UK Farangs Receiving a Capped State Pension

[theoldgit]

10 hours ago, Chris.B said:

No Doctor on the list but there is "licensee of public house". Just look for your nearest bar. ???? 

 

I think that the list is the same as they use to countersign passport photos, and doctors cannot do that unless they actually know you personally.

 

I vaguely recall doctors being overwhelmed with passport apps many years ago, and argued that their time would be better used treating patients. 

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

I think that the list is the same as they use to countersign passport photos, and doctors cannot do that unless they actually know you personally.

 

I vaguely recall doctors being overwhelmed with passport apps many years ago, and argued that their time would be better used treating patients. 

 

To confirm....

 

Dear Sir ,

 

The countersignatory must:

• be a professional person (including those who are retired) for example, bank or building society officials, police officers, civil servants, ministers of religion and people with professional qualifications like teachers, accountants, engineers and solicitors.

 

You can find more information at

www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

 

 

 

Best wishes,

HMPO Bangkok Officer

[treetops]

3 hours ago, izod10 said:

Oh! dear   fell out of a tree perhaps,,bit of a put down a while ago got you all stirred up    put it in the past  lol

Meow!!!

For someone with "not much more to add" you keep trying.  Seems like you meant nothing sensible to add, but I think we all could have guessed that from your previous strange contributions.  Never mind, you probably can't help your memory playing tricks on you.

[Kwasaki]

10 hours ago, Chris.B said:

No, can't see the statement there either? ????

Ring IPC up and ask them if you have important question.

 

From what I gather and read you want know how not get your pension frozen in Thailand.

 

Some statement made and read on threads can be misleading and taken out of context and can also lead to a person to do something illegal.

 

I believe if I lived in England for a certain amount of time I could get annual rises on my uk pension paid into my UK bank. 

 

My situation is my uk pension is paid into my Thai bank because I live in Thailand.

If went back to UK for say 2 months I will get a raise on my uk pension while I'm there, it will be frozen on my return to Thailand.

 

If you decide to have your uk pension paid into a Thai bank you can only change it annually.

 

So you should be able to see from above how some people can commit fraud, if you get caught out though the cost could be great especially for someone in my situation.

 

  

 

 

[Kwasaki]

59 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

I think that the list is the same as they use to countersign passport photos, and doctors cannot do that unless they actually know you personally.

 

I vaguely recall doctors being overwhelmed with passport apps many years ago, and argued that their time would be better used treating patients. 

A doctor can sign a life form a teacher can sign to, anyone living in Thailand can sign if they are or have been classed as a professional person.

I've signed two life forms for people as other members here can too because I am qualified to do so, you don't have to know them personally you are just witnessing there ID and that they are breathing on the day date you signed. ????

Yourself being an ex civil servant in the UK could sign life forms to.  

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Yourself being an ex civil servant in the UK could sign life forms to.  

I have signed a number, and another retired UK Civil Servant signs mine.

In fact I have stall outside the British Embassy twice a week at this time of year, no fee but I have a tip box that I borrowed from 7/11. 

[theoldgit]

2 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

A doctor can sign a life form a teacher can sign to, anyone living in Thailand can sign if they are or have been classed as a professional person.

You would have thought so wouldn’t you, however the advice on the Gov.uk specifically says otherwise.

Their website says the list is the same as those who can countersign a passport photo, then goes onto say:

[theoldgit]

For clarity

 

 

[hotandsticky]

Just to complete the above for one source of reference:-

 

Accepted occupations for countersignatories

Your countersignatory must either:

• work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession
• be ‘a person of good standing in their community’

Recognised professions

Examples of recognised professions include:

