Does the Thai Consulate Savannakhet Issue NON-O (Retirement) Visas?

[Mapguy]

Does anyone know specifically from recent experience --- NOT from the consular web site and NOT hearsay --- whether or not the Thai Consulate in Savannakhet, Laos issues new NON-O (retirement visas)?  If so, and if known, what are the required documents.

[ubonjoe]

There have been several reports by people that got a single entry non-o visa in Savannakhet for retirement. Same for Penang.

It is also possible to get a multiple entry non-o visa.

 

[BritTim]

I do not have first hand knowledge but, as @ubonjoe states, there have been several credible reports that, not only single Non O (retirement), but even multiple entry are possible. Apparently, in addition to the basic financial proof of 800,000 baht in the bank or 65,000 monthly income, they also require "proof of retirement". This has been a difficult hurdle for some to satisfy.

[DrJack54]

Just now, BritTim said:

I do not have first hand knowledge but, as @ubonjoe states, there have been several credible reports that, not only single Non O (retirement), but even multiple entry are possible. Apparently, in addition to the basic financial proof of 800,000 baht in the bank or 65,000 monthly income, they also require "proof of retirement". This has been a difficult hurdle for some to satisfy.

Why would it be difficult? 

I'm thinking many ways around that.

[BritTim]

52 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Why would it be difficult? 

I'm thinking many ways around that.

It is a matter of what the consulate will accept. They typically want something attested to by your embassy which many nationalities cannot get. Some articulate souls may be able to get the consulate to accept something else, but I would not count on it.

EDIT: A further issue is that some are not really retired, but are aged over 50 with no intention of working in Thailand. In principle, this should be possible, but the requirement to prove retirement when you are not retired can be troublesome.

Edited March 3, 2020 by BritTim

[Aforek]

11 hours ago, BritTim said:

I do not have first hand knowledge but, as @ubonjoe states, there have been several credible reports that, not only single Non O (retirement), but even multiple entry are possible. Apparently, in addition to the basic financial proof of 800,000 baht in the bank or 65,000 monthly income, they also require "proof of retirement". This has been a difficult hurdle for some to satisfy.

As I told already, I got my non O retirement visa two months ago in Savannakhet; but they pay a special attention to the " proof of retirement "; I showed my embassy affidavit, where the mention" monthly pension " is written : "pension", enought for them

first time , I had not this letter, so they refused to give me the retirement visa ; luckily, I got a tourist visa because I bought a plane ticket ( in case of they refuse ) and I came back a second time ( my I.O  refused to change my tourist in non O retirement ), this time with the affidavit and it worked !

[Colabamumbai]

Yes they do. I got mine there, but they tried to get me to pay 5,000 Baht as if it were for marriage. They kept my income letter, I had to get a second one for immigration. 

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, Colabamumbai said:

Yes they do. I got mine there, but they tried to get me to pay 5,000 Baht as if it were for marriage.

That is the fee for a multiple entry non-o visa. It is the same for marriage or retirement. A single entry visa is 2000 baht for both of them.

[Tchooptip]

16 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is a matter of what the consulate will accept. They typically want something attested to by your embassy which many nationalities cannot get. Some articulate souls may be able to get the consulate to accept something else, but I would not count on it.

EDIT: A further issue is that some are not really retired, but are aged over 50 with no intention of working in Thailand. In principle, this should be possible, but the requirement to prove retirement when you are not retired can be troublesome.

Even at 75 years old?☺️

[doctormann]

On the subject of 'proof of retirement' for those of us whose Embassy no longer offer this kind of service, does anyone know if pension statements from national pension schemes (UK government) and from occupational pension providers are acceptable?

Edited March 4, 2020 by doctormann
typo

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, doctormann said:

On the subject of 'proof of retirement' for those of us whose Embassy no longer offer this kind of service, does anyone know if pension statements from national pension schemes (UK government) and from occupational pension providers are acceptable?

Yes they will accept them.

Also no need for anything from your embassy now.

[doctormann]

Thanks UJ

 

[Peter Denis]

8 hours ago, Aforek said:

As I told already, I got my non O retirement visa two months ago in Savannakhet; but they pay a special attention to the " proof of retirement "; I showed my embassy affidavit, where the mention" monthly pension " is written : "pension", enought for them

Does the Savannakhet consulate specifically require a 'pension statement'?  And if so does such pension statement have to be 'notarized' by your embassy?

