UK Things you cannot (legitimately) do if you live in Thailand

[Surasak]

It is possible to renew a UK driving licence while living in Thailand, I did it almost a year ago now, in fact 27/6/2013. The only problem I had was the dispute regarding a new photo. But because my passport is still valid until 2016 this was overcome easily enough. All the authorities know I live in Thailand so I was not trying to hide anything by using a UK address. Having sent off the relevant paperwork the new licence was duly returned to me three weeks later. So sorry to say I do dispute this particular item in your thread.

You committed a criminal offence when you applied to renew your licence and stated that you were a UK resident. It matters not that you think "all the authorities know I live in Thailand" You filled in the form, and you stated that you lived as a resident in the UK, and later signed stating that what you had written was correct. Renew your driving licence

Renew your driving licence online with DVLA if you have a valid UK passport issued in the last 5 years. Apply using your Government Gateway ID. If you don’t have one or need to re-register, you’ll get an ID as part of your application.

What you need to know

Start now on driving licensing online

• Before you start
• What you need to know
• Other ways to apply

You can’t apply online if your name has changed or if you want to renew a 5-year bus or lorry licence.

To apply online, you need to:

• have a valid UK passport issued within the last 5 years
• be a resident of Great Britain - there’s a different service in Northern Ireland

In fact I did nothing of the kind. I phoned the DVLC and they sent me the forms to my address in Thailand. I do not and have not had an address in the UK for the past 8 years and neither did I use a relatives address. If the DVLC, having sent me a replacement licence then it is they who are at fault not I. So, may I suggest you ask the questions instead of making unfounded accusation?

[JB300]

Is the address on the license your address in Thailand or an address in the UK?

I suspect the latter & when signing the form you would have declared that you live there (plus declared previous addresses if you'd lived elsewhere in the past (iirc) 5 years) and unfortunately the onus is on you to tell them irrespective of whether they sent you a form to Thailand & you signed it in good faith (The online application is much clearer on this)...

Came across this Interesting link... http://www.betterregulation.gov.uk/ideas/viewidea.cfm?proposalid=c3718894e4ee4cd385e06c0a7173e336&tunnel=bl

Nb... The Official response

Thank you for your Better Regulation proposal about driving licence application forms. Your proposal has been passed to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), an executive agency of the Department for Transport, for consideration.

You suggested that driving licence renewal application form D798 should be downloadable via the Internet. However, we have determined that your proposal should not be taken forward.

The D798 has an adhesive window to cater for the driver’s new photograph to be secured to the form. This feature could not be replicated on a downloaded form.

Also, the law requires that UK driving licences can only be issued to UK residents. This helps to ensure that people are not able to obtain a licence in two or more countries, possibly to escape the consequences of a disqualification.

In the circumstances, no further action will be taken regarding your proposal, but we hope that this has explained the position. We would also like to extend our thanks for your time and effort in participating in this process.

Edited May 29, 2014 by JB300

[topt]

Having read through all the foregoing posts I would recommend that this topic contains a very large warning symbol!

There are so many conflicting pieces of information it would be easy for someone to take the wrong message. Caveat Emptor - do your own research using the links mentioned.

One item not mentioned is that you could (and I am not sure if recent legislation has changed this) continue to pay into a SIPP the net £2880 for up to 5 years, even if you had no UK earnings, and still receive the tax rebate on top from the govt. This was according to correspondence with HL in 2010.

[krisb]

Enjoy that wonderfull English weather ...

Washed down with a warm ale.

[Thanet]

Enjoy that wonderfull English weather ...

Washed down with a warm ale.

Warm Ale? You must be an Aussie.

We call it Real Ale. We were drinking it before refrigerators, and Australia for that matter, had been invented.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Thanet

[tso310]

You can legally change your gender in the UK but not in Thailand.

Edited May 29, 2014 by tso310

[MAJIC]

Can't claim Child Benefit

Can't change your bank account or open a new one without a UK address

Can't get your mail redirected for more than two years at a go.............

Redirecting UK Mail, UK and Overseas can be done for £24.99 for each name. and choice of 3- 6- 12 months

[MAJIC]

The problem with getting NHS treatment is you lose your GP ,or you used to, if you do not use them for 5 years. I believe they try and contact you a few times before they send your records back to their Central office. It happened to me and I didn't know until I tried to visit the doctor after being back in the UK for a few months. So if you do go home to get treated for something a bit nasty , you need your GP to get referred to the Hospital obviously.

You can sign up with a new Medical Centre,with a new GP,all done quite painless,and you can make an appointment to see your new GP once you have handed in your application to Reception!

