Retired and Going Overseas

If you’re planning to be away for 26 weeks

You can receive your New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran’s Pension for the first 26 weeks you’re overseas provided that:

• you return to New Zealand within 30 weeks and
• New Zealand is where you usually live.

If you receive extra financial help such as the Accommodation Supplement or Disability Allowance, you may be able to continue to receive this for 4 weeks after you leave New Zealand. You need to talk with us about this before you go.

Unexpected delays

If you’ve left New Zealand for a holiday of 26 weeks or less, but you’re not able to return to New Zealand because of circumstances that were unexpected and beyond your control, then contact us immediately as we may be able to help you. You’ll be asked to provide proof of the circumstances which have delayed or prevented your return.

If we don’t hear from you within 30 weeks of leaving New Zealand you may need to pay back the money we paid you since you left.

If you’re planning to be away for more than 26 weeks

If you are planning to travel for more than 26 weeks through one or more countries and have no intention of living in any of the countries you’re visiting, you may be able to receive up to 100% of your New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran’s Pension payments while you’re away.

You’ll need to:

• qualify for the New Zealand Superannuation or the Veteran’s Pension in your own right and not be ‘included’ in your partner’s payments
• be ordinarily resident in New Zealand when you apply
• intend to travel overseas for more than 26 weeks
• complete an application for payment which states the country or countries in which you intend to travel.

Please keep our Senior Services team well informed of any changes to your travel plans so we can make sure we are paying you the correct amount.

Your payment will be based on the number of months you’ve lived in New Zealand between the ages of 20 and 65. If you’ve lived in New Zealand continuously between the ages of 20 and 65 you’ll receive 100% of your New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran’s Pension. If you’ve lived in New Zealand for less than 45 years between the ages of 20 and 65 you’ll be paid a proportionate amount.

To ensure we pay you the correct amount, we will send you a form every 6 months that you must complete and return to us within 4 weeks. You still need to let us know every time any of your circumstances change so that we can make sure we are paying you the correct amount.

In certain circumstances periods you have been outside of New Zealand may be counted as periods you have lived in New Zealand. Absences overseas for the following reasons may be treated as periods you have lived in New Zealand:

• if you (or your partner) were doing missionary work on behalf of a religious body
• for special medical or surgical treatment
• vocational training
• mariner working on New Zealand registered or owned ships
• member of a New Zealand or Commonwealth defence force serving overseas
• if you (or your partner) were working overseas and paying New Zealand incometax on earnings
• as a volunteer appointed by Volunteer Services Abroad Incorporated.