For in-country applications 'proof of income' is sufficient, and that income can come from various sources, e.g. pension, dividens, even a large savings-account.  But is proof of PENSION the actual requirement at Savannakhet?

[Max69xl]

18 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is a matter of what the consulate will accept. They typically want something attested to by your embassy which many nationalities cannot get. Some articulate souls may be able to get the consulate to accept something else, but I would not count on it.

EDIT: A further issue is that some are not really retired, but are aged over 50 with no intention of working in Thailand. In principle, this should be possible, but the requirement to prove retirement when you are not retired can be troublesome.

If your not retired, you can't prove retirement. How difficult is that to understand? 

[Max69xl]

2 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Does the Savannakhet consulate specifically require a 'pension statement'?  And if so does such pension statement have to be 'notarized' by your embassy?

For in-country applications 'proof of income' is sufficient, and that income can come from various sources, e.g. pension, dividens, even a large savings-account.  But is proof of PENSION the actual requirement at Savannakhet?

Yes, Savannakhet wants proof of retirement. Check their website. It's in english. 

[Peter Denis]

4 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Yes, Savannakhet wants proof of retirement. Check their website. It's in english. 

The Savannakhet consulate website does not mention proof of retirement,

http://www.thaiembassy.org/savannakhet/th/services/9736/106949-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O"-(For-the-purpose.html

Hence my questions.

[BritTim]

6 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

19 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is a matter of what the consulate will accept. They typically want something attested to by your embassy which many nationalities cannot get. Some articulate souls may be able to get the consulate to accept something else, but I would not count on it.

EDIT: A further issue is that some are not really retired, but are aged over 50 with no intention of working in Thailand. In principle, this should be possible, but the requirement to prove retirement when you are not retired can be troublesome.

If your not retired, you can't prove retirement. How difficult is that to understand? 

Oh, I totally understand that. It is the reason why applying at other consulates is often a better option. In principle, the Non O (over age 50) is available to people who have no intention of working in Thailand, but the "proof of retirement" means some cannot qualify for the visa in Savannakhet.

[transam]

5 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

If your not retired, you can't prove retirement. How difficult is that to understand? 

If you have been self-employed, have a few quid, want to stop work but not at a recognised retirement age, how do you prove it....? 

[Max69xl]

25 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

The Savannakhet consulate website does not mention proof of retirement,

http://www.thaiembassy.org/savannakhet/th/services/9736/106949-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O"-(For-the-purpose.html

Hence my questions.

Yes they do under 5.

This is the translation:

"Certificate of retirement from the embassy of that person with that nationality."

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, transam said:

If you have been self-employed, have a few quid, want to stop work but not at a recognised retirement age, how do you prove it....? 

For Thailand it would be retired at 50.

If a person's embassy was willing to witness it you could do a statement that you are retired.

Or a statement from a retirement savings plan.

 

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

Yes they do under 5.

This is the translation:

"Certificate of retirement from the embassy of that person with that nationality."

Note that when making an application at a Thai-consulate, you may be able to use your-nation's embassy located in the country where you are applying, if the one in Thailand won't provide the document you need. 

[Aforek]

4 hours ago, Max69xl said:

Yes they do under 5.

This is the translation:

"Certificate of retirement from the embassy of that person with that nationality."

Under 5, I read " Official letter from the concerned Embassy/Consulate of applicant's nationality"

my embassy doesn't make a certificate of retirement, they are not allowed to do it 

they just write; " Mr or Mrs, Miss… declare to have a monthly pension of … " 

Thai consulate trusts what embassy says, that's all ( as for me, I don't lie , I am really retired , but of course my embassy has checked already that I am retired on the computer when they wrote the affidavit in Bangkok ) 

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Aforek said:

Under 5, I read " Official letter from the concerned Embassy/Consulate of applicant's nationality"

my embassy doesn't make a certificate of retirement, they are not allowed to do it 

they just write; " Mr or Mrs, Miss… declare to have a monthly pension of … " 

Thai consulate trusts what embassy says, that's all ( as for me, I don't lie , I am really retired , but of course my embassy has checked already that I am retired on the computer when they wrote the affidavit in Bangkok ) 

Say what. Check what on what computer that states your retired. Many folk work for themselves. They stop work when they wish. Not everyone puts hand up for some sort of pension. 

