Changing the return date for an absence from Australia 061-03040040

If the customer is available, ask the new date of return. If the customer has been outside Australia long term, also check whether this return is a temporary return or a permanent return. If the customer has advised by mail and required information is not available, contact the customer to find out the additional details.

The customer may contact after using the Travelling outside of Australia service within their Centrelink online account. If the online service has already coded the absence, details are recorded in a DOC. The online service may refer the customer to contact to have their absence coded, or explore further portability for their situation.

Has the return to Australia been recorded on the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, the normal procedure should apply using the new date of return. Run the Portability Script - Departures and Returns. If the script is not available, go to Return to Australia procedures for:
• service centre and Smart Centre staff for pension payments
• service centre and Smart Centre staff for non-pension payments and cards, or
• Centrelink International Services (CIS) staff
• procedure ends here

Is the customer's actual return date to Australia in the past, including today?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, customer will return to Australia in the future. Go to Step 4

If the payment or card has remained current throughout the absence, or has been automatically restored on their return, the customer does not need to notify of their return. Do not run the Portability Script - Departures and Returns.

Any customer-advised change to the date of return should be recorded on the RSCD screen but will not have any effect on the customer's payments. The customer's payments are assessed according to the date of return recorded on the Immigration Advised Movements (RSIM) screen.

If the RSIM screen is blank, run the Immigration Datalink on the RSIMME screen. The screen flow will return to the RSIM screen.

Does the customer disagree with the date of return on the RSIM screen or is the RSIM screen still blank?

• Yes:
• CIS must investigate. See Referring inconsistencies in overseas departure and arrival information to Centrelink International Services (CIS)
• if the customer advises information should still be recorded on the RSCD screen. Go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 5

If the new return to Australia date is in the future, it may be longer than the customer's portability period:

• re-do portability decision
• re-run the Portability Script - Departures and Returns. Advise the customer of the new decision. For help running the script, see Coding departures and returns for customers leaving Australia
• after running the script, key the new return date on the RSCD screen. Go to Step 5

Note: if a DSP customer is changing their travel details, any existing portability coding on RCSD will need to be deleted before the portability script can be rerun.

Go to the Country of Residence (CRES) screen. If the departure date for the relevant absence has a matching entry on the CRES screen with a country other than Australia, the latest absence was recorded as permanent.

Was the relevant absence recorded as a permanent absence on the CRES screen?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 9

Has customer returned or will return to Australia to live after living overseas?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, customer is returning for a visit only. To correct the RSCD, go to Step 9

Has the CRES screen already been coded with a permanent return for the original date of return?

• Yes, update CRES with the new date of return. Record the correct date or receipt in the DOR field. If return is:
• more than 28 days in the future, go to Step 8
• less than 28 days in the future, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 8

Is the expected date of return to live in Australia more than 28 days in the future?

• Yes, and the return to live in Australia date:
• is recorded, delete the CRES entry. Record the correct date of receipt in the DOR field > [Enter]. Go to Step 9
• is not recorded, leave this blank. Go to Step 9
• No, update the CRES screen with Australia as the country and the date of return as the start date. Go to Step 9

Go to RSCD screen:

• locate the entry with the original return to Australia
• correct the date of return on the RSCD screen. If necessary, record the Source field. Record the correct date of receipt in the DOR field > [Enter]

Will the customer continue to reside in another country?

• Yes, go to Return to Australia procedures for Centrelink International Services
• No, see Step 1 in Table 2

Check if the customer is receiving a payment with restricted portability and that they are:

• already outside Australia for an approved reason and are requesting an increase in their specific negotiated period, or
• now advising they feel they had an approved reason for travel and are requesting payment for the time they were outside Australia

Does the customer’s circumstances match the above?

• Yes, go to Changing the reason for leaving Australia and/or the length of an approved absence
• No, go to Step 2

Is change in return date beyond customer's control?

Has the customer's return to Australia been delayed because of a situation beyond their control and will their portability period for their payment cease before they can return?

• Yes, if the customer:
• may be entitled to a discretionary extension, go to Discretion to extend portability period
• is in receipt of a payment or concession that cannot be extended, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 3

Check to see if the customer is able to have continuation of payment on their return to Australia.

If the customer has remained outside Australia after their payment has stopped for exceeding their maximum portability period:

• their payment may be restored if they have returned to Australia within 13 weeks of their payment ceasing, or
• if they were receiving a transitional rate of payment they will lose entitlement to this rate. They will be paid under the new rules upon restoration

Is the customer's payment suspended and can it be restored?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and finalise the RSCD coding activity
• ensure all actions and decisions are recorded in a DOC
• check if the customer also needs to lodge a new claim
• procedure ends here

The customer’s payment will generally be automatically restored if they return to Australia within 6 weeks of their payment suspending.

If the payment has not been automatically restored on return payment must not be restored before:

• being referred to the Special Benefit Processing Team (AOS) and
• the customer completing a Special Benefit Review form (BC048)

The AOS team will determine if the customer continues to meet the financial hardship criteria for SpB.

For details on referrals to AOS team, see Reviews and change of circumstances for Special Benefit.

Is the customer in receipt of SpB?

• Yes, and the Service Officer:
• is in the AOS team, ask the customer to complete a Special Benefit Review form (BC048). When received, go to Step 5
• is not in the AOS team, refer customer to the ASO team. Do not restore payment. Go to the AR screen and finalise the activity. Ensure all actions and decisions are recorded in a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 5

Go to the:

• Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• code the payment type in the Svc Rsn and 'RES' in the Action field
• record the correct date of receipt in the DOR field > [Enter]
• AR screen and finalise the activity

Record customer information and action taken (including reasons) in a DOC.