• accountant
• airline pilot
• articled clerk of a limited company
• assurance agent of recognised company
• bank or building society official
• barrister
• chairman or director of a limited company
• chiropodist
• commissioner for oaths
• councillor, for example local or county
• civil servant (permanent)
• dentist
• director, manager or personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
• engineer with professional qualifications
• financial services intermediary, for example a stockbroker or insurance broker
• fire service official
• funeral director
• insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
• journalist
• Justice of the Peace
• legal secretary (fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs)
• licensee of a public house
• local government officer
• manager or personnel officer of a limited company
• member, associate or fellow of a professional body
• Member of Parliament
• Merchant Navy officer
• minister of a recognised religion (including Christian Science)
• nurse (RGN or RMN)
• officer of the armed services
• optician
• paralegal (certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals)
• person with honours, for example an OBE or MBE
• pharmacist
• photographer (professional)
• police officer
• Post Office official
• president or secretary of a recognised organisation
• Salvation Army officer
• social worker
• solicitor
• surveyor
• teacher or lecturer
• trade union officer
• travel agent (qualified)
• valuer or auctioneer (fellow or associate members of the incorporated society)
• Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers

Professions that are not accepted

Your countersignatory cannot:

• work for HM Passport Office
• be a doctor, unless they state that they know you well (for example they’re a good friend) and that they recognise you easily from your photo

You’ll be asked to find someone else if your countersignatory does not meet the requirements.

It’s a criminal offence to make a false declaration on a passport application.

If you’re not sure who to ask to be your countersignatory

Call the Passport Adviceline.

[polpott]

4 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Just to complete the above for one source of reference:

Can you use someone who is related to you?

[khastan]

Took my life certificate to Bangkok Bank yesterday and they refused point blank to witness and said not the banks policy. I have had an account with them for 13 years but that made no difference. Anybody know anywhere I can get this dammed thing witnessed in Nong Khai please?

[polpott]

1 minute ago, khastan said:

Took my life certificate to Bangkok Bank yesterday and they refused point blank to witness and said not the banks policy. I have had an account with them for 13 years but that made no difference. Anybody know anywhere I can get this dammed thing witnessed in Nong Khai please?

Doctor?

[Chris.B]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

From what I gather and read you want know how not get your pension frozen in Thailand.

 

 

  

 

 

Where did you read that? ????

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, theoldgit said:

I have signed a number, and another retired UK Civil Servant signs mine.

In fact I have stall outside the British Embassy twice a week at this time of year, no fee but I have a tip box that I borrowed from 7/11. 

Much respect, being retired I would not do that kind of help too busy at home. Regards K. 

Edited September 9, 2020 by Kwasaki

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Chris.B said:

Where did you read that? ????

It is what I assumed you wanted to know, so forget it.  

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, polpott said:

Can you use someone who is related to you?

No depends if they knew or could find out, it's not a problem just a experience to get over once you find someone then no worries. 

[simon43]

On 9/8/2020 at 8:47 AM, Kwasaki said:

Try the IPC they will the dept that deals with your pension when you get it.

https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre

Yes, I've already done that by telephone, (because postal replies from them never reached me).  But it's HMRC who decide if my top-ups for each missed year of NI are class 2 or class 3.  So I have to deal with HMRC, and none of their letters sent to me have ever arrived!  The IPC kindly told me in a phone call the contents of the HMRC letter to me.....  Now I have to provide details of my past employment/self-employment outside the UK from 2006 to the present day.  Again, any reply from HMRC will probably never arrive - I'll send my letter by DHL, wait for a month, and then telephone them...

[polpott]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

No depends if they knew or could find out, it's not a problem just a experience to get over once you find someone then no worries. 

Son in Law is a doctor. Probably need to do my first POL next summer.

[Kwasaki]

16 minutes ago, polpott said:

Son in Law is a doctor. Probably need to do my first POL next summer.

Well if you need someone to sign there are plenty of people about to be found who will do it.  

There's many who will help and sign life forms in Sukhothai me included. 

[khastan]

How about Nong Khai please

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, khastan said:

How about Nong Khai please

Ask in Chang Rai forum maybe someone in that area can help. 

[elfpattaya]

18 hours ago, khastan said:

How about Nong Khai please

Telephone the number on the form +44 191 21 87777. Listen to all the information about covid, ignore all the rubbish about not accepting queries, wait for the options. Option 1 is Life Certificate, tell them your problems, speak nicely and they may let you do it over the phone. Expect a lot of questions, so have the info ready at hand.

They asked me questions about my marriage, date etc..

