Veteran's Pension clients moving to Malta

Under the agreement with Malta clients can be paid the New Zealand Veteran's Pension when they are living in Malta.

Clients can apply for Veteran's Pension to be paid in Malta before their departure from New Zealand or from Malta. Payment cannot be backdated so clients should be encouraged to apply before they leave New Zealand.

To get Veteran's Pension paid in Malta, a client must:

• be entitled to or getting Veteran's Pension at the time they apply
• be aged 65 or older
• be ordinarily resident and present in New Zealand or in Malta at the time they apply for payment from overseas
• have the intention of remaining ordinarily resident in Malta for at least 26 weeks and
• have at least 12 months Working Age Residence in New Zealand

The client can use their periods of contributions in Malta to meet the residence qualification for Veteran's Pension.

If a client leaves New Zealand intending to live in Malta for 26 weeks or more, they have up to 26 weeks to take up residence in Malta. Clients may go to other countries before they get to Malta, but they must arrive in Malta within 26 weeks from the date they left New Zealand to be considered as ordinarily resident in Malta on the date they left New Zealand.

Example

A client may want to have a three-month holiday in the United Kingdom before taking up residence in Malta.

In this example, the client would be considered ordinarily resident in Malta for the purposes of deciding their application for payment of New Zealand Veteran's Pension into Malta.

Clients getting Veteran's Pension in Malta will need to complete a Mandatory Review 52 weeks from when the Veteran's Pension in Malta commenced, and 52 weeks from when the client's last Mandatory Review was completed.

For more information contact International Services.