Retirement visa - New Problems

[higgy]

I have just returned from the Thai Consul in Hull where I applied for a retirement visa.I got the normal 90 day stamp but the Consul refused to legalise my documents ie Bank statement,Doctors certificate and clean bill of health from the police.
I paid £60 last week to have these documents notarised which are now worthless as I will have to have them re done when I get to Thailand and apply for a 1 year visa.
I even checked the web site before I left home for Hull but there was no info there other than changes are taking place from 1st October and they do not know what the changes will be.
Just thought I would give this up to date info as it may save someone some money.

[prcscct]

[higgy]

Yes thanks for that I will bring the documents just in case they work in LOS.
Its obvious to me though that there may be some changes afoot with visa,s as even the Thai consuls do not know what to do.

[STEVE G]

Higgy, I think Pete is correct; it’s normal to get the 90 day visa first, and the actual retirement visa in Thailand; at least that’s how I always understood it anyway. I’m sure someone here who has one can but you straight on this.

[Onlyme]

Higgy. Upon arrival in Thailand I would suggest that you visit the British embassy and get all your paperwork "notarised" there.
For a fee, they will issue you with a document (recommending you to Thai immigration) to facilitate you with your application for retirement status.
If you have a permenant address in Thailand, get that put on the paper as it also assisits when applying for driving licences etc.....

I've used that doc for a few years and it's worth it's weight in gold!

Onlyme.
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[higgy]

Thanks for that Onlyme,very good advise,I will certainly do that when I arrive on 10th Oct.
The Thai Consul in Hull are not sure at this stage if I will be granted a retirement visa for 1 year.They said that it is more likely that I will have to keep renewing every 90 days.

[sargeant]

I have had my retirement visa for 3 years now but even then soi suan plu sent me to vientianne to get a 3 month non o visa
i had to take all my pension/financial papers to the brit embassey and get a letter stating my finances
i took it all to vientianne but did not need at that time to show my embassey letter however my mate is in the same process (19th sept )and went to vientianne, and because he did not have a letter from the embassey was knocked back to a 2month tourist visa
i have advised him to go to Hua Hin immigration office and ask nicely what he has to do now ( i have found them to be very helpfull)
he may be lucky and they will do it and maybe he may have to go to loas again
My advice is jump the hurdles do the hoops but stick with the same immigration person and in hua hin it seems easier not so many staff as soi suan plu
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A Greatfull Guest of Thailand

[troopie]

An American friend of mine, who's been teaching here for 3 years, recently decided to jack it in & get a retirement visa. This was back in April/May & as I recall (I could most certainly be wrong), he did not go to the US Embassy but did everything here in HH. He did say that the letter from the local bank regarding your account balance must be dated the same day as you visit Immigration -- even yesterday is invalid. He waited about 90 minutes while the officials (whom I agree are very helpful in HH) did the paperwork & then got what he wanted. However, it is highly likely that the procedure/requirements are different for applicants who've already been here a while.

I plan to do the same in the near future so this thread is very interesting to me!
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for military &/or Police vets everywhere. (http://veterans.tk/)

[prcscct]

[richard]

And so we go on and on and on and on.

The rules seem to change everyday

I think the golden rule is to turn up at immigration a few days early and ask what is required. Then it gives you time to plan (not really a Thai word) and get it all together for the 'assualt'

Maybe it's time to give up the 'Paradise dream'. Go home to the UK and live off the the state. Thaksin seems to have done it

And so we go on and on and on!
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Syd--------Shine on you crazy diamond
Freddie--- Love kills
If you've a problem don't moan. Find a solution!!

Khun Richard of Yorkshire (Halifax) and Hua Hin

[hogus]

Wise words, Richard!
May be an old nursey song helps to express the supposed Thailand-feeling for foreigners in future?
I suggest:

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

[Gutte]

You need a valid passport showing that you are at least 50 years old, a valid visa with less than 30 days left, a bankbook AND a letter from the bank stating that you are an OK client. The bankbook must show a balance of at least 800 000 B. You should bring a "credit note" from the bank showing that the money was brought into Thailand from abroad.

You also need a health certificate from a hospital (!). The small clinics are not OK any more, but San Paulo hospital has a quick and efficient service for this. You are out of the hospital in 15 minutes with the certificate in your hand.

For the retirement visa you don't need any notarized documents, such as for example a clean criminal record, from back home - that's when you apply for the non-immigrant "O-A" from your home country.

I had the "O-A" before, cost me lots of time and money to get back home, but recently got the retirement visa here in HH. It was easy. I am from Sweden but I believe the rules are the same for most western countries.

[Big Boy]

Gutte wrote:

[hogus]

The medical certificate is just saying, that you are physical and mental in a healthy condition (i.e. not an alcoholic or drug addict, and that you haven't got leprosy, TB, elephantiasis or syphilis).
But, no reason to be worry, the medical checks are very superficial.
A deep look into your eyes, pulse-, blood pressure-, weight-check-up...that was it normally.
I don't know any case yet, where an "influencing" illness affected the renewal of a retirement-visa, but I'm not holding my breath.

By the way, you don't need to show any bankbook-balance, if your pension is not less than 65,000 Baht per month, certified by your embassy.
A monthly transfer of your pension to a Thai-bank-account is also not necessary.

[sargeant]

The medical is superficial last time weight blood pressure and a quick chat with doc because blood pressure was a bit high (i told him it was due to watching fox news before i arrived at the hospital, sean hannity and oreilly make my blood boil)

ref money you have to show
1. a letter from the embassy stating your pension(make sure the figure the embassy put on it is before tax)
2. [color=red] OR[/color] if your pension is lower than the 800000 bht a year a letter from your bank showing a sum which plus your pension adds up to 800000bht
3. [color=red]OR[/color] a letter from your bank showing you have 800000 bht deposited

that is how i believe it is at this moment however i put the rider to this individual immigration personel are apt to be slightly different therefore try to stick with the same one

Richard is 100 % correct forget frank sinatra and do it their way

lastly my advice is shut up and let (if you have one) your girl do the talking
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A Greatfull Guest of Thailand