O-A. Obtaining pension visa from London Thai embassy

[Howiehotspur]

I'm in the process of getting all the documentation together to go to the Thai Embassy in London with the upshot of obtaining the O-A visa ..

I have my medical record check with my Doctor in the morning , it's costing £80 , so I assume the certificate will be official of some description .

I have send away for my crimial record check and week or so ago through ACRO , £54 , so again I assume it's going to be an official document ( it's also refers to this on the Thai embassy web site ) to use ACRO .

Bank statements of savings etc , I can I assume download / request from bank ... So far so good .

Then I notice and the end it says on the ' documents required ' page on the embassy site

All documents must be certified by a Notary Public officer ....

And gives an example of company that can be used ... Anyway I called a local one advertised in my area , but they said to me , sure they can help with the verification of bank statements , but the crimial record check is already going to be an official doc , and if we were to do the health record , we would need your doctors passport etc . Now that highly unlikely , and anyway surely that would be official already ? ...I'm only being fair he says not to waste your time or money .. And that's from the Notary guy !

So advice required , do I just go with what I've got to the embassy ( assuming I get the three docs I need ) and just ignore the ' Notary ' part , ... Has anybody on here done it through the London embassy ?

What did you do ? And if you went though the Notary part who did you use

Please advise

Thanks

[Howiehotspur]

Ps ... This was the Email I received from the solicitor I asked

Ref notary

I can help - but only, I fear, to an extent. I am sorry for the essay below, but the process is not quite as straight forward as they tend to suggest when they say that they want notarised copies

In the first instance documents for Thailand in addition to notarising usually need legalisation by both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Thai embassy. The FCO "bit" is an Apostille of the Hague convention and creates its own issues.

A Criminal records check is I believe an official government document. The FCO should therefore apply an Apostille to that without it being notarised first. However, it will have to be the original - they will not accept a photocopy.

Also, I can only provide a notarial certificate in respect of matters that are within my own knowledge. The first difficulty then is that if the Thai authorities require a notarised copy of your Doctor's letter, the only way to do that is for a notary to identify the doctor by means of a passport and certify that it is that doctor's true and proper signature. So the notary would have to see that doctor sign that letter. My first query of the Thai authorities therefore would be do they really need that notarised ? If they do - your doctor might have a favourite notary who could deal with that document rather than me. If not, I fear that either I need to travel and see him, or he needs to come and see me. Neither is perfect I know.

Bank statements I can probably certify as true copies (so there is some good news)

Subject to my having to travel and see your doctor, the normal cost is £60 + VAT for one document and then £5.00 (again + VAT) for each other document up to a maximum of 6. If you have any more than that, including certified copies of passports can you just let me know as it can become a bit of a marathon? I am also able to arrange for you the certification process at the (FCO) for the Apostille (s), and at the Thai embassy, but that will involve their fees as well as fees for the agent who takes the documents to them. Unfortunately the legalisation adds significantly to the cost.

I would need to charge a further £20 +VAT in total to organise the legalisation at FCO and embassy. The FCO charge per document would be £30. The embassy charges (I believe) £20 per document as well Our agent charges £21.50 + VAT per document to take it up to the FCO then to the Embassy and collect it again. (or £9.00 + VAT if just for the Apostille. It can take a while for the embassy to deal with it.

So in summary, as an example

For notarising 4 documents £75+ VAT (£90.00)

If required, in addition to legalise x 4 £20+VAT (£24.00 Admin fee in total)

Agent to deliver and collect x 4 £86 +VAT (£103.20)

FCO £120 (£120)

Thailand £80 (£80)

£417.20

That will vary according to how many documents there are in total and whether the CRB check only needs legalising and not notarising first.

All fees would need to be paid at the time of your appointment.

I will need to see passports and a copy utility bill or bank statement not more than three months old for anybody signing the document.

I look forward to hearing from you and if you have any queries, just let me know.

Graham Penn

Notary Public

stevensdrake Solicitors

[Koratdave]

I am British and arrived in Thailand on a tourist visa last year. Then converted to Non-Immigrant Type O and then converted to a yearly extension of stay based on retirement .

