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Should I use an agent for my 1-year extension of a Non-O visa in Thailand?

Apr 20, 2025
4 days ago
Robert *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Over 50. UK Passport. Got non o visa for Thailand. Arriving May. Want to get 1 year extension.

Use agent or not use agent that is my question.

I do have the 800000 .

Recommendations for agents.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A UK expat with a Non-O visa is seeking advice on whether to use an agent for a one-year visa extension in Thailand. The community responses vary, with many recommending a DIY approach to avoid the costs associated with agents, while highlighting that interacting with immigration can be straightforward and they are helpful. Several contributors shared their personal experiences regarding the process of extending their visas, emphasizing the ease of doing it themselves, provided all necessary documentation is prepared, including proof of funds in a Thai bank account. Some, however, narrated challenges faced while trying to open bank accounts or obtain necessary documents, indicating that using an agent might alleviate some stress for those who find the process daunting.
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.
Eddie **********
Pls do it the legal way.

Open a bankaccount in Thailand.

You need to go to immigration one time, bring foto like passport

And tell them you need a Recife t certificate.

You need a letter from the Owner where you stay. Tell immigration officer you need a paper for open bank

Cost between 200-400 bath. Then go try open a bankaccount and transfer mony. Do al this as soon as you come Thailand. When have bankbook show you have mony then go to immigration and ask what they want from you to do an 1 year extensions.

I only have had good experience from immigration.

If you nice to them they are normaly very help full… why spend mony on agents
Simon *******
@Eddie *********
I did all these thing and was still refused a bank account because I didn't have 60 days left on my tourist visa although it was valid for another 4 months ,I gave up and used an agent should of done it from the start and saved the money and time it first cost
Colin *********************
@Eddie *********
that was my plan in Jomtien a couple of months ago. Went to immigration to get residence cert to open bank account. Queued for 30 minutes with the documents I thought I needed. Told to fill in form then come back to queue. Another 30 minutes. Then told needed owners ID. This was before getting a number to stand in a queue to get the certificate. Gave up and walked away before I killed someone
Charles **********
Do it yourself. Easy.
David ********
Did it myself. Not so hard. Get a bank account ASAP, then go to immigration just before your initial 60 days is up with photo and proof of your residence to extend 30 days (you will need your bank account open with the 800k for 2 months to get the year extension.)

While getting the 30 day extension, ask for the immigration office requirements for the 1 year extension (they gave me a form to use) and bring those documents with you once your bank account has matured. In Hua Hin, they required an application form filled out, more photos, a copy of your rental contract and a hand drawn map from your house to the immigration office, with a copy of my bank book and letter from the bank verifying the amount and age of the account. Spent about 2-3 hours at immigration both times. But did not spend the 30-40k baht to use an agent. Staff were very friendly and helpful and have photo and copier on site.
Vincent *******
use agent its a thousand dollars for the year. maybe better to just get three 60 day visas. or just visa on arrival 45 days. then one extension. 60 bucks at immigration. then go on a visa run for another 45 days. then go back home for a while. I find 3 months in thailand enough for a while. then go back to usa for 3 or 4 months. repeat.
จอน ********
An agent is 26k 1st time and you get 15 months then when you renew its 12.5k
Dora *******
Do it yourself Immigration will explain and help
Dora *******
Do it yourself. Immigration will advise as to what you need to provide
Jonathan ******
For expert assistance with your 1-year extension, consider Thai Visa Center. They offer tailored guidance and quotes for their services.
Nick ************
Always better to do it yourself and if you can meet all the requirements why not?
Mel ******
I have been doing it myself. Be sure to get multiple entry re-entry permit when you extend your visa if you will be traveling outside Thailand. Be sure to move your visa and extension to new passport if you ever get a new passport. Also be sure to do your 90 day reports.
John **********
Do it yourself, I just got a year extension the other day. Immigration speak english, and are so helpful. I took advice from the guys here. They were right it's easy.
Ant ***********
Requirements
Stuart ***********
I have extended my stay 3 times now and on average it has taken me 45 minutes.

You go to immigration and get a list of requirements.

You need to complete a very simple A4 form with questions like; name, passport number, date of arrival in Thailand etc.

You supply the documents on the immigration list and pay 1,900 Baht, wait a few minutes and you are done for another year.

I personally don't think it's worth using an agent for this simple task and immigration are helpful.

