Multi Non-imm O

[Briggsy]

I will be 50 later this year and will reshuffle my visa approach accordingly.

 

I would like to know if it is possible to obtain a multi-entry non-imm O based on being 50 years old with 800,000 Baht or equivalent in an account in the UK. This visa cannot be obtained in the UK until the applicant is in receipt of a state pension, although the non-imm O-A is an alternative.

 

Perhaps Penang or Savannakhet might issue such a visa. I don't mind travelling further afield.

 

Could anyone advise.

Thanks.

[BritTim]

Look at the requirements for a Non O-A visa in the UK. This (unlike the Non O) is available at age 50, but has additional requirements.

[ubonjoe]

Penang will issue a multiple entry non-o visa for being 50 or over for retirement. You will need 800k baht in the bank and proof of retirement. There have been a few reports of Savannakhet issue one and they have the same requirements.

Getting the OA visa would be a good choice since it allows one year entries and can allow a total stay of almost 2 years by getting a new entry just before it expires. See: http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html#7

[Bday Prang]

 I'm now a little confused regarding the availability of this visa for "pensioners". I have just looked on the London Thai embassy website,  in the section for "types of visas" for non -o visas for pensioners it refers to "State pension holders" only, but under the detailed requirements for non-o visas the following requirement is stated. 

• For pensioner (aged 50 or over) : A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner, or a copy of 1-month bank statement showing your income from pension, or 3-month bank statement of at least £10,000 

 

As far as I know ,to receive a state pension one would need to be at least 65 (67 in my case) so the above implies ( to me) that if over 50 year old ,with 3 months bank statements showing £10,0000 one could indeed be granted a multiple non o based on being a pensioner.

Am I missing something????

[Bday Prang]

Further to my previous post,  I haven't looked at that website for some time but if I remember correctly,it used to state that the visa was only available for state pension holders only, with no mention of the £10,000 in the bank for 3months, so this could be a recent amendment.

It kind of makes sense as the metv is valid for 6 months and requires £5000 in the bank albeit with 6 months bank statement's

 

[ubonjoe]

55 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

As far as I know ,to receive a state pension one would need to be at least 65 (67 in my case) so the above implies ( to me) that if over 50 year old ,with 3 months bank statements showing £10,0000 one could indeed be granted a multiple non o based on being a pensioner.

I can assure you that they will not issue one unless old enough to draw a state pension.

You need to note it is or the 10k pound number which means a person of pension age could use it instead of pension income.

 

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

I can assure you that they will not issue one unless old enough to draw a state pension.

You need to note it is or the 10k pound number which means a person of pension age could use it instead of pension income.

 

Thanks for clarifying that. You have probably saved me from wasting £150 in non returnable visa fees. The way it is worded on the London embassy''s Website is, in my opinion, somewhat misleading and more than a little ambiguous. Surely this could not be intentional ????

[ubonjoe]

26 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

Thanks for clarifying that. You have probably saved me from wasting £150 in non returnable visa fees.

They return the 150 pound money order if they do not accept you application. In person you do not pay until it is accepted.

 

26 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

Surely this could not be intentional ????

No it is not.

[Briggsy]

Thank you for your reply. I know about the Non-Imm O-A and have been following other threads closely about it and the way it is issued by the London Embassy.

 

I had hoped to keep this thread focused and tight to the subject of the way UK citizens can approach this in an alternative manner by gaining a multi-entry non-imm O by

a) being 50 or over and

b) having £20,000 or more in a UK bank account.

 

Whilst the former gives effectively 2 years compared to the latter's 15 months. The former does involve a not inconsiderable document chase and now at least one trip to London. For a Northern lad like myself, that can be a logistical pain.

[scubascuba3]

Thanks for clarifying that. You have probably saved me from wasting £150 in non returnable visa fees. The way it is worded on the London embassy''s Website is, in my opinion, somewhat misleading and more than a little ambiguous. Surely this could not be intentional ????

I'd phone them to ask to be sure

[Briggsy]

What do Penang / Savannakhet require as "proof of retirement" for a multi-entry non-imm O?

 

How long does Penang / Savannakhet require the £20,000 to be in the UK bank?

 

Where can I find this information? Both their websites seem a little scant and out of date.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Whilst the former gives effectively 2 years compared to the latter's 15 months.

The OA is being allowed to stay in the country for a year at a time without leaving and the other is 90 days.

[Briggsy]

Just now, ubonjoe said:

The OA is being allowed to stay in the country for a year at a time without leaving and the other is 90 days.

Yes, thanks. I knew that. I leave Thailand often so, for me, that is not a disadvantage of the O over the O-A.

 

Can you shed any further light on my non-imm O questions in post #11?

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

What do Penang / Savannakhet require as "proof of retirement" for a multi-entry non-imm O?

 

How long does Penang / Savannakhet require the £20,000 to be in the UK bank?

If you were getting a pension proof of it would be accepted. If you could do a statement your are retired at your embassy it would be accepted. 

There is no requirement for the money to be in the bank for any amount of time. 

[Mike Teavee]

When I got my 1 year Non-O ME (> 50) in Penang I showed evidence of > 800,000 THB in a Thai Bank Account (I believe they will accept equivalent in other country's banks), no seeding requirements (Mine had been > 800,000 for only a few days) + a Letter of Income (I'm still working) from the British Embassy.

