Bank accounts

Payments can be made to any overseas bank account or a New Zealand bank account. The client will need to provide full bank account details on their application form, or on the overseas details form that will be sent to them by International Services.

The overseas bank account number must be verified by the overseas bank or by the client supplying acceptable bank verification. For any country covered by IBAN, the full IBAN number must be verified. If the client wishes to be paid into a Canadian bank account then the institute number, branch number and account number must be provided. For more information contact International Services

If the client wants to be paid into an overseas bank account but does not know the overseas bank account number before they leave New Zealand there are two options for the first payments:

• make the first few payments to a New Zealand bank account (the client is responsible for any overseas transfer) or
• suspend all payments until details of the overseas bank account are known and pay arrears to the overseas bank account

Payments to overseas banks are made every 4 weeks on a New Zealand Superannuation or Veterans Pension payday. Work and Income will meet the bank transaction costs incurred in transferring the payment to the overseas bank account. Any other transaction costs are the responsibility of the client.

Note the overseas bank account does not have to be in the same country as a person is travelling or living in.

For more information see:

• Payments
• Changes to bank accounts
• Deskfile New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran's Pension rates
• Overseas pensions
• Details from overseas
• Extra help