[welsh1]

Cant go up the road and get a Large Donor kebab ;-)

[JB300]

Redirecting UK Mail, UK and Overseas can be done for £24.99 for each name. and choice of 3- 6- 12 months

True, but you can only redirect mail for a maximum of 2 years

[wprime]

You can't take your wife's top off at the beach.

[JB300]

Having read through all the foregoing posts I would recommend that this topic contains a very large warning symbol!

There are so many conflicting pieces of information it would be easy for someone to take the wrong message. Caveat Emptor - do your own research using the links mentioned.

Couldn't agree more, but it is amazing what you can learn from these forums & most (serious) posters will post a link to an official site where you can validate/learn more.

E.g. 1 major takeaway I had from the UK Pensions thread was around the rules on tax for UK dividends for non-uk taxpayers, I thought I knew exactly how it worked but somebody corrected me and pointed me to the official HMRC page that explained how it worked.

Do you have a link that explains more about the SIPP rules?

Cheers

JB

Edited May 31, 2014 by JB300

[topt]

Having read through all the foregoing posts I would recommend that this topic contains a very large warning symbol!

There are so many conflicting pieces of information it would be easy for someone to take the wrong message. Caveat Emptor - do your own research using the links mentioned.

Couldn't agree more, but it is amazing what you can learn from these forums & most (serious) posters will post a link to an official site where you can validate/learn more.

E.g. 1 major takeaway I had from the UK Pensions thread was around the rules on tax for UK dividends for non-uk taxpayers, I thought I knew exactly how it worked but somebody corrected me and pointed me to the official HMRC page that explained how it worked.

Do you have a link that explains more about the SIPP rules?

Cheers

JB

Sorry no but see this extract from an email from HL and I also confirmed with another IFA company who were "managing" a previous company pension.

"Thank you for your email. If you are non-resident in the UK HM Revenue and Customs rules allow you to continue to contribute £3,600 gross (ie. £2,880 net with £720 paid as tax relief) for 5 years after becoming non-resident. However, Hargreaves Lansdown does not currently accept pension contributions from members in the USA or Canada."

This was however in 2010.

[Neeranam]

Hi, If you go back to the uk from time to time and still have a uk bank account you can set up a direct debit for the lottery whilst you're there. The rule is you can be out of the country if your winning numbers coming up but you must have been on british soil when you set the direct debit up……..

There's more to it than that, if you do not have an official UK address, I understand they will not pay any winnings over 5000GBP.

Simple, give the ticket to a friend.

[NoshowJones]

Hi, If you go back to the uk from time to time and still have a uk bank account you can set up a direct debit for the lottery whilst you're there. The rule is you can be out of the country if your winning numbers coming up but you must have been on british soil when you set the direct debit up……..

There's more to it than that, if you do not have an official UK address, I understand they will not pay any winnings over 5000GBP.

Simple, give the ticket to a friend.

Better a family member, then you will have less chance of being cheated if your number comes up.

[MAJIC]

Redirecting UK Mail, UK and Overseas can be done for £24.99 for each name. and choice of 3- 6- 12 months

True, but you can only redirect mail for a maximum of 2 years

Post Cancelled

Edited May 31, 2014 by MAJIC

[bifftastic]

The problem with getting NHS treatment is you lose your GP ,or you used to, if you do not use them for 5 years. I believe they try and contact you a few times before they send your records back to their Central office. It happened to me and I didn't know until I tried to visit the doctor after being back in the UK for a few months. So if you do go home to get treated for something a bit nasty , you need your GP to get referred to the Hospital obviously.

You can sign up with a new Medical Centre,with a new GP,all done quite painless,and you can make an appointment to see your new GP once you have handed in your application to Reception!

This happened to me. I went to make a doctor's appointment and they said I'd been de-registered. They re-registered me there and then. They don't want to de-register you. I think they have to, but they're more than happy to re-register you without too much fuss.

[MAJIC]

The problem with getting NHS treatment is you lose your GP ,or you used to, if you do not use them for 5 years. I believe they try and contact you a few times before they send your records back to their Central office. It happened to me and I didn't know until I tried to visit the doctor after being back in the UK for a few months. So if you do go home to get treated for something a bit nasty , you need your GP to get referred to the Hospital obviously.

You can sign up with a new Medical Centre,with a new GP,all done quite painless,and you can make an appointment to see your new GP once you have handed in your application to Reception!

This happened to me. I went to make a doctor's appointment and they said I'd been de-registered. They re-registered me there and then. They don't want to de-register you. I think they have to, but they're more than happy to re-register you without too much fuss.