There are details on this site and others of how to do this. It is a simple process though time consuming.

Granted you need money in a Thai bank account but i had no problem opening one of these.


Much cheaper and easier than applying in the UK. I will stand corrected but the total cost including tourist visa would be around 100 uk pounds.


Check this link

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774412-how-to-convert-tourist-visa-to-non-imm-retirement-extension-of-stay-in-pattaya/

[Expattaff1308]

You must have them all certified by a Notary Public

[sappersrest]

My wife and I came over last year on an O-A visa issued by the Thai embassy in London ,all our documents were notarised, had them all done the same day at a solicitors in Bedford, took 2 hours.

Did you use the doctors certificate issued by the embassy for your doctor to sign?

Hope this is some help god luck.

[Expattaff1308]

Here's the medical certificate, I used this and the went thro it with my Doctor.

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/forms/medicalcertificate.pdf

[Howiehotspur]

Here's the medical certificate, I used this and the went thro it with my Doctor.

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/forms/medicalcertificate.pdf

hi , yeah I'll be using that one , the same , but the solicitor I spoke to ( refer to 2nd post on here ) said that he would it would seem need to talk to the doctor and get His passport details etc .. Unless I'm reading that wrong , I have no problem I hope getting the documents together , but I sort if understand where he is coming from , I mean this medial ' form ' doesn't look that official , and I guess he would say " how can you confirm this was done by who says it was unless he ( solicitor ) was whiteness or had information on the said GP ? .. ( do you address or contact of the guy you used ? ) thanks .

[Howiehotspur]

I'm more and more leaning towards , just getting a 3 month tourist visa , going to an agent in pattaya and asking them to sort out everything , surely they will A) assist me in opening a bank account , B ) travel to Bkk , take me in person to the correct place/people .. I think they will also assist if I have to leave country etc to Laos ? ...

All for about 20k bht ? ...

Hassle free ?

( because one of the forms here in the uk asks for flight details , which I thought was odd considering I'd rather get the visa first before booking flight , I have already booked a flight 5th March .. To 27th May . ) ... I could do this the first week I'm there to get things moving straight away in pattaya ?

[ubonjoe]

I suggest you contact one of the consulates about getting a single entry non-o visa. Birmingham has been reported as being helpful. You would have to get it person but they do it while you wait.

If you have the non-o visa you could apply for the extension at Jomtien immigration without having to go to Bangkok twice for a visa. Having the non-o would also make it easier to open a bank account.

You don't need an agent you can do everything yourself.

[swoods58]

OK I think you have this all wrong. The notary is just certifying the copies and the binding of the 3 sets. I got mine done in Sydney but it's the same documents. The notary just punches a hole in the corner, binds with ribbon and the seals on the back of the last page to all three sets. Then certifies the 2 copy sets. That's it. Get him to copy the 2 copy sets as that way he is sure they are true copies. He's only certifying they are true copies not the document content.

[Howiehotspur]

I suggest you contact one of the consulates about getting a single entry non-o visa. Birmingham has been reported as being helpful. You would have to get it person but they do it while you wait.

If you have the non-o visa you could apply for the extension at Jomtien immigration without having to go to Bangkok twice for a visa. Having the non-o would also make it easier to open a bank account.

You don't need an agent you can do everything yourself.

looking at the application forms you can only apply from London embassy now ..

So I just go and get or even post request them for a 3 month mutli ? .. And attempt to change that to a pension when I arrive via an agent .

Sorry this is all very confusing for me , I have the finances , but this visa .. Mutli this , single entry that , for my simple brain , is mind numbing .

I tried to add a copy of the application form from my I pad but can't ..

[ubonjoe]

Only a multiple entry visa has to be approved in London.

You can get a single entry non-o for being 50 or over at the consulates only. You have to do the application in person because they can no longer accept mail in applications.

[Lite Beer]

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

[Koratdave]

Dont waste your money on getting an agent to sort it .


Visit a bank in Thailand and tell them you going to deposit 800k or more in THB you wont find it hard to open an account. Just keep trying.

Then it is a matter of getting all your paperwork together and spending a few hours at immigration.

[Rinrada]

Only a multiple entry visa has to be approved in London.

