SSO, an annual outing (with photo)
We must again prove that we are alive, this time to continue enjoying our pensions. So we drive, four men strong, well two women, Jos and Ardie, and two men, Otto and me, to Laem Chabang. There is the Social Security Office with which the Netherlands has entered into an alliance, to make sure that we do not cheat things by continuing to receive the pension after our death.
Last time we drove past the yellow building to return via a U-turn near Bangkok. Now Ardie leads us via the first exit Laem Chabang under the road to the right and then two lefts until we reach the parking garage of the office. We are stopped by a Thai who cannot make it clear to us that this is the wrong garage. That is why we are allowed to continue and this way we can park the car near the entrance of the SSO on the second floor.
Ardie is going to draw numbers inside, the other three will probably go to the desks, where we need to be. I am beckoned by a young man and can sit down immediately. Enthusiastically I tell him in Thai that I'm not dead. He looks at me in disbelief. He doesn't understand this. I'm not proud of my looks, but it can't be that bad. One of the girls at the desks next to his repeats my remark and then the light breaks through. It wasn't my looks, it was the wrong accent.
Within two minutes I am done with a stamp and a signature on my form. Plus a signature from me in the big SSO book. With Jos and Otto it takes a little longer, because Jos is unable to sign. The girls consult intensely and luckily they know a solution. A fingerprint. A stamp pad is brought out and Jos puts her thumb on the space for a signature. Because Ardie is about to receive her pension for the first time, her procedure is a bit more extensive, but everything must come to an end. We can enjoy another year.
Still, we can't leave yet. The head of the department comes with a humble request. Would we be willing to take a picture with the collective staff? They can then use it at an upcoming staff meeting to demonstrate how they treat their satisfied customers. Of course we have no objection. Fortunately, I think it would be nice to get this photo. That's why I give the boy my email address. See the photo below with happy customers and helpful SSO employees:
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Beautiful photo, Dick! Together with my Thai partner, I will soon be able to visit the SSO in Laem Chabang again.
The procedure there is usually a piece of cake, but I'll bring a printout of the photo as I'm sure that will make things even easier.
Why all that effort. You go to the nearest hospital (in our case Chiang Mai) and explain what you need.
A form is filled in immediately, stamp of the hospital + signature of the doctor, a few baht and you are already on your way home. Piece of cake. Have been doing this for 7 years. Never had any problems. Why specifically to the SSO ????
Ellis,
“Why go specifically to the SSO ????”
Well, because the pension institutions have made agreements with the SSO regarding the inspection and delivery of the documents for proof of life.
What you do is up to you, but don't mislead people by “advising” them to obtain proof of life in a way that is not according to the rules.
Applicants can get into trouble because of this.
Of the Dutch people in the photo I only know Dick Koger, but I do know two of the SSO officers.
The SSO procedure is indeed a piece of cake.
Ellis asks “why specifically to the SSO?”. Well Ellis that is simply following the regulations as indicated by the SVB.
I think nowadays you no longer have to go to the SSO alone, but a stamp and signature + name on the immigration form is sufficient. This form may then also be scanned and emailed to the Netherlands, SVB. Do bring your passport, otherwise checks are not possible. I did this this way last year.
Amazing these two variants. It is surprising that the SVB accepts this working method, even though it clearly states otherwise on its own SVB form. No hospital, no immi (more) and scanning and emailing is not mentioned.
This morning I also visited SSO in Hua Hin and indeed within 2 minutes you are outside again. According to the papers I received, you can now also go to Immigration to get a stamp and send everything by mail. But here in Hua Hin you have to pay 500 baht at immigration and at SSO it costs you nothing.
As it turns out, there are many roads that lead to Rome. So in Holland they also love stamps that they don't understand, but just another year.
Last year my scanned form was refused, the original had to be
be sent by post.
Sincerely,
Lodewijk
How nice to read that you were helped so nicely and well in Laem Chabang At the SSO office in the tower. I was there ibn December and had a lady who was not so friendly and hospitable. But a misery because I initially got a large part of the documents were not returned. Because according to the lady, they had to stay there. While the accompanying letter from the SVB states that only the Dutch embassy or consulate is allowed to sign and stamp or the SSO another body is absolutely not allowed. After a lot of hassle I got my documents back and my wife had to look outside where they could be copied. While the letter from the SVB states that everything is copied and taken care of by the SSO. So not nice. At my request to speak to a manager or director of the SSO office, I was able to take a seat and after a very long wait we left because no one came. It is also often a misery for people who have difficulty walking to get there and come up above
And that while we live in the digital age, via sckype and a camera you can log in at home and see if someone is still alive. And you cannot easily commit fraud with it. But yes why shall we make it easy? If it can be difficult.
But maybe this year we will be lucky if we have to go there again and we will also experience that hospitality. But so far very bad experience with that office. Sadly sad but true.
Can this form also be signed and stamped by the Dutch Embassy?
Dear Bob, first of all, it is no longer allowed at immigration and is no longer accepted at the SVB and another story is that there is still a stamp and signature on the last page
now it comes below you will find an overview of competent authorities : polite / tourist police / immigration service municipality / dutch embassy / and consulate . Who knows may say so .
For Belgium, a stamp from the local police station on the short questionnaire delivered by the pension fund is sufficient. According to the document, it had to be stamped by the Belgian embassy. This information is wrong and was a wasted trip of 1300 km back and forth for us. A stamp from the police, totally illegible was good!
The letter from the SVB clearly states that you can only have the proof of life legalized at the SSO.
Nowadays you have to send the completed form to the SVB yourself.
People have always been kind to me all the time.
For people who receive a pension from the ABP, the details are sent from the SVB to the ABP.
This is the only true story.
Should the SVB overlook things in some cases. That's another story.
Cor van Kampen.
Dear Cor,
I also “enjoy” an ABP pension, but I still duly receive a form every year. and even threatening letters with measures when I reacted too late.
In short, here too it turns out not to be as it seems.
Just want to pass on that you are champs.
Very happy with the info from Thailand blog.
Sitting for 2 months now. in Thailand thank you for your efforts.
Enjoy everyone
You not only have to go to the SSO for the Life Certificate, but also for your wife's income statement, Thai or Dutch.
The Income Statement is sent to the SVB by the SSO and you get the Life Certificate back and you have to send it yourself, at least that's how it was with me last year and that's how it was in the accompanying letter from the SVB. In my opinion, all bullshit.
I also have a Danish pension and the Life Certificate for that can be filled in by my neighbour's (English speaking/writing) daughter and sign as a witness that I'm not yet under the covers, that's all. Why does it have to be so difficult at the SVB?
Why does it have to be so difficult at the SVB?
Because the Dutch governments by definition assume you have bad intentions, hence the threatening letters if you are too late to send the requested information.
After all, we are there for them and not the other way around. This is meant sarcastically.
I believe that with a friendly letter you can also clarify what the conditions for the continuation of payments are.
E.g. We, the SVB, try to get the funds that are entitled to them and ask you to cooperate in this. Without this information we can no longer be sure that you are still with us which is one of the conditions.
Regarding the use of Skype: the SVB employee you will be dealing with must know you and then all the centralization and impersonal contact will make it difficult. A copy of your passport photo does not help, because who really looks like their passport photo. Police are specifically trained in this and nevertheless still have difficulty with it.
What the government often lacks is to explain and explain the underlying reasons for a procedure.
Kind regards, Gerard