Been told by a guy in a bar in Udon that you can only get a retirement visa if you meet all the existing criteria. In addition you need to have the ability to
recite the Quran in Hebrew, whilst sitting in a bath of cold beans. Of course, its only a rumour.
Different offices, different requirements. Present what is asked for at IO you use.
You will get alsorts of different answers on here due to personal experiences. The differences between IO's should not exist, but it does. Its down to individual understanding of the rules. I'm sorry to sound a but negative, but that's the way it is with any government dept. over here. Sometimes it's like nailing jelly to a wall.