4 hours ago, ozfarang said:

I was living in Thailand 18 months prior to returning to Australia to apply for the aged pension.

I went through the same procedure 18 months ago and it was exactly as @simple1 described, no changes. The wait for me was 11 weeks to get the full aged pension after application.

Will you return to Thailand or were you asked if you are permanently staying in Australia?

Out  of curiosity did you get backpay from when you applied for the OAP?

1 hour ago, ellathai said:

Will you return to Thailand or were you asked if you are permanently staying in Australia?

Out  of curiosity did you get backpay from when you applied for the OAP?

I was asked if I will reside in Australia permanently and I advised them I will be an Australian resident. I will return to Thailand for short periods, up to 90 days at a time after my OAP becomes portable in 6 months. Subject to travel restrictions easing in the new year.

 

When you apply for the OAP , when approved, it is payed from the date of application, hence my first payment was equivalent to 11 weeks of the pension.

On 8/23/2020 at 7:59 PM, Dazinoz said:

Well I sure don't phone hoping I will get some one not helpful.

Ok. So l rang centrelink   international twice today (26/08/2020) 

First got a woman who was very abrupt and rude when l asked question 4 (called me a scammer)

Second got a bloke who was very helpful and l spoke to him openly.

 

Q1. l am 66.5 have been in Thailand for 4 years, am l eligible for the OAP? 

A.Yes

Q2. Can l apply and receive it immediately upon return to Australia.?

A. Yes There is no waiting time only processing time of about 11 weeks which you will get back pay for.

Q3. Is it true for the first 2 years l cannot leave Australia without affecting the pension?

A. If you leave Australia for holidays in the first 2 years you will not get the pension while you are out but will resume payments when you return. The time is NOT added to the two years . You can leave for up to 13 weeks at a time but he said better to play safe and keep it at the national average of 4 weeks at a time.

Q4. Is it true that to get the pension immediately in Australia l have to state to centrelink that l will be permanently residing in Australia.

A. No. After two years you have the right to leave Australia and take your OAP with you. (Retain portability)

 

All this is based on being an Australian resident for 35 Years or 420 months and being of pension age.

As stated the first call l got a woman who gave me the same answers but in a l don't want to be here today way and when l asked about returning to Thailand after the two years started saying (you already made your mind up your just scamming the system) so l hung up waited 30 minutes and rang back.

This time l got a bloke who was very helpful put me on hold to double check his answers and was very pleasant.

So there you are straight from the horses mouth.

Good luck everyone.

Ok. So l rang centrelink   international twice today (26/08/2020) 

First got a woman who was very abrupt and rude when l asked question 4 (called me a scammer)

Second got a bloke who was very helpful and l spoke to him openly.

 

Q1. l am 66.5 have been in Thailand for 4 years, am l eligible for the OAP? 

A.Yes

Q2. Can l apply and receive it immediately upon return to Australia.?

A. Yes There is no waiting time only processing time of about 11 weeks which you will get back pay for.

Q3. Is it true for the first 2 years l cannot leave Australia without affecting the pension?

A. If you leave Australia for holidays in the first 2 years you will not get the pension while you are out but will resume payments when you return. The time is NOT added to the two years . You can leave for up to 13 weeks at a time but he said better to play safe and keep it at the national average of 4 weeks at a time.

Q4. Is it true that to get the pension immediately in Australia l have to state to centrelink that l will be permanently residing in Australia.

A. No. After two years you have the right to leave Australia and take your OAP with you. (Retain portability)

 

All this is based on being an Australian resident for 35 Years or 420 months and being of pension age.

As stated the first call l got a woman who gave me the same answers but in a l don't want to be here today way and when l asked about returning to Thailand after the two years started saying (you already made your mind up your just scamming the system) so l hung up waited 30 minutes and rang back.

This time l got a bloke who was very helpful put me on hold to double check his answers and was very pleasant.

So there you are straight from the horses mouth.

Good luck everyone.

1 hour ago, ellathai said:

Ok. So l rang centrelink   international twice today (26/08/2020) 

First got a woman who was very abrupt and rude when l asked question 4 (called me a scammer)

Second got a bloke who was very helpful and l spoke to him openly.

 

Q1. l am 66.5 have been in Thailand for 4 years, am l eligible for the OAP? 

A.Yes

Q2. Can l apply and receive it immediately upon return to Australia.?

A. Yes There is no waiting time only processing time of about 11 weeks which you will get back pay for.

Q3. Is it true for the first 2 years l cannot leave Australia without affecting the pension?

A. If you leave Australia for holidays in the first 2 years you will not get the pension while you are out but will resume payments when you return. The time is NOT added to the two years . You can leave for up to 13 weeks at a time but he said better to play safe and keep it at the national average of 4 weeks at a time.

Q4. Is it true that to get the pension immediately in Australia l have to state to centrelink that l will be permanently residing in Australia.

A. No. After two years you have the right to leave Australia and take your OAP with you. (Retain portability)

 

All this is based on being an Australian resident for 35 Years or 420 months and being of pension age.

As stated the first call l got a woman who gave me the same answers but in a l don't want to be here today way and when l asked about returning to Thailand after the two years started saying (you already made your mind up your just scamming the system) so l hung up waited 30 minutes and rang back.

This time l got a bloke who was very helpful put me on hold to double check his answers and was very pleasant.

So there you are straight from the horses mouth.

Good luck everyone.

Thanks for the info.

 

Sure hope this easy when I need to apply (reach eligible age in 21 months) if I can get out thailand by then.