[Aforek]

You are right; when I registered at  my embassy, I suppose ( don't remember, nine years ago  ) that I told I am retired ; I could have lied

anyway, Thai consulate believes the embassy, gives the visa O and after all, that's  what interests us, isnt'it ? 

until 2014 about , my embassy asked to see a  pension certificate to write a "revenu " certificate; then it was a proof;  then they decide to imitate the US embassy which didn't ask anything 

before, the revenue certificate, real and true was free, now we have to pay 1000 bahts for just a declaration on honour 

[Max69xl]

11 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Note that when making an application at a Thai-consulate, you may be able to use your-nation's embassy located in the country where you are applying, if the one in Thailand won't provide the document you need. 

So, if going to the consulate in Savannakhet, you first have a stop-over in Vientiane? Really? 

[JackThompson]

1 minute ago, Max69xl said:

So, if going to the consulate in Savannakhet, you first have a stop-over in Vientiane? Really? 

Only if your embassy in Vientiane will provide something your embassy in Bangkok won't.  Similar with Kuala Lumpur.  Some docs are provided by US Embassies in one country, but not in another - not sure about other countries.

[Max69xl]

5 hours ago, Aforek said:

You are right; when I registered at  my embassy, I suppose ( don't remember, nine years ago  ) that I told I am retired ; I could have lied

anyway, Thai consulate believes the embassy, gives the visa O and after all, that's  what interests us, isnt'it ? 

until 2014 about , my embassy asked to see a  pension certificate to write a "revenu " certificate; then it was a proof;  then they decide to imitate the US embassy which didn't ask anything 

before, the revenue certificate, real and true was free, now we have to pay 1000 bahts for just a declaration on honour 

And you're paying for a bogus certificate. That's imo the wrong way to go. If I want an income letter from the embassy/consulate I get the real thing. I get stamped and signed certificates from my pension providers (4 of them) sent to me free of charge. With those 4 documents I get a stamped and signed income letter (showing the correct pension) from the embassy/consulate. Cost: ฿300 and I have to wait maybe 20 min = that's a cup of coffee next door.

[Max69xl]

15 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Only if your embassy in Vientiane will provide something your embassy in Bangkok won't.  Similar with Kuala Lumpur.  Some docs are provided by US Embassies in one country, but not in another - not sure about other countries.

And why would an embassy in Vientiane issue something they don't issue in BKK? That's not normal procedure. But I guess US embassasies like to issue bogus statements. 

[Aforek]

18 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

And you're paying for a bogus certificate. That's imo the wrong way to go. If I want an income letter from the embassy/consulate I get the real thing. I get stamped and signed certificates from my pension providers (4 of them) sent to me free of charge. With those 4 documents I get a stamped and signed income letter (showing the correct pension) from the embassy/consulate. Cost: ฿300 and I have to wait maybe 20 min = that's a cup of coffee next door.

Good for you ! Which country are you ? for me ( France ), it's not easy to have a stamped and signed pension certificate ( I got one after 2 months, too late ) and my embassy has no right to do it ; as I told you, they did it some years ago but not now anymore, it's not their job and they have not permission to do it ( only pension providers can do it , but Thai Consulate wants a document from embassy ) , they don't look at the pension certificate, they write what I declare ( right or wrong ) 

why do you think US, GB and Australian embassies don't write affidavits anymore ? I would even say that the French affidavit is nothing but legal, and Thai consulate accept it 

[Max69xl]

25 minutes ago, Aforek said:

Good for you ! Which country are you ? for me ( France ), it's not easy to have a stamped and signed pension certificate ( I got one after 2 months, too late ) and my embassy has no right to do it ; as I told you, they did it some years ago but not now anymore, it's not their job and they have not permission to do it ( only pension providers can do it , but Thai Consulate wants a document from embassy ) , they don't look at the pension certificate, they write what I declare ( right or wrong ) 

why do you think US, GB and Australian embassies don't write affidavits anymore ? I would even say that the French affidavit is nothing but legal, and Thai consulate accept it 

Several countries in the EU provides certified income letters from pension providers. 

The US,UK and Australian embassy stopped issuing income letters January 1 2019. This is old news. How can you have missed that?