If a person makes a claim for a service pension, income support supplement, disability pension or dependant’s pension that is not a proper claim it can be regarded as an Initial (or informal) claim.

The following are examples of situations where a claim for may be considered to be an Initial Claim:

• written application for pension on other than an approved form,
• written advice of their intention to apply for pension,
• telephone advice of their intention to apply for service pension or ISS.

How is a claim lodged

A claim is considered to be lodged with the Department if it is lodged:

• at an office of the Department in Australia,
• electronically via:
  • MyAccount,
  • the Department's Online Claim Lodgement system, or
  • to nominated facsimile machines
• at a place approved for this purpose by the Commission, or
• with a person approved for this purpose by the Commission.

A claim is considered to be lodged on the day it is received at one of the above places.

Electronic lodgement of claims

Claims and applications forwarded to the Department through the DVA website and by facsimile machine may be acceptable as being valid claims.

The provisions in the VEA for lodgement of claims and applications authorise the Repatriation Commission to approve the manner in which claim forms and applications may be transmitted electronically.  The Commission has approved, by legislative instrument, an extensive range of claims, applications, requests and other documents as acceptable if lodged by facsimile machine.  A limited range of claim forms is currently acceptable if lodged over the DVA website through MyAccount or DVA's Online Claim Lodgement system. The approved electronic address is the DVA Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

The claims and applications lodged electronically are outlined in the Veterans' Entitlements (Electronic Lodgement Approval) Instrument 2014 (Instrument 2014 No.R33).

Where a lodged form is incomplete or unsigned, the original claim form should be returned to the claimant via certified/registered mail. This should be accompanied by a request that missing information or signatures be provided, and the form returned to the Department. Full copies should be retained by the Department in case the form is misplaced or lost and to allow comparison once the completed original is received.

Staff should not alter lodged and signed original claim forms in any way, as they may be required later as evidence in proceedings.