Retirement visa under 55 - not happening
Guy I know, 36 yrs old, received ER EOS 2 days ago, just remember it is up to YOU to CONVINCE the DOI that you at eligible. Provide as much documentation as possible.
He applied directly at the DOI, still paid the same as most agents charge though.
He applied directly at the DOI, still paid the same as most agents charge though.
I'm not a negative person, I encourage people all the time...it's usually to f**k off! But, whatever.
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- Making Khmer girls cry since 2003
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Cant you just set up a company and get a work visa? Or as others suggest just find the right person to pay a commission to. It is Cambodia after all.
OP, if I were you I would take the bus or plane (even more convenient, when in PP just cross the road....) to PP and visit the DoI yourself. Despite all the horror stories on the web I think they can be helpful and of use. Bring all the documents you have and enough cash. Visit them about one month before your visa is due so you have time for a plan B in case the DoI will be of no help. All the agents are just in it for the fast buck, the decision makers are opposite Pochentong airport and it's called the DoI.
- dsl25
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Contact those 2 in PP:
https://www.facebook.com/PalmToursAndTravel/
and
https://www.facebook.com/MakingItEasyCambodia/
They are the most competent entities in such situations - forget Lucky, Lucky.
https://www.facebook.com/PalmToursAndTravel/
and
https://www.facebook.com/MakingItEasyCambodia/
They are the most competent entities in such situations - forget Lucky, Lucky.
Proudly sent from my Gameboy by Super Mario using Kakaplok.
- spitthedog
- Is the World Outside still there ?
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I suspect many like the OP are going from the EB visa extension to an EG visa now.
"I don't care what the people are thinking, i ain't drunk i'm just drinking"
Funny that. Remember the same people used to say it was a waste of time and would never be enforced. Aren't they different ministries and stuff?spitthedog wrote:I suspect many like the OP are going from the EB visa extension to an EG visa now.
Lucky Lucan remembers. He's got his papers in order since for ever. Be like Lucky Lucan.
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Alexandra wrote:Funny that. Remember the same people used to say it was a waste of time and would never be enforced. Aren't they different ministries and stuff?spitthedog wrote:I suspect many like the OP are going from the EB visa extension to an EG visa now.
Lucky Lucan remembers. He's got his papers in order since for ever. Be like Lucky Lucan.
People overreacting. Where's the proof any of this is being enforced? Believe it when it's seen. Blah blah blah.
It depends who you listen to, doesn't it? I listened to those I knew were in the know.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.
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- Plutarch
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We are going to make the trip to PP and go to the immigration office.
This morning we spoke with a few more agents and they are not willing to attempt to get the retirement visa regardless of what documents are produced. We also spoke with Kim again and she suggested getting a letter from a US company that says I'm retired - but that wouldn't guarantee anything. I will pursue this, but strongly suspect (based on experience) that I will only be able to get a short statement confirming employment dates. I also will speak with the US embassy to see what types of documents they would be willing to notarize.
And yes, currently I have a "normal" visa. When I first arrived three years ago I asked about getting a retirement visa and was told that you have to get a normal visa and renew it every year. When the new directive came out I actually was pleased as I thought, ok now I will have proper visa with no issues in the future - and no issue with the IRS ever claiming I worked/had business in Cambodia. Hopefully that will end up being the case. But currently I'm making plans assuming I have to leave in early June.
This morning we spoke with a few more agents and they are not willing to attempt to get the retirement visa regardless of what documents are produced. We also spoke with Kim again and she suggested getting a letter from a US company that says I'm retired - but that wouldn't guarantee anything. I will pursue this, but strongly suspect (based on experience) that I will only be able to get a short statement confirming employment dates. I also will speak with the US embassy to see what types of documents they would be willing to notarize.
And yes, currently I have a "normal" visa. When I first arrived three years ago I asked about getting a retirement visa and was told that you have to get a normal visa and renew it every year. When the new directive came out I actually was pleased as I thought, ok now I will have proper visa with no issues in the future - and no issue with the IRS ever claiming I worked/had business in Cambodia. Hopefully that will end up being the case. But currently I'm making plans assuming I have to leave in early June.
OP, check out this Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/333901840112789/
Several under-55 members have gotten the ER extension and listed in some detail the documents they provided. Mostly in PP, I believe.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/333901840112789/
Several under-55 members have gotten the ER extension and listed in some detail the documents they provided. Mostly in PP, I believe.
