Personal Data Form?

[redwood13]

The O-A (Retirement) Visa requires a "personal data form" as a part of the application process. Anyone know what should be included in this?

 

Also, I asked my bank about the "letter of guarantee" that is required and they were clueless as to what this would entail. I assume it's simply verification on the bank's letterhead of the amount of funds on deposit as shown on my bank statement.

 

I will eventually call the consulate in Los Angeles, but I'd like to get as much information as possible prior to doing that.

 

-redwood

[rickfarang]

The below is from email I received from the Consulate in Los Angeles last January. It suggest that a letter showing the funds are on deposit is enough. The idea is that you will bring the money into the country before the end of your first year. I stopped the process because I coudn't see how I was going to get the money out of the country if I decided to pull out later.

 

"1. Submit evidence/documentation regarding your bank account of not less

than 800,00 Baht or your monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht (for

current value of the Baht see http://www.bot.go.th);

2. Provide evidence that you do not have any criminal record (certificate of

criminal record issued by local police department);

3. Both items 1 and 2 must be certified by a Notary Public;

4. You may visit the consulate in person for additional information;"

 

 

I received the most useful answers about this from another fellow. His email contained the following:

"

Theere is what is called non-immigrant visa O-A specifically

tailored to foreigners who are fifty years old or older to

obtain a one-year visa for Thailand, extendable of course. A

major requirement is the show of a financial statement proving

that you have the equivalent of 800,000 baht in your account

when you apply for this type of visa at the Royal Thai Embassy

or the Royal Thai Consulate-General in the country where you

live. This visa used to be granted to people over 55 years old

but now the age requirement has been lowered to 50 years old,

reflecting the government policy of attracting people like

yourself to spend your retirement years in Thailand.

 

Regards, "

 

 

I hope this doesn't overload his in-basket, but he was able to give me succinct and helpful answers to my questions about the process where others failed (for whatever reason) to.

 

In the end, you'll have to satisfy your local Consulate -but you might find it difficult to find out exactly what they want, so your preparing before callign is a very good idea.

 

Keep us posted on how the process works for you.

 

RickF

[Guest]

I read the 65000 baht monthly income, but I also read that it is less if you are over age 60. Is that correct and how much is it? Thanks

[lopburi3]

but I also read that it is less if you are over age 60

---

That was the old system when age 60 was the normal retirement visa age and you could start at 55 with a higher payment. It is now lowered to 50 and income/bank deposit set at 65k/800k for all.

[redwood13]

"I read the 65000 baht monthly income, but I also read that it is less if you are over age 60. Is that correct and how much is it? Thanks"

 

I haven't seen anything re this. Maybe this was true prior to the change in law September 2001??

 

This is the outline of the requirements as shown on the Los Angeles Consulate website:

 

http://www.thai-la.net/non-a-o.htm

 

Note it does allow for a combination of monthly income - Social Security or pension payments for example - plus sufficient money in a bank account to total 800,000 Baht.

 

-redwood

[redwood13]

Per a phone call to the Thai Consulate it seems the "Personal Data Form" should include most of the information as given on the visa application with a few variations, i.e. name, address, phone number, dob, place of birth, citizenship, passport info, profession, date of arrival in Thailand, flight number and address in Thailand including telephone & fax numbers. (Hotel is ok for an address.)

 

Here are the documents required for submission when applying for a retirement visa at a Thai Embassy or Consulate outside of Thailand per http://www.thai-la.net/non-a-o.htm and my commets regarding same.

 

II. Required documents for visa application (Original and two copies) - Documents 2.4 through 2.8 must be notarized.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

2.1 A passport valid no less than one year and a half (at least 18 months).

 

2.2 Three copies of a Thai Visa Application Form (with photos).

 

2.3 A Personal Data Form.

 

Where I started having problems with this process was the notarization requirement. As explained to me by a notary public here in California, all a notary is doing is verifying the _signature_ on a document by seeing a picture ID and having the signer countersign in the notary's log book. Since a bank statement has no signature on it it can't be notarized. And, in my case the only document I have regarding my Social Security income is a copy of a form letter from the SS Administration. Again nothing that can be notarized. My bank did give me a certificate verifying my bank statement but they didn't have a notary available and so I would have had to make arrangements for a notary to setup an

appointment with the bank to have the certificate notarized.

 

BTW, I mentioned to the asst. bank manager that I was applying for a Thai visa and he wanted to know why I wanted that since I already had a MasterCard.

 

2.4 A copy of a bank statement showing a deposit at the amount equal to no less than 800,000 Baht, or an income certificate (an original copy) with a monthly salary of no less than 65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income of no less than 800,000 Baht a year.

 

2.5 In the case of the bank statement, a letter of guarantee from the bank (an original copy) is to be presented as well.

 

Who do you get the "no criminal record" verification from? FBI?? And how to get it notarized?

 

2.6 Verification stating that the applicant has no criminal record issued from the country of his/her nationality or residence (the verification shall be valid for no more than 3 months).

 

Again, arrangements have to made for the MD who signs the medical certificate to meet with a notary for the notarizaion

process.

 

2.7 A medical certificate issued from the country where the application is submitted, showing no prohibitive diseases as

indicated on the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535) - Please click on link for information regarding Ministerial

Regulation No. 14). The certificate shall be valid for no more than 3 months.

 

2.8 In the case that the applicant wishes to have his/her spouse stay together in the Kingdom but his/her spouse is not qualified for the O-A code visa, their marriage certificate shall also be produced as evidence. (The spouse will be considered for the Visa for Temporary Residents under the 'O' Code).

 

The notary is going to be paid for each instance and would also have to be paid for travel time and any waiting time incurred.

 

Obviously more phone calls to the Consulate are required to sort all this out.

 

Fortunately there was a post on 11 December by "ymmv" titled "New Retirement Visa Regulations" and from his experience it would appear to be far easier to obtain the Retirement Visa from Soi Suanphlu Immigration in Bangkok. So, it looks like I'll just use a tourist visa to enter Thailand and then leave before 90 days and begin the the process for the Retirement Visa.

 

-redwood