There is no regulation stating that a bank must accept an indivdual on a tourist visa. It is at their own discretion.

Banks have been refusing to open accounts for those on a tourist visa since at least 2012.

Yet people could get refused at one branch of the same bank, walk 500 meters and be accepted at a different branch of the same bank.

lol. That has been the case since at least 2012.

Yet people have still managed to open an account on a tourist visa - without an agent!

Not really an issue at all. Malaysia has MDAC, which is easy to do.

@Mark **********

Genius!

@Aye ***

Thank you, appreciated 🙂

Same with Malaysia. No stamps at all on entry or exit with the caveat that you MUST do the MDAC (Malaysia Digital Arrivals Card) before hand. I done this recently and seen those that did not have their MDAC and proof of it (via print out or smartphone copy) were directed to the regular immigration check point.

Can anyone confirm if travelling to the Phillipines on a UK passport will take up space on the passport via a visa and/or entry and exit stamps?

@Nadia ********

I'm not 100% on this but the UK the minimum contribution period is 10 years which would give the right to it at a pro-rata of the full rate.

I think, emphasis on think, all you need to do is return to the UK for one day every 5 years (before 5 year is up, i.e 1 day less than 5 years) and that resets the clock.

I'm basing that on having read the withdrawl agreement. I certainly know that it applies to me and is correct as I confirmed with the EU directly via their website.





You are basically in the same situation as I am in regards to maintaining residency status. I go back one day every 5 years just to keep it active.

@Nadia ********

I am so sorry to hear that.

As a UK national with Premanent Residency in an EU nation pre-Brexit I have not been treated any differently by anyone or any organization government or non-government.

I actually benefited largely from Brexit as if I had not gotten myself under the Withdrawl agreement I'd only be allowed out the country for 2 years before I lose my PR status.

Now I'm allowed out for 5 years and only need to return one day before the 5 year deadline and for only one day.

There is the slight inconvenience of renewing the residency card every 10 years and staying for about a month or three until that is in my hand.

Have you gotten yourself under the Withdrawl Agreement?

N.B As a UK national I am unfamiliar with what settled status means.

Before you jump to Thailand or where ever it is important to consider what your pension rights are both in UK and Italy.

Your work record you could have (hope you did) take with you when you moved from Italy to the UK as it was during the time that the UK was an EU member.

I am unsure if you can take your UK work record and transfer it to Italy post Brexit, but when the UK was in the EU you can take your work record from the UK to any EU member nation and have your work record follow you.

What I'm getting at here is ensuring that you and your husband are not missing any days or rather years worked when it comes to retirement and getting at least government pension.

The UK, for what it is worth has voluntary contribution scheme from which you can pay into while abroad. You can also backdate (backpay) any missing years for a maximum of 10 years.

Although I do hear that is changing (possibly has changed already) to 6 years maximum at a time.

As far as employment goes I certainly know that you can be abroad and employed on a UK contract and pay your tax and contributions to the UK and thus be eligable for a pension from the UK.

Wheather or not you can do that from Thailand I don't know. Many of the UK tour guide and reps in Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Portugal etc and live there year round are on UK contracts.

Same with many British long haul truck drivers doing routes in Europe to the UK but living in another country.

Keep an eye on your future pension rights and perhaps sort out any work records, past and present between Italy and the UK and which country has the best pension and conditions* before you leave.

*Retirement age, does Italy give an annual increase for those that reside outside of Italy (The UK gives no rise to pensioners not living in the UK).

You have a lot to think about.

@Nadia ********

In what way are treated worse post Brexit?

Did you get your residency sorted post-Brexit? By that I mean, did you ensure that you have the same rights Pre-Brexit?

(assuming you are an EU citizen).