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We have information in different languages about Travel outside Australia
For Centrelink payments and services, you can call our multilingual phone service.
If you leave Australia to live in another country permanently, your payment will stop when you depart. This is unless you qualify for Parenting Payment under a social security agreement.
If you or your child travel for a short term, you’ll get your payment for up to 6 weeks. After 6 weeks your payment will stop. This includes when you’re going on a cruise into international waters. If you return to Australia before your payment stops but then leave again within 6 weeks your payment will stop.
In some circumstances you may get it for more than 6 weeks. This is if any of the following apply. You’re:
- studying outside Australia as part of a full time Australian course
- attending an Australian Defence Force Reserves training camp - for the duration of the training
- a widow or widower, and you and your child move to an eligible social security agreement country.
When and how to tell us about your travel
You should tell us about your travel before you leave. If you don’t your payment may stop. You can tell us about your travel plans and provide supporting documents online.
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, you can sign in now to do this. If you don’t have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account you’ll need to create them.
If you can’t use an online account, tell us your travel plans by either:
- calling the Families line
- going to a service centre.
What supporting documents you might need
We may ask you for supporting documents about your travel. If we do, you should give us these before you leave Australia. The documents you need to provide depend on your circumstances.
If you don’t give us the evidence before you leave Australia, your payment may stop when you depart. If we’ve stopped your payment, we’ll reassess it once we get your supporting documents.
When you tell us you’re leaving Australia, we’ll tell you what supporting documents you need to give us as evidence. This will depend on the reason you’re leaving and for how long.
Where to find out more
If you’re still unsure how travel will impact your Parenting Payment contact us on the Families line or visit your local service centre.
Contact numbers available on this page.
Centrelink families line
Use this line if you need help with family payments, such as Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy or Parental Leave Pay.
There are other ways you may want to contact us.