Police check for a Retirement OA Visa in Australia

[CamelToe]

A Police check is a requirement when applying for a retirement OA visa in Australia.My check came back with a DUI charge from 1982,any idea on how this will be viewed by immigration? seen as a hardened criminal or a minor transgression from the past...anyone have any experience or advice with this?

[davidge]

Unless you really want the Non O-A eg if you plan to come and go over 2 years without getting an Extension, then I’d strongly recommend you get a Non O ‘for Retirement’ instead. No Police Check, no Medical Form, no Health Insurance when you extend in Thailand. It still allows you to stay permanently in Thailand if you want.

As for the charge, it will depend entirely on the Embassy but Canberra aren’t known as one of the more lenient ones.

[CamelToe]

Oh ok the Non O sounds interesting i'll look into it....when i extend in Thailand do they keep my passport for any length of time? as i am basically one month Thailand one month Australia and so on,so cannot handover my passport for too long

If they are picky in Canberra immigration then very lucky for me for the ineptness of the Australian Federal Police as i have 4 other charges that should have come up,more DUI's and arrest for smoking pot...it was 40 yrs ago 🙂 i thought there would be a time limit on small transgressions like that

Also during Covid i applied for a retirement visa when i was locked down in OZ and the Police Check came back clear,no charges,Do the AFP even know what they are doing

Thanks for the feedback,much appreciated

[penboy]

3 minutes ago, CamelToe said:

Oh ok the Non O sounds interesting i'll look into it....when i extend in Thailand do they keep my passport for any length of time? as i am basically one month Thailand one month Australia and so on,so cannot handover my passport for too long

If they are picky in Canberra immigration then very lucky for me for the ineptness of the Australian Federal Police as i have 4 other charges that should have come up,more DUI's and arrest for smoking pot...it was 40 yrs ago 🙂 i thought there would be a time limit on small transgressions like that

Also during Covid i applied for a retirement visa when i was locked down in OZ and the Police Check came back clear,no charges,Do the AFP even know what they are doing

Thanks for the feedback,much appreciated

Get the non O in your own country.

Use agent in LOS for the annual extension and get a multi re-entry permit.

[davidge]

4 minutes ago, CamelToe said:

Oh ok the Non O sounds interesting i'll look into it....when i extend in Thailand do they keep my passport for any length of time? as i am basically one month Thailand one month Australia and so on,so cannot handover my passport for too long

You’ll get 90 days entry on the initial Non O and can then get annual Extensions based on that Visa. So you’ll need to time your trips so that you are in Thailand 3 months after you first enter on the Visa and then at the same time each year thereafter.

Assuming you’re doing your own Extensions and have the 800k in the bank etc then it will just be a case of getting the paperwork from bank etc, going to Immigration and you’ll get the extension later that day or the next day.

If you use an agent, you’ll get your passport back within a couple of working days (and they can do the extension up to 3 months early if your trips don’t coincide with your renewal date).

[CamelToe]

23 minutes ago, davidge said:

You’ll get 90 days entry on the initial Non O and can then get annual Extensions based on that Visa. So you’ll need to time your trips so that you are in Thailand 3 months after you first enter on the Visa and then at the same time each year thereafter.

Assuming you’re doing your own Extensions and have the 800k in the bank etc then it will just be a case of getting the paperwork from bank etc, going to Immigration and you’ll get the extension later that day or the next day.

If you use an agent, you’ll get your passport back within a couple of working days (and they can do the extension up to 3 months early if your trips don’t coincide with your renewal date).

Thanks for the detaled info,and can the agent arrange the 800k in your account as well as they do with other retirement visas?

[davidge]

2 minutes ago, CamelToe said:

Thanks for the detaled info,and can the agent arrange the 800k in your account as well as they do with other retirement visas?

Yes. You’ll need an account with Bangkok Bank, or you pay the agent to open it for you. That should cost about 4000 baht.

The annual Extension plus a multiple re-entry permit currently costs about 16500 baht, if you don’t have the 800k in the bank.

[SteveX08]

2 hours ago, CamelToe said:

Do the AFP even know what they are doing

This is why not all your convictions appear on a police check…

https://www.crimcheck.org.au/blog/what-shows-up-on-a-police-check#:~:text=A police check will display,classified as 'spent convictions'.

