Overseas bank accounts

Payments of Special Portability can be made to an overseas 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 supplying acceptable bank verification.

If the client will 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 the New Zealand Superannuation payday. The Ministry of Social Development will meet the bank transaction costs incurred in transferring the payment to the overseas bank account.

Note for payment to clients living in Tokelau see:

• New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran's Pension changes for Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau residents [no link find out why]

For more information see:

• Payment
• Processing standards Bank account [no link find out why]