As for circumventing the law by using an agent to deposit the funds, this is a mistake IMO as it is illegal and people do get their Visas cancelled for this reason. It's up to the individual what they want to do.
Peter ********
Depends which office you are dealing with, some are easier than others.

You will need to prove funds came from abroad, and you may have difficulty opening a Thai bank account.

If you do use an agent you may be tied to that agent for future reapplcations.
John **********
It's done online I believe, well it was in Australia, reply in 6 days. No medical no police reports
John **********
@Peter *******
If you apply for your Non immigrant O Visa in your country they ask for funds in an Australian bank. When applying for my one year extension they were not remotely interested where the funds came from. But as we all know, immigration offices don't all have the same rules.
Sean **********
@John *********
good point. I didn’t think about acquiring and non-o before coming based on funds in a originating country account.

I not sure how renewing the extension the following year would be handled regarding the bank account funding though.
John **********
@Sean *********
Getting it in my own country made the process so much easier. If you want more info just give me a bell happy to help
Sean **********
@John *********
arrived as tourist and converted to non-o the 1st year. Now going into the third year so all sorted. Next renewal in a month.

I really wanted to go non-o for the added flexibility in selecting medical insurance outside of the Thai approved list. Applying from within the US it seemed difficult as the closest Thai embassy was in Los Angeles. Plus required police reports, medical reports, etc. etc.
Peter ********
@John *********
Well your experience is clearly different from mine and many others who have posted on here. On renewal they did look that the intial transfer of funds to Thai bank was from abroad (FBB code iirc).

Australian bank is irrelevant to me.
John **********
@Peter *******
Maybe the picked up on your bad attitude and decided to make it difficult for you😂
Peter ********
@John *********
Actually last time they commented how nice it was to deal with someone who was dressed smartly and tried to communicate in Thai even if largely unsuccessfully.

On renewal did you have to supply your bank account statements and or passbook. If so they probably checked without asking you directly..

Anyway you do you. My experience is different.
Sean **********
If you already arrive with the non-o visa in theory you should be able to open a bank account and deposit the required funds and then submit the application for extension.

I was not able to get a bank account opened when I first arrived so I did hire an agent to get that handled.
Alex *********
For Thailand, I will always use agents to avoid the headache. If you can afford it then I would say it’s worth it.

You can save a lot of money but they make you wait hours, another copy, another document, another something or other.

For me it’s not worth the stress.
Nick *******
@Alex ********
I’ve heard this headache argument so many times. I find it myself and process was easy. All done in 4 visits for both the Non-O and then the extension 2.5 months later. I’d say a total of 2 hrs in all. Nothing difficult about the paperwork or the process.
Alex *********
@Nick ******
happy for you
Nigel ********
@Alex ********
10min photo copying

30 mins Phuket imagration

Pickup next day at 10am

1900bht easy

Doing it legally is always the right way if you want to live in another country
Alex *********
@Nigel *******
Phuket maybe better than Cheung Wattana. My argument isn’t about doing things illegally, it’s about hiring somebody to do all of the LEGAL paperwork for me to save my time.
Lynnette *******
@Alex ********
but you weren't applying for a retirement extension. He is. Different thing to extension based on marriage.
Alex *********
@Lynnette ******
yes I know, I replied to you on the thread above. You are correct.
Lynnette *******
@Alex ********
for retirement visa? Did you get the list from your immigration office so you had everything needed before applying?
Alex *********
@Lynnette ******
mine was for an O marriage. Yes got the list, returned with all of the items, wait 3 hours, sent away for more, get it and come back next day, sent for copies, then asked for a hand drawn map of my house, then sent away for something that I didn’t need the next day when I returned and saw a different officer.
Lynnette *******
@Alex ********
marriage extension is not what he's applying for. Different thing. It's a retirement extension, less paperwork, much easier.
Alex *********
@Lynnette ******
good luck to him
Ron ******
You can buy a lot of Leo beer for what you’d be paying an agent to do that you can do yourself. But it’s your choice🤪
Simon *******
@Ron *****
*****
0 bht = £20,000, £20,000 can earn you between £800-£1000 in uk

First visa + bank account at 40,000 bht = £1000 following years 12,500 bht= £312 after the second year you are already up £400-700 using an agent not your own money it's a no brainer ,this is worked out at 40bht to the pound .
Graham ******
@Simon ******
After the first year there is no need to maintain any fixed sum, just transfer a minimum of 65k a month from abroad
Nick *******
Mma *******
Anna *********
Don’t use an agent It’s very simple to extend Simpler than getting the visa
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