Testing overseas benefit or pension entitlements and automatic reviewing of New Zealand benefit or pension entitlements
When you apply for New Zealand Superannuation, a Veteran’s Pension or a benefit, and you indicate that you have lived overseas your application is referred to International Services.
Updated 17 July 2007
You are required to tell us about any time living overseas or any overseas benefit or pension you can claim where this affects the amount of New Zealand benefit or pension you are entitled to. International Services will assist you to work out what overseas benefits or pensions you may be able to claim. This is called testing for an overseas benefit or pension entitlement.
You must apply for any overseas benefits or pensions you may be eligible for. If you receive a pension from an overseas government it may have an effect on your New Zealand benefit or pension.
Overseas benefits or pensions received by your partner may also be taken into account in the assessment of your New Zealand benefit or pension. The way the overseas benefit or pension will be treated depends on whether both partners receive a New Zealand benefit or pension in their own right, or if a non-qualified partner is included.
If you or your partner do not apply to receive an overseas benefit or pension you may be eligible for, you risk losing your entitlement to a New Zealand benefit or pension.
Your New Zealand pension may be reviewed at any time. This is to ensure that the combined income you receive from your New Zealand pension and overseas pensions is the same as you would receive if the New Zealand pension was your only pension source. If your overseas pension exceeds the amount of New Zealand pension you would have received if this was your only pension source, then you will continue to receive only your overseas pension amount. You can ask for a review if you do not agree with a decision we make.
It is very important you tell us before you go overseas because your payments could be affected. Payment of your New Zealand pension overseas can only be applied for in very particular circumstances after you have left New Zealand.
You can usually get your New Zealand pension for up to 26 weeks if you are travelling for no more than 30 weeks and you are ordinarily resident in New Zealand (see Residency Requirements for New Zealand Benefits and Pensions). If you are away for more than 30 weeks this may affect your New Zealand pension payment rate. If you receive extra assistance from us, this can also be affected if you are absent from New Zealand for more than four weeks.
If you don't tell us you are going overseas and your New Zealand pension payments continue, and you stay away for more than 30 weeks, you'll have to pay this money back. However, in some cases, if you are going overseas temporarily to do voluntary aid work you may be able to get your New Zealand pension for up to 156 weeks. Check with us before you go. This does not apply to extra assistance payments you receive if you are away for more than four weeks.
If you intended to be absent from New Zealand for a temporary period but you were unable to return within 26 weeks due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control, please contact us to discuss.
If you are going to live or retire overseas you may qualify for payments from us or the country you move to. Please remember to talk with us before you go as you may not be able to get these payments.
Even if your partner is included in your New Zealand pension, they may not qualify for portability. Each person needs to qualify in their own right to be able to get New Zealand pension payments overseas.
To ensure that you continue to receive all you are entitled to, it's important that you keep us up-to-date with your circumstances. If there are changes to your or your partner’s living situation, personal details, overseas pension income or you go overseas, you need to contact us.
Sometimes we may have to check information
As part of our follow-up processes, we may check the information you give us – with employers and banks for instance. We also compare records with some other government agencies.
Further information can be found at: Going overseas or moving to New Zealand
| Contact us | On… |
|---|---|
| From New Zealand | Ph: 0800 777 227 Fax: 04 918 0159 |
| From Australia | Ph: 1800 150 479 |
| From other countries | Ph: + 64 4 978 1180 Fax: + 64 4 918 0159 |
| International Services Ministry of Social Development PO Box 27 178 Wellington 6141 |
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| international.services@msd.govt.nz |
Note: When calling from overseas replace the '+' with the international direct dial prefix for the country you're in.
If you are deaf or hearing impaired you can send a message to our Deaf Link free-fax 0800 621 621.