[CamelToe]

37 minutes ago, SteveX08 said:

This is why not all your convictions appear on a police check…

https://www.crimcheck.org.au/blog/what-shows-up-on-a-police-check#:~:text=A police check will display,classified as 'spent convictions'.

Thanks for that,an interesting read,i would have thought my minor convictions of 40 yrs ago when i was young and reckless would be regarded as spent,instead of following me around to fuck me up forever.

[CamelToe]

On 20/12/2023 at 18:42, davidge said:

Unless you really want the Non O-A eg if you plant to come and go over 2 years without getting an Extension, then I’d strongly recommend you get a Non O ‘for Retirement’ instead. No Police Check, no Medical Form, no Health Insurance when you extend in Thailand. It still allows you to stay permanently in Thailand if you want.

As for the charge, it will depend entirely on the Embassy but Canberra aren’t known as one of the more lenient ones.

I am looking at the Application form for a non O in Australia and they are asking for insurance though,a quote for 90 days is 6500 baht so thats not a major obstacle

[davidge]

10 minutes ago, CamelToe said:

I am looking at the Application form for a non O in Australia and they are asking for insurance though,a quote for 90 days is 6500 baht so thats not a major obstacle

Yes, it’s a requirement just for the initial visa (brought in during Covid). Other Embassies accept a normal travel policy but I think Canberra are the only ones that stipulate a Thai company?? You might want to contact Arawan Namak on Facebook and explain what you need. If you don’t mind high deductibles then she might find you a cheaper policy that satisfies the Embassy.

You will not need any insurance when you do your annual Extension in Thailand.

[CamelToe]

 

Ok  mate,you are very informative,good to have you around,thanks for that, i will checkout Arawan on FB

just another quick question,can i apply for a visa Non O,if i have a current tourist 90 day visa ,or must it have expired eg when i leave Thailand and come back to Australia before i can make an application?

[davidge]

28 minutes ago, CamelToe said:

 

Ok  mate,you are very informative,good to have you around,thanks for that, i will checkout Arawan on FB

just another quick question,can i apply for a visa Non O,if i have a current tourist 90 day visa ,or must it have expired eg when i leave Thailand and come back to Australia before i can make an application?

I assume you mean a 60-day Tourist Visa??

In any case, Australia doesn’t use the online evisa system so you have to apply in person (or by post,I think) to the Embassy or Consulate in Australia. 

If you are in Thailand on a Tourist Visa you could just get the Non O there. Yourself, if you have money in a Thai bank, or via an agent. The cost would be about 30000-35000 baht (if you don’t have an account with Bangkok Bank, don’t have 800k in a Thai account and want a multiple re-entry permit). You wouldn’t need insurance but the agent will need at least 15 days to sort it out.

[CamelToe]

On 26/12/2023 at 20:39, davidge said:

I assume you mean a 60-day Tourist Visa??

In any case, Australia doesn’t use the online evisa system so you have to apply in person (or by post,I think) to the Embassy or Consulate in Australia. 

If you are in Thailand on a Tourist Visa you could just get the Non O there. Yourself, if you have money in a Thai bank, or via an agent. The cost would be about 30000-35000 baht (if you don’t have an account with Bangkok Bank, don’t have 800k in a Thai account and want a multiple re-entry permit). You wouldn’t need insurance but the agent will need at least 15 days to sort it out.

Yes 60 day Tourist Visa i meant,many thanks for the help

[Bar4]

On 20/12/2023 at 19:04, CamelToe said:

Thanks for that,an interesting read,i would have thought my minor convictions of 40 yrs ago when i was young and reckless would be regarded as spent,instead of following me around to fuck me up forever.

I think they are automatically "spent" is all states except WA where you need to apply:

https://www.thedefenders.com.au/can-a-criminal-record-be-cleared-in-australia/

Cheers,

Mark

[Billy Baht]

On 20/12/2023 at 14:42, davidge said:

Unless you really want the Non O-A eg if you plant to come and go over 2 years without getting an Extension, then I’d strongly recommend you get a Non O ‘for Retirement’ instead. No Police Check, no Medical Form, no Health Insurance when you extend in Thailand. It still allows you to stay permanently in Thailand if you want.

@davidge is giving the OP excellent advice.

[CamelToe]

On 28/12/2023 at 19:07, Billy Baht said:

@davidge is giving the OP excellent advice.

Agrred and appreciated

[Billy Baht]

19 hours ago, CamelToe said:

Agrred and appreciated

Good luck on relocating to Pattaya!