[Pumpuynarak]

47 minutes ago, elfpattaya said:

Telephone the number on the form +44 191 21 87777. Listen to all the information about covid, ignore all the rubbish about not accepting queries, wait for the options. Option 1 is Life Certificate, tell them your problems, speak nicely and they may let you do it over the phone. Expect a lot of questions, so have the info ready at hand.

They asked me questions about my marriage, date etc..

They will ask you......

* Your full name

* Your DOB

* Your Bank where you have your pension deposited

* Your Bank account number

* If married, you date of marriage

 

Well thats what they asked me yesterday, hope its of help to anyone.

[OJAS]

22 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Well if you need someone to sign there are plenty of people about to be found who will do it.  

There's many who will help and sign life forms in Sukhothai me included. 

Assuming that son-in-law's surname is different to @polpott's he should be OK with him witnessing, I think. I distinctly recall a recent report on one of the several current ongoing life cert threads of someone who got his brother-in-law, who is a cop, to perform the honours, and DWP didn't bat an eyelid!

[OJAS]

58 minutes ago, elfpattaya said:

Telephone the number on the form +44 191 21 87777. Listen to all the information about covid, ignore all the rubbish about not accepting queries, wait for the options. Option 1 is Life Certificate, tell them your problems, speak nicely and they may let you do it over the phone. Expect a lot of questions, so have the info ready at hand.

They asked me questions about my marriage, date etc..

 

7 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

They will ask you......

* Your full name

* Your DOB

* Your Bank where you have your pension deposited

* Your Bank account number

* If married, you date of marriage

 

Well thats what they asked me yesterday, hope its of help to anyone.

I also went through this telephone routine to "clear" (in the IPC vernacular) my latest life cert. However, IPC also made it clear to me that a suitably-witnessed certificate in paper form was still required "for the record" (again their vernacular). So it looks like that particular phone call was a complete waste of my time.

[Orton Rd]

On 9/8/2020 at 8:48 AM, PaDavid said:

My first one (the one I never received) was supposedly sent about a year after I moved here. Since then I’ve had 2 more at 2 yearly intervals - though I have heard some people receive them annually. As I got married last year in Bangkok (necessitating a visit to the Embassy) presumably that was sufficient evidence I was alive. 
 

If you haven’t received a Life Certificate, I can suggest only 2 reasons:

1. You haven’t notified DWP of your move to Thailand

2. They are receiving proof of life through some other channel. 

If getting local authority pension you get a certificate every year to fill in, so that might register with the state one?

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

Assuming that son-in-law's surname is different to @polpott's he should be OK with him witnessing, I think. I distinctly recall a recent report on one of the several current ongoing life cert threads of someone who got his brother-in-law, who is a cop, to perform the honours, and DWP didn't bat an eyelid!

I'm surprised this thread has gone on for so long,  it's no big deal getting a life form signed. 

Just a first time thing for a UK pensioner and other countries do the same. 

The UK IPC are not that bothered about life form being signed by who ever I guess the only problem is if the person that signed it didn't answer there call but again have they ever bothered to call. 

That said none of my witnesses have been contacted as long as they get the form back from you they seem not to give a hoot who signs it in my experience so far. 

[Chris.B]

On 9/9/2020 at 4:00 PM, Kwasaki said:

It is what I assumed you wanted to know, so forget it.  

So you didn't read it you just assumed it! You seem to get a lot wrong. ☹️

[elfpattaya]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

also went through this telephone routine to "clear" (in the IPC vernacular) my latest life cert. However, IPC also made it clear to me that a suitably-witnessed certificate in paper form was still required "for the record" (again their vernacular). So it looks like that particular phone call was a complete waste of my time.

I have just telephoned them again, after reading your post. Option 1 was not working so had to use option 4. They checked everything, confirmed to me that all was OK, and told me there was no need to send in A SUITABLY WITNESSED CERTIFICATE IN PAPER FORM.

Now that second phone call was a complete waste of time and money.

[Kwasaki]

12 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

So you didn't read it you just assumed it! You seem to get a lot wrong. ☹️

Oh! go away.