Last amended: 3 August 2010
Some foreign countries have a reciprocal agreement with [glossary:Fa:] — [glossary:H:] — [glossary:CSIA:] [2] and for these countries a claim for a comparable foreign pension can be lodged with and processed by Centrelink. For any other country, a claim for a comparable foreign pension must be lodged directly with the country involved.
In all cases eligibility for any overseas pension will depend on the requirements of that particular country, such as residency or employment.
A memorandum of understanding between [glossary:Fa:] — [glossary:H:] — [glossary:CSIA:] [2] and DVA [3] recognises Centrelink as the only 'Competent Authority' to certify the validity of documentation submitted with claims, under the terms of Australia's international social security agreements.
DVA is using the FaHCSIA arrangements with the agreement countries because:
Centrelink provides DVA with comparable foreign pension claim packages for the agreement countries [3], for distribution to DVA claimants and pensioners.
Claims must be lodged at Centrelink, as only Centrelink can:
The date on which a claim is received by Centrelink is accepted by most of the agreement countries as the official date of lodgement of a claim for a pension from that country.
Where a claimant or pensioner is required to claim a pension from a country, other than a FaHCSIA agreement country, this must be done by that person, in writing, directly to the relevant authorities in the country involved.
The Department of Veterans' Affairs.
The countries that have a comparable foreign pension agreement with FaHCSIA [3] are listed at
https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/international-social-security-agreements [4]
Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/16878%23comment-form
[2] clikpopup://DEF/FaHCSIA
[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/%23
[4] https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/international-social-security-agreements