When I went the visa office (across the street from the airport), the guy told me that I just needed a document that says I'm retired/on a pension. Have you tried asking your embassy to help?
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Hi,
Wanted to follow up. I appreciate the people that offered advice and thought I should share my experience as it might help others.
I ended up making the trip to the visa office myself. Acquired two letters of retirement. One was from a company that I used to work for several years ago. They were kind enough to put in the letter that they considered me to be "retired" and also stated that I am fully vested in the company pension and provided my 401K balance. I had that sent via DHL so it was an original document with an actual signature. The other letter was simply from a gentleman that I worked with previously - he now works for a small company and he put a simple statement on company letterhead saying that I am retired. He scanned that and emailed it to me and I printed it out.
I also took with me copies of my son's Cambodia passport and birth certificate, his mother's Cambodia passport, copy of our lease & receipts, paper for our house that we own, and my social security statement from the USA.
It was good that I brought my son's Cambodia information. It helped a lot. When I went to the visa office I waited a bit until there was only myself and the gentleman at the desk. I told him I was there to obtain an extension to my visa and that I understood recent changes meant I should be acquiring a retirement visa. And I shared with him that I couldn't find an agent to submit an application for retirement visa so I made the trip myself. I also told him the reason for obtaining the visa is that I have a son here in Cambodia. He reviewed my son's paperwork and said he understood why I would want to be here and that I could obtain a visa. But he was rather suspicuous that I'd want a retirement visa.
He asked me twice if I worked in Cambodia. I explained that I have never worked in Cambodia - and with no offense to Cambodia - that if in the future I had some need to be working I would return to the USA to do that. I attempted to explain that I have investment income and business interests in the USA which provide me with my current income. That wasn't really understood. It was obvious that they wanted to see a pension. And even wanted to see proof of pension payments into a bank account.
So I reviewed with the gentleman that in the future I would receive a pension and social security. I shared the lease (and rent receipts for the past 17 months) for our villa and a copy of a paper that was totally in Khmer and was for the house we own in the province. He looked at the Social Security statement and lease and excused himself to speak to his boss. He came back and said the lease would count except for the fact that for the 2nd year it was simply hand written - he said to get a new lease . I told him that it was tough to get even that hand-written as I suspect that my landlord doesn't pay her taxes and hadn't registered the lease (and there is good reason for my suspicion as police have shown up 3-4 times in the past year looking for her). He said the Social Security statement would count.
He looked again at the two letters and again disappeared to the back. About 5 minutes later he came back out and reviewed our conversation. They really wanted to see actual bank statements. So I pointed out that my 401K balance was shown - he replied that they didn't need to see all of the money that I have - just that I receive a pension. So I asked how much is the usual pension people show - he said 1,500-2,000 a month. I pointed out that my 401K balance would be 20 years or more of that pension he just mentioned. And I told him that if really needed I would print out brokerage account statements and bring those back. After further conversation with his boss, they decided that the social security statement and the two letters would suffice. BUT they said I couldn't get the visa myself as it would take three weeks and my visa expired in two and a half - and I should go see an agent. He wrote his phone number on a piece of paper, wrote ER 12 months OK, and taped it to my passport and told me if I had any issue with an agent filing the paperwork to call him directly.
So I left feeling pretty good. I called Kim since I had spoken with her twice and she was the one that told me to get a letter stating that I was retired. I saw her that afternoon.
I think she has her own way of doing things - and there is (in her opinion) only her way of doing things. I tried to explain that I had been to the visa office that morning and that I needed an agent to submit the three papers and get my retirement visa. She seemed upset that I had been to the visa office. In an almost surreal scene she told me the letters weren't what she told me to get - and all the other stuff wasn't needed - and on top of that because of when my passport expires that I couldn't get a 12 month visa. Several times I pointed out that I had just been at the visa office - and they said I would get a visa if I submitted those three papers!
So I insisted that she call the number - when she first called there was no answer - and it was "see I told you". Amazingly 5 minutes later while we are arguing there is a call - from the guy at the visa office. She spoke with him for about 3 minutes (in Khmer) - very animated - finally she gives me the phone and the same gentleman from the morning tells me that technically I should get a 6 month visa and can come back out later to extended that - but to make sure that the papers he saw that morning were submitted. So I repeated aloud that the three papers were to be submitted and I'd get a 6 month visa. He then spoke to her again - she wasn't pleased. After hanging up she then starts to tell me that I've made everything complicated and all these papers aren't what she told me to get (despite her being the one that told me to get a letter of retirement). Finally I paid her, confirmed that the visa would be acquired prior to my visa ending, and she gave me a receipt.
