Savannakhet Non-O retirement - Checklist

[Arnold J Toynbee]

Greetings all :)

 

I am planning to travel to Savannakhet within the next 2 weeks in order to obtain a Non-O retirement visa. Currently I'm in Thailand on a tourist visa.

 

I've attached a screen grab of the visa requirements from the Savannakhet website.

 

I'm over 50 but well below retirement pension age so there's no official document that I can use for the "Official letter from the concerned Embassy/Consulate of applicant's nationality".

 

After consulting various threads on this forum, I plan to use the following documents:

 

• Bank statement from an Australian bank.
• A self-authored declaration notarised at the Australian embassy that I am "retired".

 

My reading of the situation is that they will accept the above documents, although I have no idea what the contents of that letter ought to be. Is there a template I can use? Suggestions welcome!

 

If I'm refused I'll be forced to re-enter Thailand on a VE stamp as I already have a few tourist visas in my passport. I would like to avoid that outcome!

 

Can an expert here give me a percent probability estimate that I will be successul? I have no record of overstays or any other form of misbehaviour!

 

Thanks for your help :)

[DrJack54]

OP, I realize I'm not addressing your post. Just adding advice you may not be aware of. You can do a " conversion " of your setv to non o based on retirement at imm office in Thailand. Different requirements but may be of interest to add options.

Edited October 20, 2019 by DrJack54

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, I realize I'm not addressing your post. Just adding advice you may not be aware of. You can do a " conversion " of your setv to non o based on retirement at imm office in Thailand. Different requirements but may be of interest to add options.

Doesn't the in-country 'conversion' require the money to be in a Thai bank account?

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Doesn't the in-country 'conversion' require the money to be in a Thai bank account?

Yes it does. That's why I pointed out "different requirements". If that's not possible then best he do as planned. OP has zero post and sounds naive hence suggestion of option. 

[DrJack54]

20 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Doesn't the in-country 'conversion' require the money to be in a Thai bank account?

Just backing you up...I was very clueless when came los later in life. I opened bank a/c then on second visit knowing I want retire/live here had 20kusd in cash. Put it in bank with intention to obtain non o.

Then found out your exact post. Had to obtain non o in Vientiane. Been a bonus as discovered udon thani.

Only typing this long reply to advise stupid folk like me. Nan is correct..doing conversion you need proof funds from OUTSIDE los

Edited October 20, 2019 by DrJack54

[Doge]

24 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Just backing you up...I was very clueless when came los later in life. I opened bank a/c then on second visit knowing I want retire/live here had 20kusd in cash. Put it in bank with intention to obtain non o.

Then found out your exact post. Had to obtain non o in Vientiane. Been a bonus as discovered udon thani.

Only typing this long reply to advise stupid folk like me. Nan is correct..doing conversion you need proof funds from OUTSIDE los

I have had a marriage visa for over five years now from BKK. Half money was pulled from ATM the other carried in. I've never been questioned where it came from. Jus sayin.

[Arnold J Toynbee]

56 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Yes it does. That's why I pointed out "different requirements". If that's not possible then best he do as planned. OP has zero post and sounds naive hence suggestion of option. 

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm aware of the in-country 'conversion' option, but would prefer to get the initial 3 month visa before transferring any money. If this isn't possible then I will look at other options.

 

 

[bigbadthaijohn]

I'm pretty sure the money has to be in a THAI account. That is, unless Savannakhet changed the rules. 

[steve187]

13 hours ago, Doge said:

I have had a marriage visa for over five years now from BKK. Half money was pulled from ATM the other carried in. I've never been questioned where it came from. Jus sayin.

yours is a married extension, the post you posted a reply to was about a conversion to a non imm O visa within Thailand, when the 800,000  has to come from outside Thailand

Edited October 21, 2019 by steve187

[Arnold J Toynbee]

3 hours ago, bigbadthaijohn said:

I'm pretty sure the money has to be in a THAI account. That is, unless Savannakhet changed the rules. 

A number of recent posts on this forum suggest otherwise.

[Arnold J Toynbee]

Example where somebody with a strong track record on this forum has suggested that the funds can be in a foreign bank account:
 

a

[Arnold J Toynbee]

I just discovered this on the Australian Embassy website.

 

It looks like they are not willing to provide any form of documentation supporting a visa application (not even a statutory declaration that a person is retired).

 

Is there anybody out there with some experience on this?

 

Please stay on topic if possible.

[Arnold J Toynbee]

What I find incredible about this is that the Australian Embassy policy effectively makes it impossible for anyone to comply with the requirement stipulated by the Savannakhet Thai Consulate for obtaining a Non-O visa for retirement - "Official letter from the concerned Embassy/Consulate of applicant's nationality".

Catch 22 ?

[Arnold J Toynbee]

After researching this a little more it seems that the best option may be to get the "proof of retirement" statutory declaration done at the Australian Embassy in Vientiane, as they don't appear to have the same restrictions as the Bangkok Embassy.

 

It would be great to get some input on this from one of the more experienced forum members.