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Social Security Act 2018

Obligations - Beneficiaries’ obligations - Specific obligations: notification of absence from New Zealand

114: Obligation to notify absence from New Zealand

You could also call this:

“You must tell MSD before you leave New Zealand if you get most types of benefits”

If you receive a benefit from the government, you need to tell MSD (Ministry of Social Development) before you leave New Zealand. This is important because they need to know when you’re going to be away from the country.

But you don’t need to tell MSD if you’re leaving New Zealand and you only get one of these types of payments:

  • The winter energy payment
  • New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran’s Pension
  • A pension or benefit from Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand
  • A payment that comes from an agreement New Zealand has with another country

These special types of payments have different rules, so you don’t need to worry about telling MSD if you’re going away.

Remember, for all other benefits, you should always let MSD know before you travel overseas.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783343.

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Part 3 Obligations
Beneficiaries’ obligations: Specific obligations: notification of absence from New Zealand

114Obligation to notify absence from New Zealand

  1. A beneficiary who intends to be absent from New Zealand must before leaving New Zealand notify MSD of the beneficiary’s intended absence.

  2. However, subsection (1) does not apply to a person who receives a benefit payable under—

  3. subpart 11 of Part 2 (winter energy payment); or
    1. sections 21 to 35 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001; or
      1. sections 176 to 196 of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014; or
        1. any reciprocity agreement with another country adopted by an order made under section 380.

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