Centrelink & Australia

[OzMan]

Has anybody found any good ways to deal with Centrelink? Communicating with them from Thailand is a pain in the #$&%. They ask for a document, I send it to them. Three months later they say I have not sent them the document, so I send it again. Three months after that I get a letter saying my age pension has been cancelled because I have not sent documents as requested. I phone Centrelink International, and the problem is sorted. This happens all the time. I do not believe they read anything I send them. I ask for clarification on why they cut my pension, and I get no reply. Even Centrelink International say that Centrelink can be difficult to deal with. This has been going on for three years, nothing but trouble.

[CharlieH]

MOVED TO OZ forum

[ezzra]

Centerlink is indeed a pain in the derriere to deal with as they deal with many callers every hour, i have even tried their overseas number but makes no different,

I'm surprised that you're even getting the age pension while in Thailand because Thailand is not included in the reciprocal pension payments arrangements Australia has with several other countries, if you know a way to get it i'd love to know about it too, you can PM me,

as for your Centerlink issue you need to continue to push and push...

[KhunHeineken]

3 hours ago, OzMan said:

They ask for a document, I send it to them.

How do you send it to them, by Thai Post, or scan and email?

[KhunHeineken]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Centerlink is indeed a pain in the derriere to deal with as they deal with many callers every hour, i have even tried their overseas number but makes no different,

I'm surprised that you're even getting the age pension while in Thailand because Thailand is not included in the reciprocal pension payments arrangements Australia has with several other countries, if you know a way to get it i'd love to know about it too, you can PM me,

as for your Centerlink issue you need to continue to push and push...

I have said in another thread that many Aussie expat retirees are going to be in for a shock at some stage in the not so distant future as the ATO, Centerlink, and Immigration data bases spit out the names of people outside of Australia for more than 183 days of a year.  

 

Many will be cut off, or taxed at the non resident rate, which is a killer.  

Edited March 16, 2022 by KhunHeineken

[LosLobo]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Centerlink is indeed a pain in the derriere to deal with as they deal with many callers every hour, i have even tried their overseas number but makes no different,

I'm surprised that you're even getting the age pension while in Thailand because Thailand is not included in the reciprocal pension payments arrangements Australia has with several other countries, if you know a way to get it i'd love to know about it too, you can PM me,

as for your Centerlink issue you need to continue to push and push...

Australia currently has International Social Security Agreements with 31 countries and because you live in one of the other 164 you are not precluded from the AAP. If you are eligible, ie satisfy 2 year portability criteria etc the transition is virtually automatic.
Travel outside Australia rules for Age Pension - Age Pension - Services Australia

[LosLobo]

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

I have said in another thread that many Aussie expat retirees are going to be in for a shock at some stage in the not so distant future as the ATO, Centerlink, and Immigration data bases spit out the names of people outside of Australia for more than 183 days of a year.  

 

Many will be cut off, or taxed at the non resident rate, which is a killer.  

I usually wait for doomsday predications to materialize before engaging plan B.

[OzMan]

3 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

How do you send it to them, by Thai Post, or scan and email?

I scan and upload using their app, or on my.gov web page. They receive the documents because I can verify receipt on my.gov.

[KhunHeineken]

10 hours ago, LosLobo said:

I usually wait for doomsday predications to materialize before engaging plan B.

At least you have a Plan B to engage.  Many don't.  

[OzMan]

On 3/16/2022 at 6:02 PM, LosLobo said:

Australia currently has International Social Security Agreements with 31 countries and because you live in one of the other 164 you are not precluded from the AAP. If you are eligible, ie satisfy 2 year portability criteria etc the transition is virtually automatic.
Travel outside Australia rules for Age Pension - Age Pension - Services Australia

If I understand correctly, if I live in one of the 31 countries that has an agreement with Australia, I get the full pension, not the part pension I get while living in Thailand?

[LosLobo]

27 minutes ago, OzMan said:

If I understand correctly, if I live in one of the 31 countries that has an agreement with Australia, I get the full pension, not the part pension I get while living in Thailand?

You still get full pension in Thailand but some supplements are not paid. Not sure about other 31 countries.

[OzMan]

On 3/19/2022 at 2:18 PM, LosLobo said:

You still get full pension in Thailand but some supplements are not paid. Not sure about other 31 countries.

I have been living here for three years, you do not get the full pension when living in Thailand if some of your working life was spent outside Australia.

[splinter49]

I live in Thailand also but when I applied for my Australian pension I was in the Netherlands and because they have an agreement with this country there was no problem, except I do not get the full pension.

[LosLobo]

2 hours ago, OzMan said:

I have been living here for three years, you do not get the full pension when living in Thailand if some of your working life was spent outside Australia.

You need to read my last post in context with my previous one, where I stated "if you are eligible" and where details of a reduced rate was in the link I supplied.

 

Obviously, you are not eligible for the full pension then! 

 

Not sure what point you are trying to prove!
 

Edited March 21, 2022 by LosLobo

[Artisi]

I've been receiving the full amount as calculated for an OAP outside Australia for the past 12 years, any residence you have in Oz reduces the amount plus you miss out of the fring benifits you would receive in Oz. Never had any problems, was asked once by the international dept for the past years tax returns that I do each year - with a thank you email after sending the info. Just 2 days ago I received a "proof of life" form to be completed - made me feel all warm and fuzzy that someone was interested in my well-being ????

 

 

 

 

[simple1]

On 3/16/2022 at 4:43 PM, ezzra said:

Centerlink is indeed a pain in the derriere to deal with as they deal with many callers every hour, i have even tried their overseas number but makes no different,

I'm surprised that you're even getting the age pension while in Thailand because Thailand is not included in the reciprocal pension payments arrangements Australia has with several other countries, if you know a way to get it i'd love to know about it too, you can PM me,

as for your Centerlink issue you need to continue to push and push...