You can get a single entry non-o for being 50 or over at the consulates only. You have to do the application in person because they can no longer accept mail in applications.

Non Immi "O" Multi Entry Visa from those very nice people at the Thai Embassy in London.....cost 125 Quid and no dosh needed in any Bank.

10 Minutes application and picked up next day...that's it..

Off to Hong Kong for a joli in next couple of weeks...

[ubonjoe]

Non Immi "O" Multi Entry Visa from those very nice people at the Thai Embassy in London.....cost 125 Quid and no dosh needed in any Bank.

10 Minutes application and picked up next day...that's it..

Off to Hong Kong for a joli in next couple of weeks...

On what basis did you get it?

Not for being 50 or over. Perhaps married to a Thai. Or possibly 65 or over with a old age pension,

[Nbarch]

I obtained my 1 year retirement visa from the Thai embassy in London last month and if you follow the instructions and have all those bits of paper it is all straightforward.

I was also not quite sure about the Notary bit but used a local one recommended by my solicitor.

A Notary is not a solicitor and it is a separate part of the law process (appointed by the church). He guarantees, to an embassy for example, that the documents submitted are valid and genuine, his services are a bit over the top for a visa application but that is what is required.

I gave him my paperwork; he bound it up with pretty red tape and sealing wax and made me swear an oath, (in front of a witness), that it was all genuine, then charged me 100quid.

[Howiehotspur]

I obtained my 1 year retirement visa from the Thai embassy in London last month and if you follow the instructions and have all those bits of paper it is all straightforward.

I was also not quite sure about the Notary bit but used a local one recommended by my solicitor.

A Notary is not a solicitor and it is a separate part of the law process (appointed by the church). He guarantees, to an embassy for example, that the documents submitted are valid and genuine, his services are a bit over the top for a visa application but that is what is required.

I gave him my paperwork; he bound it up with pretty red tape and sealing wax and made me swear an oath, (in front of a witness), that it was all genuine, then charged me 100quid.

hi NBarch , thanks for the update , yes I re emailed the Notary guy this morning hoping that he was looking at this as a little bit over the top , I guess from he's point of view , the health form , could be signed by anyone so he was saying . But as you say I think ( and you can confirm this ) , I just give him personally the 3 documents ( health form supplied by Embassy filled out by doctor , ACPO cert from police records , and bank statements showing I have enough funds ) .. Ask him to bundle up and seal it etc as you just stated ?

Btw .. Can you just explain to me how it went , at the embassy etc .. What you did , how long , collect , questions they ask , anything you feel good to know , also when you arrived in Thailand , I'm assuming you have just opened or put in your 800k ,

That would be a real help thanks ..

[Howiehotspur]

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

this does sound so easy , so a single entry visa lasts what , 3 months ? .. So in that first month I must open and deposit the 800k .. ( how easy is that to do from Thailand , I mean how do I transfer such a large sum from one account in the uk to another in Thailand , ? ) ..

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

[paz]

A Notary is not a solicitor and it is a separate part of the law process (appointed by the church).

Well, it's not really the church anymore, but as they say themselves it's an unique story

http://www.facultyoffice.org.uk/about-us/

[Lite Beer]

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

this does sound so easy , so a single entry visa lasts what , 3 months ? .. So in that first month I must open and deposit the 800k .. ( how easy is that to do from Thailand , I mean how do I transfer such a large sum from one account in the uk to another in Thailand , ? ) ..

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

A single entry Non Imm O Visa will give a stay of 90 days.

It is not that difficult to open a bank account in Thailand. You might have to try one or two but you will get one to give you a savings account.

You send the cash from your account in UK by Swift transfer.

Should be able to do this online with your UK bank.

Takes a day or two.

Immigration in Thailand will require a letter from your Thai bank showing the balance.

An up to date bank book showing the same balance.

Proof of address in Thailand.

Passport size photo.

1,900 Baht fee.

[Howiehotspur]

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

this does sound so easy , so a single entry visa lasts what , 3 months ? .. So in that first month I must open and deposit the 800k .. ( how easy is that to do from Thailand , I mean how do I transfer such a large sum from one account in the uk to another in Thailand , ? ) ..

