Veterans living in Australia

Under the agreement with Australia a client can be paid New Zealand Veterans Pension when they are living in Australia.

When a former New Zealand resident is already living in Australia they can receive Veterans Pension if:

• they are resident in Australia and present either in Australia or New Zealand at the time they apply and
• they have the intention of remaining resident in Australia for at least 1 year or have been living in Australia for at least 26 weeks and
• they have had at least 12 months continuous residence in New Zealand since age 20 and
• their residence in New Zealand and/or Australia working age residence totals at least 10 years since the age of 20, 5 years of which must be since the age of 50 (Australian residence that can be counted includes residence in Australia on a temporary residence visa or a non-permanent visa and
• they meet the qualifications for New Zealand Veterans Pension except for having to meet the usual residence criteria of being ordinarily resident in New Zealand and
• have reached the qualifying pension age and
• they receive or are entitled to receive New Zealand Veterans Pension in their own right

For information on the qualifications required for Veterans Pensions please contact the Veterans Pension Centre

If the client has a partner, the partner must complete an application form and establish entitlement in their own right. If the partner is under the age of 65, they cannot be included in the client's payment.

Clients in a relationship can be paid the married, civil union or de facto rate in Australia regardless of the sex or gender of either partner.

International Services is responsible for:

• assessing entitlement
• granting and declining applications
• reviewing entitlement
• renewing entitlement and
• cancelling payment

For more information contact International Services or see:

• Commencement of payment in Australia
• Qualifying pension age