@Bob ******

it's funny, I originally asked only about the weather, but I'm getting financial advice, relationship advice, life advice every time I put up a post of my own. I can see that you're well meaning though, unlike many previously. Appreciate your well wishes 🙏

I've had enough relationships over my life and one thing I've learnt is that you never can tell what will happen in the future. If I listened to everybody's advice on Facebook, I'd live a miserable life all on my own until I die. Can it get any sadder than that? You mentioned others you know, or 'mates' who's life or marriages in Thailand failed. Now you tell me they "Drank too much". It seems going by the way many speak or behave in these Facebook groups, that's a big problem for many Expats... stuff they bring upon themselves most likely. If I have a drink, it's maybe a couple of times a year, so that's not going to cause me problems. I have a hobby, photography and editing photos (mostly landscapes and nature). My fiancée and I have a very close relationship, communicating every day unless her hours of work are long and no time for much more than a greeting. She was introduced to me indirectly by a good Thai friend of mine who's lived in Adelaide for a decade or so, so it's not like she's someone I met online, or in one of those 'seedy' places in Thailand. She knows I'm not wealthy or anywhere close to it

As for missing Australia, I've already mentioned that. My only family is my siblings and none are that close to each other really.

@Bob ******

"never say never"? My parents brought the family to Australia from England when I was 13 years old, 53 years ago. My thoughts of returning to England... never!

Passport was renewed for 10 years in the last quarter of 2022. Passports can be easily renewed via the Australian Embassy in Bangkok anyway.

Your mates who had trouble getting the pension... I'm guessing that they were already living outside Australia when they reached or were nearing retirement age, which makes it more of a headache getting the pension, because they'd likely have had to live in Australia for 2 years to get portability. That doesn't apply to me, as I've lived in Australia for over 5 decades. Your mates quite likely contacted Centrelink via their general offices or phone numbers. I've read that a lot of incorrect information is given via that route. Centrelink has an International Office based in Tasmania specifically for dealing with issues for those living, or wanting to live overseas. I'll definitely be contacting that office early next year when I get my pension. Still, I've never seen anything of "6months", not in these Thailand related Facebook groups or on MyGov or Centrelink websites when I've done research. 6 weeks, yes there is mention of that on government/Centrelink pages in relation to how pensions are affected when travelling overseas.

@Stuart ********

as I said in my first sentence of my post, just confirming.

It looks like I would have two options, because I won't be flying from Australia to Thailand to get married, then flying back to Australia: 1) entering Thailand on a short term visa (Visa Exempt 60+30 days if that's still in effect when I intend to travel there, or TV 60+30 if that's available) then get married & organise an in country Non-O based on marriage. 2) before leaving home, apply for Non-O based on Retirement, as I'm over 50.

I don't want to tie up 800k Baht in A Thai Bank Account, so it looks like it'll be option 1 for me.

Can you help me with a list of requirements and the process to obtain the Non-O based on marriage?

Applying in Thailand, the 400k THB; do I have to be able to prove it came from overseas?

I am divorced, so I know that I will need an official copy of the divorce certificate, but I don't know if I will need to get this and other documents, such as my English Birth Certificate & Australian Citizenship Certificate translated to Thai language, certified somewhere.

Ning Ning mentioned needing A Police Check. Is that correct? I know that the OA and probably the OX require it, but I've not seen anything about a Non-O requiring it.

@Frank *********

I've thought the same when seeing some of your comments on other people's posts 🤣🤣🤣

@Wayne ******

thank you

@Wayne ******

I may be misunderstanding you, but are you saying that one doesn't have to prove the funds for the marriage visa are from overseas, whereas they do with the retirement visa?

As for the documents required, I'm aware that immigration offices in the different provinces have some slight variations, depending on what you need to get done. I have seen mention by expats that some of the documents that are exactly the same each year and don't need to be dated and signed each year or things that Stephen mentioned, they just use again, or make copies and use again the next year. I've not seen mention of the specific documents though.

@Stephen ******

I can understand that proof of being still married is required, which is things that you mentioned, but I got the impression that there's a few other documents that have to be provided and can use the same ones as last year.

Still, without having gone through it yet, I would think that the 'money in the bank' requirement differences would make it worth the marriage option rather than retirement. At least the marriage option only requires half the funds in the bank and doesn't require a minimum amount in the account where the retirement option requires half the funds to remain untouched for 5 months of the year.

I've read on more than one occasion that much of the paperwork for the Non-O based on marriage can be the same as from the year before, or copies anyway, saving much of the work. Is that right, or not? I plan, all going well, to be doing a Non-O based on marriage in the near future.

@Bob ******

myself, I don't have any intention to split my time/year between Thailand and Australia. Not planning to return to Australia at all actually. Neither am I planning to live in Phuket or any other place that's popular with tourists, only the occasional 'short holiday' to see different parts of Thailand. Beaches aren't my thing either, which if I'm correct, most, if not all the places you mentioned are coastal places. I'll be living in Nakhon Sawan, where my fiancée lives.

I have no idea what you're saying about the pension and "stay 6 months plus a little". Maybe you would like to explain further. As I've only lived in Australia since I was 13 years old, portability isn't an issue if that's what you're referring to.

@Mark *******

thanks, but my question was the sentence with a question mark at the end of it... about the weather in the area of Thailand that I mentioned, not about pensions.