 

Obviously you can't get the LoI in Thailand anymore but you could get it from somewhere like KL 

 

If you are getting it from Penang, I recommend Banana Visa on Chulia Street & the Chulia Mansions hotel

[Briggsy]

I found on the Savannakhet website in Thai a list of documents for what appears to be the Non-Imm O for being 50 or over.

 

The extra documents include :-

A document from one’s embassy certifying retirement

Documentation certifying financial status

Copy of house registration where you will live.

Copy of ID card of someone where you will live.

 

The first one (from the British Embassy) could be troublesome. Seems to be an affidavit essentially. Will the Embassy play along and if so, how much filthy lucre will they demand?

[OtinPattaya]

4 hours ago, Briggsy said:

I found on the Savannakhet website in Thai a list of documents for what appears to be the Non-Imm O for being 50 or over.

 

The extra documents include :-

A document from one’s embassy certifying retirement

 

Documentation certifying financial status

 

Copy of house registration where you will live.

 

Copy of ID card of someone where you will live.

 

 

The first one (from the British Embassy) could be troublesome. Seems to be an affidavit essentially. Will the Embassy play along and if so, how much filthy lucre will they demand?

This is the same visa I intend to get from Savannaket (the non-0 based on retirement). This document from the embassy certifying retirement is baffling. I thought all I had to do was show a Thai bank book showing the 800,000 (which I would have already seasoned for 2 months). Also, what is the document certifying financial status if not the bank book? If you have the bank book showing 800,000 in a Thai bank why would they need any further documentation showing financial status or retirement status?  

[scubascuba3]

This is the same visa I intend to get from Savannaket (the non-0 based on retirement). This document from the embassy certifying retirement is baffling. I thought all I had to do was show a Thai bank book showing the 800,000 (which I would have already seasoned for 2 months). Also, what is the document certifying financial status if not the bank book? If you have the bank book showing 800,000 in a Thai bank why would they need any further documentation showing financial status or retirement status?  

I think they just mean bank book / bank letter.

The retirement cert is a daft requirement, I need the same being 50 when I apply

[OtinPattaya]

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I think they just mean bank book / bank letter.

The retirement cert is a daft requirement, I need the same being 50 when I apply

What's the nature of this retirement cert? First time I've heard of it. Okay, so bank book/bank letter should satisfy the financial requirement. But I'm not clear at all what this retirement cert is all about. 

[OtinPattaya]

According to Ubonjoe in a 2017 post, they will accept an "income letter" for the retirement cert. Still, not sure what this income letter would be or how to obtain it. 

[scubascuba3]

What's the nature of this retirement cert? First time I've heard of it. Okay, so bank book/bank letter should satisfy the financial requirement. But I'm not clear at all what this retirement cert is all about. 

From a post a couple weeks ago when I asked, it's a letter from the Embassy in Bangkok saying you are retired based on you telling them you are retired. Daft, but we have to jump through these hoops

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, Briggsy said:

I found on the Savannakhet website in Thai a list of documents for what appears to be the Non-Imm O for being 50 or over.

 

The extra documents include :-

A document from one’s embassy certifying retirement

 

Documentation certifying financial status

 

Copy of house registration where you will live.

 

Copy of ID card of someone where you will live.

 

 

The first one (from the British Embassy) could be troublesome. Seems to be an affidavit essentially. Will the Embassy play along and if so, how much filthy lucre will they demand?

The house registration and ID card is for Laotians to apply for the visa.

You would have to ask the UK embassy if they would affirm a  statutory declaration that you are retired. 

At one time before they stopped issuing them a proof of income letter was accepted showing any amount of income.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, OtinPattaya said:

According to Ubonjoe in a 2017 post, they will accept an "income letter" for the retirement cert. Still, not sure what this income letter would be or how to obtain it. 

The income letter would depend upon your nationality. Most embassies still issue some kind of income proof to apply for extensions.

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

3 hours ago, OtinPattaya said:

What's the nature of this retirement cert? First time I've heard of it. Okay, so bank book/bank letter should satisfy the financial requirement. But I'm not clear at all what this retirement cert is all about. 

From a post a couple weeks ago when I asked, it's a letter from the Embassy in Bangkok saying you are retired based on you telling them you are retired. Daft, but we have to jump through these hoops

Interesting, do you know if you can apply for this via email?

 

 

Thx

 

 

MTV

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Interesting, do you know if you can apply for this via email?

I doubt that very much since it would probably have to be done as a signed sworn statement witnessed by a consular officer.

[Briggsy]

Please stay on topic. This thread is about obtaining a non-imm O from a foreign consulate using foreign funds, not funds in Thailand.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts reported and removed.

 

[Briggsy]

Looking at the British Embassy website, under "Services we cannot provide" we get this :-

 

"any form of affirmation, affidavit or statutory declaration to confirm identity, family relationships or marital status (unless it is to marry in Thailand, please see above for Affirmation of Marital Status)"

 

And that is about as close as the UK government site gets to mentioning 'A document from one’s embassy certifying retirement' and they say they cannot provide it.

 

So, I suppose the next step is to contact the Savannakhet Consulate and see if they can provide any clarity over what they might accept. Another avenue might be to contact one of the Penang visa agents to ask the same question of them. They are more likely to reply!