Receipt of Belgian Pension in Thailand

Mariolanza

Hello

I hope someone can help with my query.

A friend has moved from Belgium to Thailand.

He is British but worked all his life in Belgium.

He is in receipt of a Belgian Pension.  Every year,  he needs to prove he is alive so that they know they are paying him.

To that effect, he has to complete a "Life Certificate" which then is endorsed by an authority, I.e. the Police. However, the Thai authorities have told him they would no longer sign his papers.

This leaves him stranded without money.
Does anyone have an idea of what are his options?
Thank you.

Ayr_Rage

If he is following the rules correctly, he will be reporting to Thai Immigration every 90 days.

A word in the ear of the senior official at that department may solve his problem, especially if he is willing to make a small contribution to the office's tea fund.

Plenty of Belgian expats in Thailand, so ask one of those how they go about getting the required proof.

El_Torro

Does it have to be the police who sign it? Normally something like this can be signed by a lawyer, who usually charge a fee.

Mariolanza

El_Torro said:

Does it have to be the police who sign it? Normally something like this can be signed by a lawyer, who usually charge a fee.

I suggested this to my friend. It all depends on what the Belgian Pension people require in terms of signatories, ie police, lawyer, etc. I suggested he write to them to ask. 

Mariolanza

Ayr_Rage said:

If he is following the rules correctly, he will be reporting to Thai Immigration every 90 days.

A word in the ear of the senior official at that department may solve his problem, especially if he is willing to make a small contribution to the office's tea fund.

Plenty of Belgian expats in Thailand, so ask one of those how they go about getting the required proof.

I suspect if my British friend did that  he could be arrested for corruption... thanks anyway
 

Ayr_Rage

Mariolanza said:

Ayr_Rage said:

If he is following the rules correctly, he will be reporting to Thai Immigration every 90 days.

A word in the ear of the senior official at that department may solve his problem, especially if he is willing to make a small contribution to the office's tea fund.

Plenty of Belgian expats in Thailand, so ask one of those how they go about getting the required proof.

I suspect if my British friend did that  he could be arrested for corruption... thanks anyway
 

You obviously don't know how it really works in Thailand do you?

Eldi_Dos

Tell him just to go to the embassy or consulate with the form and his passport, they will check if he is still alive before signing.

Ayr_Rage

Eldi_Dos said:

Tell him just to go to the embassy or consulate with the form and his passport, they will check if he is still alive before signing.

He'll need to check with the Belgian Embassy.

The British Embassy in Thailand do not provide notarial services for Life Certificates.

LHW99

Does the Belgian pension system have a web portal for foreign residents? If so, they may indicate who else is acceptable to sign the form (lawyer, doctor, senior teacher), or at least have an email address or contact form where the question can be asked.

DBdoobydoo

I receive French pensions & previously had to produce a life certificate every year. The very first time I had it signed & stamped by the French Consulate in London but they no longer provide this service. I have subsequently had it stamped & signed by the local council at the town hall for a fee of £25. Ths year it's all digital online. First I needed to download an app that required me to upload photo ID e.g. driving licence or passport then take a selfie which presumably was compared with the ID.

ColdIron

Mariolanza said:

Ayr_Rage said:

If he is following the rules correctly, he will be reporting to Thai Immigration every 90 days.

A word in the ear of the senior official at that department may solve his problem, especially if he is willing to make a small contribution to the office's tea fund.

Plenty of Belgian expats in Thailand, so ask one of those how they go about getting the required proof.

I suspect if my British friend did that  he could be arrested for corruption... thanks anyway

The Thai boys in brown can be very flexible, quite remarkably so. Best police money can buy and all that