Living overseas
If you go overseas to live, or already live overseas, you may be able to get part or all of certain benefits or pensions. These may be from New Zealand, the country you've moved to, or both.
Living overseas usually means moving to another country permanently or spending more time overseas than here, but sometimes even a short time away can be counted as ‘living overseas’. You must discuss your plans with our International Services team before you leave the country. This can help prevent problems later on.
You must contact us before you travel
The rules for getting benefits or pensions when you travel can be complex but we're here to help.
We can explain how the rules affect you and help you get your correct entitlement. You must contact us before you leave New Zealand. If you don't let us know before you leave New Zealand, you may not be able to get benefit or pension payments overseas and you may miss out on payments.
Getting New Zealand war pensions, allowances or grants
You can get most war pensions, allowances or grants paid overseas.
Contact our Veteran's Pension Centre team about Veteran's Pension. For more information about other war pensions, allowances or grants please contact Veterans' Affairs New Zealand (VANZ).
War allowances and grants
There are a number of special allowances and grants for veterans and their relatives.
Getting other New Zealand benefits
The rules for getting New Zealand benefits paid overseas depend on whether New Zealand has a social security agreement with that country or not.
Countries without social security agreements with New Zealand
Generally, unless New Zealand has a social security agreement with the country you're going to live in, you can't get a benefit payment from us.
You may however be able to get benefits or pensions from that country. You'll need to contact their agency responsible for benefits and pensions about this.
Countries with social security agreements with New Zealand
If you move to a country that has a social security agreement with New Zealand, and you're on certain types of income support, you may be able to take part or all of your payments with you or get payments from that country.
In some cases you can apply for these payments from overseas but we strongly recommend that you contact our International Services team before you travel. They specialise in international social security and can explain the rules to help prevent problems later on.
In some cases if you don’t tell International Services about your travel plans before you leave you'll miss out on payments.
The rules are different for each agreement country so please refer to the guide for the country you're going to.
International Social Security Agreements (Dutch text) (PDF 96.1KB)
A guide to New Zealand's social security agreements with other countries.
Extra income support
If you live overseas, we can't give you extra income support such as the Disability Allowance or Accommodation Supplement.
You may be able to get extra help from the country you move to. You'll need to ask about this at the agency responsible for benefits and pensions in that country.
Getting benefits from other countries
You may be able to get benefits from the country you move to or already live in.
Countries that have social security agreements with New Zealand
The social security agreements that New Zealand has with some countries may make it easier for you to get benefits or pensions from New Zealand, that country or both.
New Zealand has social security agreements with a number of countries. The rules are different for each agreement country so please refer to the guide for the country you're going to.
Decisions about income support
If you move to another country, any decisions about that country's income support are made by the social security agency of that country. If you disagree with a decision they make, you need to contact them about it.
Overseas entitlements may affect New Zealand payments
If you get a New Zealand benefit or pension and can get a state social security benefit or pension from another country, you must apply for it. This is because your New Zealand payments may be reduced by the amount you're entitled to get from the overseas country or countries. It depends on the country you go to live in.
Contact our International Services team and they will help you check your overseas state social security benefit and pension entitlements and explain your options.
Testing overseas benefit or pension entitlements and automatic reviewing of New Zealand benefit or pension entitlements (RTF 57.39KB)
A guide to how your, or your spouse or partner's, entitlements to overseas benefits or pensions affect your New Zealand benefit or pension.
Treatment of overseas pensions or benefits in New Zealand (PDF 181.23KB)
How your overseas pensions or benefits are treated in New Zealand.
Returning to New Zealand
If you return to New Zealand for a short time or on holiday, any payments you already get from us don't change.
If you get a benefit or pension from us, and you intend to return to New Zealand permanently, you need to contact our International Services team so they can make sure you get your correct entitlement.
How to apply to get your benefit payments paid overseas
You must apply for your New Zealand payments before you go overseas unless you are going to Australia or the United Kingdom.
Applying from New Zealand
To apply in New Zealand for payments overseas, you need to arrange a meeting with us at least four to six weeks before you leave New Zealand. To do this, please contact us.
You, and your spouse or partner, will need to bring your passport, another form of identification and your travel itinerary or tickets to that meeting.
Applying from overseas
In most cases you can only apply from overseas from countries that have social security agreements with New Zealand.
For Australia and the United Kingdom you need to apply when you get there through either:
- Australia: Centrelink Australia
- United Kingdom: United Kingdom Department for Work and Pensions
For the following countries you can contact their social services organisations to complete a New Zealand application form:
- Canada
- Denmark
- Greece
- Republic of Ireland
- Jersey
- Guernsey
- The Netherlands
Social service contact details for these countries are listed in our brochure:
Our International Services team specialise in international social security. They are the best people to contact for questions about travelling overseas. We strongly suggest you contact them before you travel. They can explain the rules so you’ll know what to expect.
In some cases, if you don't tell International Services about your travel plans before you leave New Zealand, you will miss out on payments.
For more information
These pages are a guide only. For more information you may like to read the following or contact our International Services team.
Are you going overseas? (PDF 310.66KB)
A guide to what happens with your income support.
Retired and going overseas (PDF 280.92KB)
A guide to receiving New Zealand Superannuation or the Veteran’s Pension overseas.
Guides for getting benefits or pensions
Guides to getting benefits or pensions from countries that have social security agreements with New Zealand.
Download in PDF format:
Download in RTF format:
Contact us
Everyone's situation is different. We're here to help if you need it.
Our International Services team specialise in international social security agreements. They are the best people to contact for questions about living overseas. We strongly suggest you contact them before you travel. They can explain the rules so you’ll know what to expect.
In some cases if you don’t tell International Services about your travel plans before you leave you'll miss out on payments.
Although we may refer you to International Services for some questions, please contact us if you:
- would like assistance
- aren't sure if you can get assistance
- are struggling to support yourself or your family
- would like more information.