Either course of action would set the returning Expats mind at rest,it's nice to know we still have a caring system!

[topt]

Redirecting UK Mail, UK and Overseas can be done for £24.99 for each name. and choice of 3- 6- 12 months

True, but you can only redirect mail for a maximum of 2 years

Post Cancelled

Cost me £50 for one name for 12 months. Done just over a month ago......great that you can do it online.

Edited May 31, 2014 by topt

[JB300]

Interesting news over on the UK Pensions thread... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/540525-UK-pensions/page__view__findpost__p__7909401

Tell Us Once allows citizens to inform authorities of a birth or bereavement just once – rather than contacting a series of different branches of government. It now covers:

local authorities

DVLA

HMRC

HM Passport Office

DWP

So obviously they are able to link an individual across the different departments (including Tax, Passport & DVLA) how long till they start expanding this beyond Births & Deaths (e.g. Notify the central department of a change of address and they'll update all of the other departments)?

Edited June 1, 2014 by JB300

[GOLDBUGGY]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Sell shares that you legitimately purchased unless you still hold a U.K. address.

Why not??? - one of the good things about not living in the UK is you can Buy & Sell shares without paying Capital Gains Tax (as long as you're a non-UK resident for tax for at least 5 Tax years or bought the shares after you became a non-UK tax resident)

If you're having problems with your broker, try Barclays Stockbrokers.

I agree. I know there is no problems for Canada as I have done it several times through my bank. I set up an Investment Account On-Line. You can probably do this to with your bank. If you have a Bank Card you should be able to open a new Internet Account by going to the Banks Home Page and use your card as the LOGIN, and then create a Password. I did this and I did not have to be in Canada to do this either. Did it all Overseas and through the Internet.

I don't have to pay a Capital Gains Tax, and as you said. But can't claim Capital Loses either. Their is a 15% Withholding Tax for Dividends. That is the Maximum for being Non-Resident. So there will be no back taxes should I ever return to Canada. The bank is also well aware of my status and even sends my Lettered Mail Overseas. The bank takes the Withholding Tax and pays me the difference when a Dividend is paid to me.

Owning real property back home and charging rent for that is different. Or it is in my country. In that case you are expected to fill out a Tax return regardless of where you live and for how long. Registered Savings Withdraws as well. Same applies to Government Bonds and I think Interest Earned in a Bank Savings Account. No sure about the last one as with these accounts paying less than 1% Interest, I don't leave enough money in there to claim anything.

The one thing you are not allowed to do overseas, when it comes to buying and selling stocks, is to apply for a Margin. They will not give you a Margin if you are living Overseas. Not sure why or what they can do if you apply first, when living at home, then move Overseas. Nothing I suppose, if they don't know? Maybe forced sale, if they do?

[GOLDBUGGY]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Thank you for the link, and I will explore this with vigour, However I wish to say I am a little aggrieved that you say my post is completely incorrect, When I have letters and e-mails from Cap*** my brokers in U.K. categorically stating that I cannot sell them. I have no reason to lie, and actually posted my comment in the hope of finding some avenues, which, thanks to yourself and other very friendly TV members, I have done, Thank you Sir. alt=wai.gif width=20 height=20>

Can you give the name of your broker?? I'm not an expert but I can't think of one beginning with the letters you quote.

Surely they must give you a reason why they won't sell your shares for you? As I've said it CANNOT be because it's not legal to do so.

EDIT: just saw it's a group called Capita, never mind, and they want a UK bank account. This might mean the problem is payment to a foreign, bank. If so this is very different from not being allowed to sell. I suspect Capita is a share registration service and not a real brokerage at all. I suggest opening a brokerage account and transferring the shares to it, then you will be able to trade them

Please keep in mind that Shares of any company are real! They are like currency which can be traded via Money Transfer, Check, or even using your Visa Card instead of cash. But they are also printed like Cash Money to, in the form of Stock Certificates.

Any Broker will give you your Shares in the form of a Stock Certificate, if you ask. They are obligated to do this at no charge. Not well known as this is not done very much any more. Like cash, if you get robbed it is likely gone forever. Or if it is lost or destroyed. But if you do have Stock Certificates, any Broker will also sell them for you as well and give you a Certified Check.

With Stock Certificates you can also move them anywhere. I am sure you could find someone in Thailand to do this as well. So there is never really a problems in selling Stocks. The only real problems is finding ones worth buying and selling.

[ableguy]

you can never look on your fat farang wife as some one you would like to bed after sleeping ( at some point )

With a cute Issan chick . fact.