Veterans moving to Australia

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

When a Veterans Pension client advises you that they intend to live in Australia you will need to:

• put a future suspension on the client's SWIFTT record for the beginning of the 27th week of absence from New Zealand (you must not cancel or suspend the payment)
• suspend any extra help payments the client may be receiving from the day the client will leave New Zealand, as they are not entitled to receive these when they are leaving New Zealand with the intention of living in Australia
• advise the client that they must apply for their New Zealand Veterans Pension to be paid in Australia and apply for an Australian Age Pension within 26 weeks of leaving New Zealand (as this will affect the rate of the New Zealand payment)

Note the Veterans Pension continues to be paid at the existing rate until the beginning of the 27th week, or the date payments in Australia commence - whichever is the earliest date.

The application for New Zealand Veterans Pension to be paid in Australia and supporting documents must be sent to International Services for processing.

Services Australia - International Services will decide whether the client is entitled to an Australian Age Pension. If the client is not entitled to an Australian Age Pension, the client will not be entitled to any payment from New Zealand.

International Services will ensure that the record is either cancelled or changed to make ongoing payments into Australia.

The client must apply to Services Australia - International Services within 26 weeks of leaving New Zealand to continue to receive their New Zealand payment at their current rate for up to 26 weeks

The client will need to meet the following qualifications:

• be present in Australia at the time they apply and
• have the intention of residing in Australia for at least 1 year and
• have had a least 12 months continuous residence in New Zealand since age 20 and
• have a total of 10 years residence in New Zealand and/or Australian working age residence 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 non-permanent visa) and
• meet the criteria for the Australian Age Pension and
• have reached the qualifying pension age

If the client is intending to move to Australia and is not yet receiving New Zealand Veterans Pension an application should be taken and entitlement established in accordance with the New Zealand qualifications.

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

If a client leaves New Zealand with the intention of residing in Australia for 1 year or more, they can continue to be paid their New Zealand rate of payment for up to 26 weeks after leaving New Zealand, provided they apply for payment in Australia within 26 weeks of leaving New Zealand.

If the client does not apply for payment in Australia within 26 weeks of leaving New Zealand, and they do not return to New Zealand within 30 weeks of leaving, they will have no entitlement for the whole period of absence from New Zealand.

Clients who are under the age of 65 will need to meet the qualifications for Supported Living Payment (for the severely disabled) to get ongoing payments into Australia.

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.

For more information contact International Services