What Do I Have To Do Before Leaving Australia?

If you intend to leave Australia, you must notify Centrelink before you leave.

Some people believe that if they intend to be absent for a short period, there is no need to notify Centrelink. This is not the case. All proposed absences from Australia must be notified. You need to know if your payment will be affected by your absence.

You should allow as much time as you can for Centrelink to check how your departure will affect your payment. Most international trips are planned, so you should tell Centrelink as soon as you know you are going - 6 weeks would be ideal.

Even if you need to leave Australia in a hurry, you still must notify Centrelink so that departure information can be obtained.

How do I notify Centrelink of my plans to travel outside Australia?

You can do this by:

• telephoning Centrelink on your main payment telephone number.
• visiting your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.

In most cases, you only need to answer a few simple questions and this can easily be done by phone.