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

A single entry Non Imm O Visa will give a stay of 90 days.

It is not that difficult to open a bank account in Thailand. You might have to try one or two but you will get one to give you a savings account.

You send the cash from your account in UK by Swift transfer.

Should be able to do this online with your UK bank.

Takes a day or two.

Immigration in Thailand will require a letter from your Thai bank showing the balance.

An up to date bank book showing the same balance.

Proof of address in Thailand.

Passport size photo.

1,900 Baht fee.

thanks very much , that's really helpful , I can easy if I have this bank sorted , and then easily change a Non O Imm visa to a pension visa ,so jontiem can still do this too .. Not a trip to Bangkok ?

[Expattaff1308]

Here's the medical certificate, I used this and the went thro it with my Doctor.

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/forms/medicalcertificate.pdf

hi , yeah I'll be using that one , the same , but the solicitor I spoke to ( refer to 2nd post on here ) said that he would it would seem need to talk to the doctor and get His passport details etc .. Unless I'm reading that wrong , I have no problem I hope getting the documents together , but I sort if understand where he is coming from , I mean this medial ' form ' doesn't look that official , and I guess he would say " how can you confirm this was done by who says it was unless he ( solicitor ) was whiteness or had information on the said GP ? .. ( do you address or contact of the guy you used ? ) thanks .

It seems the solicitor is being a pain, I used a notary in Weymouth, My doctor had signed the form and stamped it with the surgery stamp and it was accepted, try a different Notary there are many about.

[Howiehotspur]

Here's the medical certificate, I used this and the went thro it with my Doctor.

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/forms/medicalcertificate.pdf

hi , yeah I'll be using that one , the same , but the solicitor I spoke to ( refer to 2nd post on here ) said that he would it would seem need to talk to the doctor and get His passport details etc .. Unless I'm reading that wrong , I have no problem I hope getting the documents together , but I sort if understand where he is coming from , I mean this medial ' form ' doesn't look that official , and I guess he would say " how can you confirm this was done by who says it was unless he ( solicitor ) was whiteness or had information on the said GP ? .. ( do you address or contact of the guy you used ? ) thanks .

It seems the solicitor is being a pain, I used a notary in Weymouth, My doctor had signed the form and stamped it with the surgery stamp and it was accepted, try a different Notary there are many about.

your right , if I go down that route now ( applying in London , just waiting for a bit more advice ) then I'll certainly change my ' Notary ' guy .

[Nbarch]

Hi Howiehotspur,

Just to make clear I applied for a 1 year multi-entry visa.

Yes the Notary bundles ALL the documents up and he wrote a covering letter. He is professionally guaranteeing these documents as genuine. I do not have a pension but just enclosed a bank statement showing I had sufficient UK funds.

It was very straightforward at the Thai Embassy, as you enter the door take a ticket, dont wait in the corridor, go into the big room, sit on the left. Lots of people, but I was seen in about 30minutes, forms checked, carefully, but no questions; then the very important bit hand over 125 quid.

You will be given a receipt, which you NEED to pick up your passport the next day.

When you go the next day to pick up your passport, just wait in the corridor, join any ad-hoc queue, I waited about 15 minute,then I was out with a glossy full page sticker in my passport. Cross the road to the Natural History Museum which has dinosaurs and a nice coffee shop.

On arrival at Swampy airport, I handed my passport to immigration, open at the visa page, and just got an entry stamp and was politely told I could stay for 1 year.

[Howiehotspur]

Hi Howiehotspur,

Just to make clear I applied for a 1 year multi-entry visa.

Yes the Notary bundles ALL the documents up and he wrote a covering letter. He is professionally guaranteeing these documents as genuine. I do not have a pension but just enclosed a bank statement showing I had sufficient UK funds.

It was very straightforward at the Thai Embassy, as you enter the door take a ticket, dont wait in the corridor, go into the big room, sit on the left. Lots of people, but I was seen in about 30minutes, forms checked, carefully, but no questions; then the very important bit hand over 125 quid.

You will be given a receipt, which you NEED to pick up your passport the next day.

