Recovering Centrelink debts from customers living overseas 107-05080050
Expand allThis document outlines how Debt Staff can recover debt from customers who live overseas.
Repayment of debt from overseas
Customers who have left Australia may contact Services Australia to ask how they can repay their debt.
Options are:
- BPAY from the customer's financial institution account. The agency does not accept credit card payments via BPAY
- Australia Post's POST billpay (via the Internet or phone). Acceptable credit cards are:
- Bankcard
- Mastercard
- Visa credit card
- Visa or Mastercard debit card
- Cheque, international money order or bank draft
- 'Wire payment' from their bank direct to the agency’s bank account
- Garnishee or civil recovery
Note: it is not safe to send cash through the post. Do not provide this as an option.
Assistance can be sourced from the Australian High Commission in the country where the customer is now living. Always consider the cost effectiveness of the recovery action.
If a customer returns to Australia while a debt is temporarily written off, recovery will be triggered by:
- automatic withholdings if the customer claims a payment from the agency, or
- a data match with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) if the customer signs a Tax File Declaration Form (TDF)
Related links
Cost effectiveness when recovering debts
Negotiation of debt repayments with customers