Customers overseas on 1 July 2004 061-01040000

Centrelink customers who were overseas immediately before 1 July 2004 and who have not returned to Australia have the portability of their payment determined using the rules in force at that time, pre 1 July 2004 portability rules.

For customers going overseas before 1 July 2004, most Centrelink payments had limited portability overseas with a maximum portability period of 26 weeks. The maximum portability period for most payments has been reduced for customers leaving Australia on or after 1 July 2004 to 13 weeks and for departures since 1 January 2013 reduced to 6 weeks.

From 1 January 2015, further limitations on portability for Disability Support Pensions (DSP) customers were introduced. Customers who left Australia before 1 July 2004, continued to receive payment under the rules at the time of their departure until they returned to Australia or they exceeded the maximum portability period and their payment stopped. Normal portability rules apply to any subsequent departure from Australia.

A special savings provision applies to Disability Support Pension (DSP) customers who were overseas on 1 July 2004 with indefinite portability. These are customers who were either severely disabled on departure or granted before 12 November 1991 and covered by the pre 20 September 2000 portability rules. The savings provision states that payment will continue to be paid to a person leaving Australia on or after 1 July 2004 under the same conditions that they were subject to on their last departure before 1 July 2004.

A DSP customer who is covered by this savings provision can return to Australia temporarily and then return overseas an unlimited number of times without losing their savings provision as long as they do not remain in Australia for residence. Customers who return temporarily and therefore do not lose their savings provision are not entitled to any add-ons (for example, Rent Assistance, Pharmaceutical Allowance) or concession cards while they are in Australia as they are not an Australian resident.

If a DSP customer with unlimited portability returns to Australia for residence on or after 1 July 2004 they will lose their savings provision. If they then decide to return overseas, they will be subject to the portability rules which apply at the time. Unless the customer satisfies indefinite portability provisions, their payment will be portable for a limited period. From 1 January 2012 customers who cease to remain an Australian resident for DSP purposes (leaving to live in another country) and who are not exempt from the ongoing residence requirement will cease to be eligible for DSP from the date of departure.

If a customer is going to an Agreement country that covers DSP they may be able to transfer to a payment under an International Agreement when autonomous entitlement ceases after leaving Australia.

Customers overseas on 1 July 2004 and who had limited portability for 26 weeks (or 12 months if covered by the pre 20 September 2000 portability rules), were not covered by any savings provision once they returned to Australia. Normal portability rules apply to any subsequent departure from Australia.

There are no changes to the portability rules for Age Pension.

It is important that customers currently subject to the 1 July 2004 savings provisions contact International Services (CIS) if they plan to return to Australia. CIS will ensure the customer is given accurate information about the possible effect on their payment if they decide to return.

The savings provisions described above do not generally apply to customers paid under an International Agreement because the portability provisions for these customers are governed by the Agreement.

Customers paid under the pre 1 July 2004 portability rules may still apply for a discretionary extension.