If you travel overseas

If you're out of New Zealand for up to 26 weeks, your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension continues to be paid for a maximum of 26 weeks as long as you:

• are back in NZ within 30 weeks, and
• continue to normally live in NZ.

Work and Income recommend you contact them if you:

• are going overseas for more than 28 days, or
• don't know when you'll return, or
• are planning to have more than 1 overseas trip in a year.

You can fill out an online form or contact them by phone or email.

Overseas travel dates online

Freephone: 0800 552 002 (NZ only)

Email: seniors@msd.govt.nz

Delays

Remember to contact Work and Income if something happens while you're away, such as an accident or illness, that means you'll be out of NZ for more than 26 weeks.

Other Work and Income support

If you receive extra assistance from Work and Income — such as the Disability Allowance, Accommodation Supplement or Temporary Additional Support — you may be able to keep getting these for the first 28 days you’re overseas.

Contact Work and Income to ask about this 2 weeks before you leave the country. You’ll need your client number and your departure date.

Overseas travel dates online

Freephone: 0800 552 002 (NZ only)

Email: seniors@msd.govt.nz

If you’ll be away for longer than 26 weeks, you can apply to keep getting your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension paid while you’re overseas.

How to apply

Download and complete the Application for New Zealand payments overseas form, and contact Work and Income to arrange a meeting with them.

Application for New Zealand payment overseas (PDF 100KB) 

Freephone: 0800 552 002 (NZ only)

Phone: +64 4 978 1180

Email: seniors@msd.govt.nz

You'll need to bring your application form and:

• your passport
• another form of ID, such as your driver licence
• your travel itinerary or tickets.

You can choose whether your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension continues to be paid into your NZ bank account or into an overseas bank account. Bring in your bank account details — such as a bank deposit slip or bank statement — if you want to change the account.

How much you'll get

This depends on how long you lived in New Zealand between the ages of 20 and 65. It's calculated by the number of months that you lived in NZ during that time — up to a maximum of 540 months (45 years).

For example, if you lived in NZ for 25 years — which is 300 months — you'll get 300/540ths of your NZ Super. If you lived in NZ for 45 years you'll get the full rate you're entitled to.

You can't get the 'single, living alone' rate if you're travelling outside NZ for more than 26 weeks — instead you'll receive the 'single sharing' rate, which is slightly less.

Any extra assistance you get from Work and Income, such as the Accommodation Supplement, Disability Allowance or Temporary Additional Support stops.

Superannuation payment rates

Including your partner in your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

If you're going overseas to do voluntary work for a recognised aid agency — such as the Red Cross, Volunteer Services Abroad or World Vision — you can get your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension paid for up to 156 weeks (3 years). You must be:

• volunteering full-time
• unpaid.

Missionary work

Work and Income generally doesn't see missionary work as the same as humanitarian work. If you go overseas to do missionary work, you can receive your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension for 26 weeks, as long as you're back in New Zealand within 30 weeks.

If you're going to be away for longer than 26 weeks and you want to continue to get your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension, you need to apply at least 6 weeks before you leave New Zealand. Contact Work and Income.

Freephone: 0800 552 002 (NZ only)

Phone: +64 4 978 1180

Email: seniors@msd.govt.nz

If you're going overseas for health treatment that the Ministry of Health is paying for, you can apply to have your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension continue for up to 2 years.

You can also apply if you're going overseas to support a partner, sibling or dependent child as they undergo medical treatment. You'll need proof from the Ministry of Health of your illness or that your partner, sibling or child needs you to be with them.