Aussie Length Of Stay

[lockyv7]

Hi, new to all this, could any of you aussie guys on a DSS pension know how long and how often you can visit/stay in Thailand. I am just finding it harder to survive in this country and now i am hearing of time limits for being overseas being slashed.

Cheers.

[lockyv7]

Just wanted to add if this is the wrong place to post this just point me in the right direction, i get told where to go all the time.

[OZEMADE]

Depends on your Visa and your financial situation.

It also would depend entirely on what the Dept of Social Security/Centrelink are paying you a Pension for.

There are all types of benefits that you will lose if you are out of the Australia.

Currently after 13 weeks you lose environmental allowance and phone allowance, carer allowance and you are only covered for your recognised medical conditions while you are overseas. If you become ill from a non-recognised condition YOU PAY.

This law is to change soon and the OZ Gov is taking away these benefits after 6 weeks. This is to stop people flying home every 3 months to re-register for the benefits. Gets a bit expensive flying home every 6 weeks.

It is to stop the Dole bludgers and others from rorting the system.

Edited August 21, 2012 by OZEMADE

[Old Croc]

I think you meant to say disability allowance, not carer allowance OZEMADE.

You can only get Carer alowance (to look after someone else) when in Australia.

This should be moved fron Thai visas forum to the Visas for other countries forum where the OP will find many threads with similar questions discussed at length.

[OZEMADE]

I think you meant to say disability allowance, not carer allowance OZEMADE.

You can only get Carer alowance (to look after someone else) when in Australia.

This should be moved fron Thai visas forum to the Visas for other countries forum where the OP will find many threads with similar questions discussed at length.

No I meant Carer Allowance and it currently is payable for 13 weeks whilst overseas. This also will change to 6 weeks.

Before you leave OZ you MUST contact Centrelink and the Dept of Veteran Affairs if being paid by them, the date you are leaving and your return date.

As Centrelink, DVA, Immigration and Customs are now all linked, it is not hard to tell when you left and returned.

If any of these paying departments have overpaid you, they will inform you of the overpayment and deduct it fortnightly from your Pension, regardless of what type of pension it is.

Edited August 21, 2012 by OZEMADE

[jcw]

I cannot find it right now but I saw a long thread on the subject about three months ago on TV, if you dig around there were some good information it was also going into the pension which might be a bit different for you.

[simple1]

From http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/outside-australia

Carer Allowance

If you leave Australia permanently your Carer Allowance payments will stop on departure.

If the person being cared for is travelling with you, you can be paid Carer Allowance for the first 13 weeks of a temporary absence only.

If the person being cared for is not travelling with you, you generally will only be paid Carer Allowance for the number of unused respite days remaining for the calendar year. The maximum number of respite days allowed each calendar year is 63 days. If the child being cared for is under 16 years of age and remains in Australia with your partner, Carer Allowance (but not Carer Payment) may be paid while you are outside Australia for up to 13 weeks without the use of respite days.

[OZEMADE]

From http://www.humanserv...tside-australia

Carer Allowance

If you leave Australia permanently your Carer Allowance payments will stop on departure.

If the person being cared for is travelling with you, you can be paid Carer Allowance for the first 13 weeks of a temporary absence only.

If the person being cared for is not travelling with you, you generally will only be paid Carer Allowance for the number of unused respite days remaining for the calendar year. The maximum number of respite days allowed each calendar year is 63 days. If the child being cared for is under 16 years of age and remains in Australia with your partner, Carer Allowance (but not Carer Payment) may be paid while you are outside Australia for up to 13 weeks without the use of respite days.

My wife cares for me, I am a Vietnam Veteran on a (TPI) Totally and Permanently Incapacated. She was entitled to the carer payment and it ceased exactly after the 13 weeks.

On our return to OZ we contact the DVA and Centrelink and all benefits are restored from the arrival date. I stay in Thailand for 7 months at a time.

[lockyv7]

I think you meant to say disability allowance, not carer allowance OZEMADE.

You can only get Carer alowance (to look after someone else) when in Australia.

This should be moved fron Thai visas forum to the Visas for other countries forum where the OP will find many threads with similar questions discussed at length.

Thanks, i will go have a look in there.

[lockyv7]

I am sure that 13 weeks is the max you can be out of the country now on a DSP and there is going to be a change to 6 weeks.

Is that 6 weeks total for the year or 6 weeks at a time, is the 13 week max now for a year or 13 weeks at a time.

[OZEMADE]

I think you meant to say disability allowance, not carer allowance OZEMADE.

You can only get Carer alowance (to look after someone else) when in Australia.

This should be moved fron Thai visas forum to the Visas for other countries forum where the OP will find many threads with similar questions discussed at length.

Thanks, i will go have a look in there.

If the person looking after you is receiving a Carer Allowance and they are travelling with you overseas, they will continue to receive that allowance for 13 weeks.