She indicated that she would be at the visa office the next morning - I understood that she would let me know that everything was ok - but perhaps that got lost in all the back and forth. After a week and a half, we had heard nothing so my wife calls and she tells her to wait. Well, we only had three working days prior to the old visa expiring - so I called her back later - and again she wasn't pleased. I told her I needed to know whether or not the visa would be issued and that I had expected her to notify us that everything was ok after she had submitted whatever is done at the visa office. And that if for any reason the visa wouldn't be issued I'd have to be flying out of the country prior to it expiring. So after some needless back and forth I simply demanded to know whether or not a visa would be issued - she said yes you will definitely get a visa. Ok. Two days later she called my wife and says she has the visa.
So all is well that ends well. It was certainly a level of stress/frustration that we didn't need. In a few months I'll have to get a new passport so that I can extend the current visa for another 12 months (the rule is that you have to have 6 months left on your passport - after the ending of the visa - and I only had 4-1/2 if a 12 month visa was issued)
I would recommend that anyone that is having problems to go to the visa office. IMO the "front line" people have been drilled to see pension statements or bank accounts with proof of pensions for the retirement visa. If you fall outside those bounds then I'd suggest showing up with a clear narrative that includes the reason for being here, your form of income, and some sort of government statement. It was my social security statement that seemed to check the box for pension and my son's paperwork definitely checked the box for reason to be here in Cambodia. And if your from the USA I'd keep in mind that they seem to think everything is like EU/Australia in terms of government running pension schemes - the idea of outside investment income didn't register, 401K didn't mean anything to them - Pension or bust.
Just as a note, the US Embassy told me they would notarize a statement from myself but what they are really notarizing is the signature - not the content of the information. So they won't notarize a brokerage statement or bank account but you can attach it to a statement that they will notarize. When I pointed out to the guy the absurdity of that he admitted its somewhat stupid but that Cambodia seems to accept it. Cost is $50 per signature.
I would use Kim again, understanding that she does things her way and may not be the most customer friendly person I've ever dealt with. She struck me as being "difficult" but an honest person that just focusses on what she views she needs to do.
Hope that helps someone and thanks again to those that replied.
Wanted to follow up. I appreciate the people that offered advice and thought I should share my experience as it might help others.
I ended up making the trip to the visa office myself. Acquired two letters of retirement. One was from a company that I used to work for several years ago. They were kind enough to put in the letter that they considered me to be "retired" and also stated that I am fully vested in the company pension and provided my 401K balance. I had that sent via DHL so it was an original document with an actual signature. The other letter was simply from a gentleman that I worked with previously - he now works for a small company and he put a simple statement on company letterhead saying that I am retired. He scanned that and emailed it to me and I printed it out.
I also took with me copies of my son's Cambodia passport and birth certificate, his mother's Cambodia passport, copy of our lease & receipts, paper for our house that we own, and my social security statement from the USA.
It was good that I brought my son's Cambodia information. It helped a lot. When I went to the visa office I waited a bit until there was only myself and the gentleman at the desk. I told him I was there to obtain an extension to my visa and that I understood recent changes meant I should be acquiring a retirement visa. And I shared with him that I couldn't find an agent to submit an application for retirement visa so I made the trip myself. I also told him the reason for obtaining the visa is that I have a son here in Cambodia. He reviewed my son's paperwork and said he understood why I would want to be here and that I could obtain a visa. But he was rather suspicuous that I'd want a retirement visa.
He asked me twice if I worked in Cambodia. I explained that I have never worked in Cambodia - and with no offense to Cambodia - that if in the future I had some need to be working I would return to the USA to do that. I attempted to explain that I have investment income and business interests in the USA which provide me with my current income. That wasn't really understood. It was obvious that they wanted to see a pension. And even wanted to see proof of pension payments into a bank account.
So I reviewed with the gentleman that in the future I would receive a pension and social security. I shared the lease (and rent receipts for the past 17 months) for our villa and a copy of a paper that was totally in Khmer and was for the house we own in the province. He looked at the Social Security statement and lease and excused himself to speak to his boss. He came back and said the lease would count except for the fact that for the 2nd year it was simply hand written - he said to get a new lease . I told him that it was tough to get even that hand-written as I suspect that my landlord doesn't pay her taxes and hadn't registered the lease (and there is good reason for my suspicion as police have shown up 3-4 times in the past year looking for her). He said the Social Security statement would count.
