Australian Disability Support Pension

Dear Numpty,

It seems that you can travel to Philippines for up to 13 weeks and still get your DSP. Here's what it says on the Centrelink website (http://www.humanservices.gov.au/custome … rt-pension).

Payments can be paid for temporary absences of up to 13 weeks outside Australia in most circumstances.


Disability Support Pension

If you leave Australia to live in another country you will not be able to receive the Disability Support Pension (DSP) in the other country, unless you:

    are terminally ill and are leaving Australia permanently to be with or near a family member, or to return to your country of origin, or
    left Australia prior to 1 July 2004, and at the time of leaving you were told that you could be paid indefinitely, and you have not returned to Australia to live since that time
    have been assessed in Australia prior to the departure as having a permanent, severe impairment and no future work capacity. Assessment involves a review of your DSP qualification and a Job Capacity Assessment.

In these cases, DSP can be paid for the total period that you are overseas. However, the amount that you receive may change.

When you leave Australia temporarily, you can usually continue to receive your DSP payments for up to 13 weeks while you are away.

DSP may be paid for a part, or all of the period of absence if you:

    are studying outside Australia as part of a full-time Australian course, or
    are severely disabled and dependent on and living with, a family member who has been temporarily posted to work outside Australia by their Australian employer.

If you stop receiving your DSP under the rules mentioned above when you leave Australia, you may be able to get a DSP from the country you are going to if it has a social security agreement with Australia that covers DSP. However, this normally requires you to be 'severely disabled'.

If you are travelling to New Zealand, your rate may be affected by the social security agreement between Australia and New Zealand.

For more information, such as whether the country that you are going to has a social security agreement with Australia, go to Countries that have a agreements with Australia or call International Services on 131 673.

While this is possible for your AU gov in the Philippines a tourist is only allowed to stay for up to three weeks and there is a penalty if you overstay. A solution to this is to contact a travel agency to extend your tourist visa (before it expires) for another 60 days which can cost you around $100. Most of the time they will tell you that it can be extended up to 30days but really they can do it for up to 60days extension.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck.