@Wayne ******

At customs? I think you mean immigration. Customs has nothing to do with visas!

@Jonathin ******

All good. Sorry, I just thought everyone was doing it online since the system was upgraded. Cheers!

Can you not do it online?

@John **********

Come back when you've sobered up! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Tony ********

Correct, but if you combed through the hundreds of posts in the AIT group you'll find many view it as a taxpayer funded subsidy, as the welfare payments are designed for Australians living in Australia. Many welfare payments cut out when the recipient leaves Australia. This feeling may transfer to the general electorate, but whichever way it swings it's not going to be an election topic. Furthermore, there is a workaround which is simply to live for two years in the country whilst receiving the pension to gain full portability. Many are in the process of doing this. As far as the tax residency topic goes, it seems the coalition had settled on a figure of 45 days in Australia in any two year period, as well as Australian Citizenship. However, rumours from the ALP suggest this may well be increased to 90 days in each two year period. Until the next budget we can only guess.

@Tony ********

This has been kicked around for the last couple of years in the Australians In Thailand group. Anyone who believes that how pensioners who choose to live in a foreign country will affect the outcome of an election are dreaming. You have to remember that taxpayers living in Australia are subsidising Australians choosing to live overseas. The conditions will only get stricter, as governments know it's not a vote winner. The only thing we can do is look for workarounds, as many have done with the residency status, but unfortunately the new proposals will curtail many of those. The pension portability is simply a case of going back to Australia for the two years "sentence" and just biting the bullet. The AIT group already has many members currently in Australia doing their "penance"

@Tony ********

The "Resident for Tax Purposes" is another sensitive issue. Currently the residency test is outlined in this link. However, as there is some ambiguity, the last government passed a number of changes which have yet to be set into law. The changes will benefit many, but will disadvantage many others, especially those who rely on the tax-free threshold (myself included)

%20an%20Australian%20resident,your%20permanent%20home%20by%20law.

@John **********

Answer to what? What's your question?

@John **********

Agreed, but what is it do with the original question? These topics go seriously sideways don't they?

@Darren *****

I don't know about that. I know several English guys in Bangkok, all of whom receive the full UK pension, so I don't think they're ignored.