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Depending on the type of payment or service you get, you may be able to use video chat to do your business with us.
You can book a video chat with:
- a Service Officer if you are a student or job seeker claiming Youth Allowance, Austudy or JobSeeker Payment
- an Aged Care Specialist Officer (ACSO) if you are an older Australian, carer or nominee needing help with aged care matters
- a Financial Information Services (FIS) Officer if you need information to help with understanding your financial situation.
How video chats work
Our video chats are voluntary.
We’ll contact you in one of these ways:
- send you a secure message in your myGov Inbox
- phone you to ask if you’d like to take part
- arrange a video chat if you visit one of our service centres.
If you choose to take part in a video chat, you can book an available time that suits you.
Once you’ve booked in a time, you’ll get a secure online letter in your myGov Inbox. It will include a link to your video chat. We’ll also include instructions on how to prepare for your appointment.
Only join the video chat from:
- the secure online letter in your myGov Inbox
- your Centrelink online account or Express Plus Centrelink app under Manage Appointments.
For example, if you claim Youth Allowance or JobSeeker Payment, we may invite you to use video chat to confirm your identity. This includes confirming you’re the person in one of your photo identity documents.
In the video chat, we’ll ask you to hold up the photo identity document you used in your claim. This is so we can check you’re the person in the document.
What technology you’ll need
You can use your own smart phone, tablet, computer or laptop with a microphone and a camera. You’ll need access to the internet.
You’ll know our video chat is a genuine meeting. This is because we’ll only send the link to your video chat through your secure myGov Inbox. When you click the link it will open on your device. The link will also appear in your Centrelink online account and your Express Plus Centrelink mobile app under Manage Appointments.
If you need extra support to get onto your video chat appointment, we have some online guides to step you through the process:
- Centrelink online account help - How to use video chat for appointments
- Express Plus Centrelink mobile app help - How to use video chat for appointments.
How to manage your video chat appointment
If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, sign in now to check your appointment details.
You can also use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
Your confirmed appointment will display under Manage Appointments in your Centrelink online account and the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
If you can’t make your appointment, you’ll need to contact us. You can:
- call the number on your myGov letter
- contact us on your regular payment line.
You may be able to make a new time on the phone. However, you can’t change your appointment online.