A criteria for obtaining Oz Old Age Pension is you would need to return to Oz to apply, plus live onshore for two years for portability elegibility.

[Artisi]

33 minutes ago, simple1 said:

A criteria for obtaining Oz Old Age Pension is you would need to return to Oz to apply, plus live onshore for two years for portability elegibility.

That's it, you must be in Aust. to apply, remain there for a minimum of 2 years before portability kicks in. If you move off-shore all the fringe benefits are lost, all Australian assets are factored in and your pension will more than likely reduce, plus the tax laws for non-residents currently being discussed elsewhere will more than likely happen very shortly. 

[Lucky Bones]

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

A criteria for obtaining Oz Old Age Pension is you would need to return to Oz to apply, plus live onshore for two years for portability elegibility.

Thanks. Any idea when living in Aus for those 2 years if small O/S trips allowed?

Thinking trip back to Thai to extend retirement visa.

Cheers

[simple1]

2 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Thanks. Any idea when living in Aus for those 2 years if small O/S trips allowed?

Thinking trip back to Thai to extend retirement visa.

Cheers

Yes - can go overseas for short stays. 

[Artisi]

5 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Thanks. Any idea when living in Aus for those 2 years if small O/S trips allowed?

Thinking trip back to Thai to extend retirement visa.

Cheers

Yes and no, there are rules but long past for me and things change, so you would need to check it out carefully. 

[seajae]

the only contact I have with them is through the "my gov" web site, I can send any required paperwork etc through it as it is secured to me  after I log in, to be honest I rarely have to do anything with them, it is centrelink as well as medicare etc so everything in the one place.

[Lucky Bones]

32 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Yes and no, there are rules but long past for me and things change, so you would need to check it out carefully. 

Thanks. Sadly it is near impossible to determine the rules unless visiting a Centrelink office in person. The internet is purposefully vague and the call centre people have basic cheat sheets only for general questions. Expat queries are not in the cheat sheet priorities.

I haven't had a valid Medicare card for over 7 years as I have to front up personally to a Centrelink Office to renew it.

I'll get back to Aus (hopefully) next year and attempt to build a one-on-one rapport.

[Artisi]

22 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

Thanks. Sadly it is near impossible to determine the rules unless visiting a Centrelink office in person. The internet is purposefully vague and the call centre people have basic cheat sheets only for general questions. Expat queries are not in the cheat sheet priorities.

I haven't had a valid Medicare card for over 7 years as I have to front up personally to a Centrelink Office to renew it.

I'll get back to Aus (hopefully) next year and attempt to build a one-on-one rapport.

Contact the section that looks after us guys overseas, not sure what they are called maybe "International" section, they are based in Hobart - they usually have all the answers straight off. 

 

 

[Lucky Bones]

26 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Contact the section that looks after us guys overseas, not sure what they are called maybe "International" section, they are based in Hobart - they usually have all the answers straight off. 

 

 

Cheers, if you or anyone has any numbers/e-mail addresses feel free to PM me.

Appreciated. 

[simple1]

3 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Cheers, if you or anyone has any numbers/e-mail addresses feel free to PM me.

Appreciated. 

Centrelink international toll free call number from Thailand:

 

001 800 611 4136

Edited March 26, 2022 by simple1

[whereyougo]

Some people are just thick. send it and then CONFIRM in weeks not 3 months.

The call is free and your a pensioner its not like you have anything else occupying preciouses time ????

[seajae]

On 3/26/2022 at 3:23 PM, Lucky Bones said:

Thanks. Sadly it is near impossible to determine the rules unless visiting a Centrelink office in person. The internet is purposefully vague and the call centre people have basic cheat sheets only for general questions. Expat queries are not in the cheat sheet priorities.

I haven't had a valid Medicare card for over 7 years as I have to front up personally to a Centrelink Office to renew it.

I'll get back to Aus (hopefully) next year and attempt to build a one-on-one rapport.

same here, they would not renew my medicare card unless I fronted up and gave them an aussie address.

[Lucky Bones]

14 minutes ago, seajae said:

same here, they would not renew my medicare card unless I fronted up and gave them an aussie address.

Cheers. It makes final planning a tad difficult with all of the travel hoo-ha's at the moment.

Never mind. I'm sure it will all end up roughly as I have been planning for.

[KhunHeineken]

On 3/26/2022 at 7:23 PM, Lucky Bones said:

Thanks. Sadly it is near impossible to determine the rules unless visiting a Centrelink office in person. The internet is purposefully vague and the call centre people have basic cheat sheets only for general questions. Expat queries are not in the cheat sheet priorities.

I haven't had a valid Medicare card for over 7 years as I have to front up personally to a Centrelink Office to renew it.

I'll get back to Aus (hopefully) next year and attempt to build a one-on-one rapport.

Do you have private health insurance in Thailand?  

 

I would feel quite vulnerable without private health insurance, and Medicare as a back up.  

 

I thought there was a qualifying period when returning to Australia for Medicare.  

[Lucky Bones]

4 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Do you have private health insurance in Thailand?  

 

I would feel quite vulnerable without private health insurance, and Medicare as a back up.  

 

I thought there was a qualifying period when returning to Australia for Medicare.  

Yes. I have good private cover throo a international mob for here, and as I understand it, Aus as well.

Naturally I will be double, triple checking these things.

I do recall reading on a web site that a 6 month wait is required for Medicare.

Australia....treating ex-pats like lepers?

Cheers