If they are receiving a Carer Allowance and they remain in country while you go overseas, the Carer Allowance stops the day you leave the country.

A person can receive a maximum of 2 Carer Allowances whilst they are caring for say you and your mother whilst in OZ.

If they both persons under care, leave the country with the carer, the carer will continue to receive the allowance for 13 weeks for both as they are travelling with the career as well.

If the carer and one of the persons they are caring for leave the country together. The carer allowance for the other will stop on departure.

However this all goes back to 6 weeks very shortly, not sure of when it is to be implemented.

[Old Croc]

I am sure that 13 weeks is the max you can be out of the country now on a DSP and there is going to be a change to 6 weeks.

Is that 6 weeks total for the year or 6 weeks at a time, is the 13 week max now for a year or 13 weeks at a time.

At a time. I thought it was much more likely you were asking about disability or OAP.

[lockyv7]

disability support pension, DSP, thats what i was talking about, at least its not just 6 weeks per year i guess. looks like i missed the boat on this.

[Old Croc]

disability support pension, DSP, thats what i was talking about, at least its not just 6 weeks per year i guess. looks like i missed the boat on this.

Join the club. my partial DSP ceased after 13 weeks. I haven't bothered to try and renew it again.

[masterbiker49]

Just a bit of a heads up.A few months ago one of tony Abbotts finest was trying to get support for a private members bill to stop ANY payments,pensions etc from being payed as soon as person leaves for overseas.It did not get support but be aware of our scum pollies,u can't trust them,if thier breathing they are lying to us or stealing from us.

[ozthaisurprise]

So when i am 66 and on the Aged Pension can i go to Thailand to live and come back to Australia every 13 weeks to keep my pension going? Then after say 3 days go back to Thailand. Thx

[bapak]

So when i am 66 and on the Aged Pension can i go to Thailand to live and come back to Australia every 13 weeks to keep my pension going? Then after say 3 days go back to Thailand. Thx

If you are on the AP and go overseas you do not need ever to return to Australia. The basic pension will be paid always.. just that after 6 months you lose pharmaceutical benefits but these are restored immediately on return to Australia.

[bridge2bridge]

So when i am 66 and on the Aged Pension can i go to Thailand to live and come back to Australia every 13 weeks to keep my pension going? Then after say 3 days go back to Thailand. Thx

If you are on the AP and go overseas you do not need ever to return to Australia. The basic pension will be paid always.. just that after 6 months you lose pharmaceutical benefits but these are restored immediately on return to Australia.

Yes this is true, BUT also after 13 weeks you lose the supplement( about $700 per year).

I know this for sure because i am on the AP and staying in Thailand..

[masuk]

Just a bit of a heads up.A few months ago one of tony Abbotts finest was trying to get support for a private members bill to stop ANY payments,pensions etc from being payed as soon as person leaves for overseas.It did not get support but be aware of our scum pollies,u can't trust them,if thier breathing they are lying to us or stealing from us.

If "Doctor NO" had his way and stopped the pensions, it would have interesting repercussions, I'm sure. At present approx $2 billion is paid to Aussie pensioners living overseas. The interesting thing is that $6 billion comes into Oz from overseas pensioners living in the land girt by sea.

[weegee]

Just a bit of a heads up.A few months ago one of tony Abbotts finest was trying to get support for a private members bill to stop ANY payments,pensions etc from being payed as soon as person leaves for overseas.It did not get support but be aware of our scum pollies,u can't trust them,if thier breathing they are lying to us or stealing from us.

If "Doctor NO" had his way and stopped the pensions, it would have interesting repercussions, I'm sure. At present approx $2 billion is paid to Aussie pensioners living overseas. The interesting thing is that $6 billion comes into Oz from overseas pensioners living in the land girt by sea.

It cant happen,they have to change the constitutional laws first and when they try, they know they will loose their salary as a politian, as they will be voted out like blowing out a match....DO NOT give up your hard earned pension, you are entitled to it. You paid the taxes to receive the entitlement....VOTE!!!! They work for you, and dont forget it.

[David48]

<snip> The interesting thing is that $6 billion comes into Oz from overseas pensioners living in the land girt by sea.

Could explain that a little further please and provide the referance for your comment.

[fishhooks]

Someone may be able to confirm this further, but I read some time earlier this year that OAP people will still get their basic pension paid for up to 13 weeks of overseas travel.

The article was referring to DSP only being reduced to a maximum of 6 weeks!

[simple1]

disability support pension, DSP, thats what i was talking about, at least its not just 6 weeks per year i guess. looks like i missed the boat on this.

From Centrelink website:

You can generally get Age Pension for the total period of absence however, after 13 weeks your rate may change. It may change again if you remain outside Australia for more than 26 weeks. If you are travelling to New Zealand your rate may be affected by the Social Security Agreement between Australia and New Zealand.