When you go the next day to pick up your passport, just wait in the corridor, join any ad-hoc queue, I waited about 15 minute,then I was out with a glossy full page sticker in my passport. Cross the road to the Natural History Museum which has dinosaurs and a nice coffee shop.

On arrival at Swampy airport, I handed my passport to immigration, open at the visa page, and just got an entry stamp and was politely told I could stay for 1 year.

that's really helpful thankyou so much for the heads up , you know I think I might apply for a mutli one year too , as my mother is very very old and I keep getting reminded I may have to return suddenly , and I guess with your one year multi you can change that for a pension visa ( if your old enough ofcourse ) if you so wish ?

Thanks again you have all been a great help .

[Lite Beer]

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

this does sound so easy , so a single entry visa lasts what , 3 months ? .. So in that first month I must open and deposit the 800k .. ( how easy is that to do from Thailand , I mean how do I transfer such a large sum from one account in the uk to another in Thailand , ? ) ..

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

A single entry Non Imm O Visa will give a stay of 90 days.

It is not that difficult to open a bank account in Thailand. You might have to try one or two but you will get one to give you a savings account.

You send the cash from your account in UK by Swift transfer.

Should be able to do this online with your UK bank.

Takes a day or two.

Immigration in Thailand will require a letter from your Thai bank showing the balance.

An up to date bank book showing the same balance.

Proof of address in Thailand.

Passport size photo.

1,900 Baht fee.

thanks very much , that's really helpful , I can easy if I have this bank sorted , and then easily change a Non O Imm visa to a pension visa ,so jontiem can still do this too .. Not a trip to Bangkok ?

There is no such thing as a pension visa and you will not be changing anything.

You would be applying for a 12 month extension of your permision to stay.

Yes you can apply at Jontiem Immigration.

You can also get a Re Entry Permit should you need to leave Thailand during that year

1,000 Baht for a single. 3,800 Baht for a Multi re entry.

[Nbarch]

Hi Howiehotspur,

Glad I could help you; I have found this Visa forum extremely useful also.

Yes a Multi-entry visa is a good plan if you have elderly relatives back home. I had to fly back within 2 months of arriving in Thailand due to a sick relative. Also Thailand is a good base to explore SE Asia and flights are cheap.

Lite Beer has accurately summed up your options when you get here.

Cheers

[Howiehotspur]

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

this does sound so easy , so a single entry visa lasts what , 3 months ? .. So in that first month I must open and deposit the 800k .. ( how easy is that to do from Thailand , I mean how do I transfer such a large sum from one account in the uk to another in Thailand , ? ) ..

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

A single entry Non Imm O Visa will give a stay of 90 days.

It is not that difficult to open a bank account in Thailand. You might have to try one or two but you will get one to give you a savings account.

You send the cash from your account in UK by Swift transfer.

Should be able to do this online with your UK bank.

Takes a day or two.

Immigration in Thailand will require a letter from your Thai bank showing the balance.

An up to date bank book showing the same balance.

Proof of address in Thailand.

Passport size photo.

1,900 Baht fee.

thanks very much , that's really helpful , I can easy if I have this bank sorted , and then easily change a Non O Imm visa to a pension visa ,so jontiem can still do this too .. Not a trip to Bangkok ?

There is no such thing as a pension visa and you will not be changing anything.

You would be applying for a 12 month extension of your permision to stay.

Yes you can apply at Jontiem Immigration.

You can also get a Re Entry Permit should you need to leave Thailand during that year

1,000 Baht for a single. 3,800 Baht for a Multi re entry.

ah thanks so much you guys have been a great help , I certainly have options now and feel more confidant when applying .. Cheers

[Howiehotspur]

Hi Howiehotspur,

Glad I could help you; I have found this Visa forum extremely useful also.

Yes a Multi-entry visa is a good plan if you have elderly relatives back home. I had to fly back within 2 months of arriving in Thailand due to a sick relative. Also Thailand is a good base to explore SE Asia and flights are cheap.

Lite Beer has accurately summed up your options when you get here.

Cheers

brilliant thanks again , you guys have been a great help , the beers are on me ( if and when I make it out there ) cheers .