Mobility Allowance (MOB) customer going overseas 008-05060000

To be eligible for MOB outside Australia, the customer must continue to:

• maintain their basic eligibility requirements, and
• be involved in, or take an allowed absence from a qualifying activity

See Background page > Basic eligibility for all MOB customers, Standard rate of MOB and Higher rate of MOB sections in Eligibility for Mobility Allowance (MOB).

If the customer advises they are leaving Australia to live in another country, their qualification for MOB ceases from the date of departure. This is because a basic eligibility for MOB requires that the person is an Australian resident. However, a period of grace provision of one further payment will apply.

If MOB is cancelled because the customer ceased to reside in Australia, and the customer subsequently returns to reside in Australia and wants to test their eligibility for MOB, they must submit a new claim.

MOB is payable during temporary overseas absences for up to 6 weeks provided the customer remains qualified. For example, during paid holidays from work or course holidays from training.

Note: a portability extension may increase the maximum portability period beyond 6 weeks. See Discretion to extend portability period.

The customer's qualification may cease before the maximum portability period. For example, if:

• they receive Disability Support Pension (DSP) which is portable for 28 days in a 12-month period
• their period of leave from work/training is only 4 weeks, or
• their portability for JobSeeker Payment (JSP) is 2 weeks for an acute family crisis

A period of grace (POG) cannot be applied at the end of the portability period. For details about the POG, see Cancellation and Period of Grace for Mobility Allowance (MOB).

Note: a MOB Health Care Card (HCC) is generally portable for up to 6 weeks from the date of a temporary departure, subject to continuing eligibility. Where a customer exceeds their maximum portability period, the MOB HCC will cancel.

Continuing qualification for MOB must be established at pre-departure interviews. There are also annual qualification reviews.

If a customer's pattern of travel suggests they may be residing outside Australia, undertake a 'residing in Australia' assessment. See Table 4 in Assessing if a customer is an Australian resident.

Continuing qualification due to employment or training would also be in question if the person has a pattern of long absences with continual short returns. The person may no longer qualify for payment.

If the Portability Script - Departures and Returns is available, it should be used to code the absence from Australia.

The script will:

• assess the customer's entitlement to their primary payment (if applicable) while overseas, and
• record details on the customer's record.

Note: the absence will not be assessed until the customer actually leaves Australia.

A customer's portability period starts on the day they leave Australia.

For portability purposes:

• a customer is not considered to be inside Australia for any part of the day they departed Australia, regardless of the time of departure
• if the customer is travelling outside Australia on a cruise, the date of departure is the date the ship leaves the last Australian port
• the day a customer returns to Australia is not included as part of their absence as they are considered inside Australia on that day (regardless of the time of return) and therefore no longer affected by portability
• if the customer leaves and return on the same day (for example, airline crew), this is not considered a departure from Australia

If the customer's MOB is portable, the rate of MOB they were paid before their temporary absence continues to be paid. For example, a customer receiving the higher rate while in Australia continues to be paid the higher rate during the portability period.

The Department of Home Affairs generally advises when a customer or child leaves or returns to Australia. The Centrelink system uses the details to assess the portability of payments and concession cards. The assessment will happen regardless of whether the customer has told Services Australia their travel details.

Note: do not cancel Department of Home Affairs datalink activities.

Where the customer gives evidence they travelled on different dates, the agency should consider using those different dates, if both the following apply:

• the new dates are logical
• the results will be a better outcome for the customer

This most often happens if a customer passes through Australian customs on one day but the flight leaves the next day.

In many cases, customers do not have to tell the agency if they are leaving Australia temporarily for less than 6 weeks, or when they have returned from a temporary absence.

When customers do need to tell us about a departure before leaving Australia or when they have returned to Australia they can use the Travelling outside of Australia service. This service is in their Centrelink online account. If the travel or portability assessment is complex the online service will ask them to contact the agency.

Services Australia website lists when customers must tell the agency they are leaving or returning to Australia. The Resources page contains a link.