He looked again at the two letters and again disappeared to the back. About 5 minutes later he came back out and reviewed our conversation. They really wanted to see actual bank statements. So I pointed out that my 401K balance was shown - he replied that they didn't need to see all of the money that I have - just that I receive a pension. So I asked how much is the usual pension people show - he said 1,500-2,000 a month. I pointed out that my 401K balance would be 20 years or more of that pension he just mentioned. And I told him that if really needed I would print out brokerage account statements and bring those back. After further conversation with his boss, they decided that the social security statement and the two letters would suffice. BUT they said I couldn't get the visa myself as it would take three weeks and my visa expired in two and a half - and I should go see an agent. He wrote his phone number on a piece of paper, wrote ER 12 months OK, and taped it to my passport and told me if I had any issue with an agent filing the paperwork to call him directly.
So I left feeling pretty good. I called Kim since I had spoken with her twice and she was the one that told me to get a letter stating that I was retired. I saw her that afternoon.
I think she has her own way of doing things - and there is (in her opinion) only her way of doing things. I tried to explain that I had been to the visa office that morning and that I needed an agent to submit the three papers and get my retirement visa. She seemed upset that I had been to the visa office. In an almost surreal scene she told me the letters weren't what she told me to get - and all the other stuff wasn't needed - and on top of that because of when my passport expires that I couldn't get a 12 month visa. Several times I pointed out that I had just been at the visa office - and they said I would get a visa if I submitted those three papers!
So I insisted that she call the number - when she first called there was no answer - and it was "see I told you". Amazingly 5 minutes later while we are arguing there is a call - from the guy at the visa office. She spoke with him for about 3 minutes (in Khmer) - very animated - finally she gives me the phone and the same gentleman from the morning tells me that technically I should get a 6 month visa and can come back out later to extended that - but to make sure that the papers he saw that morning were submitted. So I repeated aloud that the three papers were to be submitted and I'd get a 6 month visa. He then spoke to her again - she wasn't pleased. After hanging up she then starts to tell me that I've made everything complicated and all these papers aren't what she told me to get (despite her being the one that told me to get a letter of retirement). Finally I paid her, confirmed that the visa would be acquired prior to my visa ending, and she gave me a receipt.
She indicated that she would be at the visa office the next morning - I understood that she would let me know that everything was ok - but perhaps that got lost in all the back and forth. After a week and a half, we had heard nothing so my wife calls and she tells her to wait. Well, we only had three working days prior to the old visa expiring - so I called her back later - and again she wasn't pleased. I told her I needed to know whether or not the visa would be issued and that I had expected her to notify us that everything was ok after she had submitted whatever is done at the visa office. And that if for any reason the visa wouldn't be issued I'd have to be flying out of the country prior to it expiring. So after some needless back and forth I simply demanded to know whether or not a visa would be issued - she said yes you will definitely get a visa. Ok. Two days later she called my wife and says she has the visa.
So all is well that ends well. It was certainly a level of stress/frustration that we didn't need. In a few months I'll have to get a new passport so that I can extend the current visa for another 12 months (the rule is that you have to have 6 months left on your passport - after the ending of the visa - and I only had 4-1/2 if a 12 month visa was issued)
I would recommend that anyone that is having problems to go to the visa office. IMO the "front line" people have been drilled to see pension statements or bank accounts with proof of pensions for the retirement visa. If you fall outside those bounds then I'd suggest showing up with a clear narrative that includes the reason for being here, your form of income, and some sort of government statement. It was my social security statement that seemed to check the box for pension and my son's paperwork definitely checked the box for reason to be here in Cambodia. And if your from the USA I'd keep in mind that they seem to think everything is like EU/Australia in terms of government running pension schemes - the idea of outside investment income didn't register, 401K didn't mean anything to them - Pension or bust.
Just as a note, the US Embassy told me they would notarize a statement from myself but what they are really notarizing is the signature - not the content of the information. So they won't notarize a brokerage statement or bank account but you can attach it to a statement that they will notarize. When I pointed out to the guy the absurdity of that he admitted its somewhat stupid but that Cambodia seems to accept it. Cost is $50 per signature.
I would use Kim again, understanding that she does things her way and may not be the most customer friendly person I've ever dealt with. She struck me as being "difficult" but an honest person that just focusses on what she views she needs to do.
Hope that helps someone and thanks again to those that replied.
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