stamp.

@Michael *********

I paid 20.000

@Michael *********

that's cheap, I paid Thai visa assist for multiple entry + another 4000 for re-entry permit, now doing it myself

@Michael *********

28,000 baht

@Michael *********

BS! Without own funds the agents take 30.000.- THB upwards