Australia and Cyprus - Frequently Asked Questions

The main purpose of the Agreement is assist people who move between Australia and Cyprus to get a pension from each country so that both Australia and Cyprus share the long-term social security coverage for that person. The Agreement:

• provides for grant of pension by one country even though a person is living in the other;
  
• allows the transfer of pensions between countries; and
  
• allows people to add together periods of residence in Australia and periods of contributions in Cyprus to meet qualifying periods to obtain a pension from one or both countries.

The social security payments covered by the Agreement are as follows:

Australia

• age pension
  
• disability support pension for the severely disabled
  
• pensions payable to widows
  
  • bereavement allowance (previously widowed person allowance)
    
  • widow B pension (no grants since 20 March 1997)
    
  • parenting payment (single) (previously sole parent pension)
    
  • carer payment (previously carer pension)

• age pension
  
• invalidity and work-related disablement benefit
  
• survivors' pension
  
• funeral benefit

To qualify for an Australian pension a person needs to have a minimum period of residence in Australia. For example, a person needs to have 10 years Australian residence to claim an Australian Age Pension. Australian legislation also requires a person to be an Australian resident and in Australia to claim a pension.

Under the Agreement, Cypriot insurance periods (periods of contributions) are treated by Australia as periods of residence in Australia. The Agreement also permits a person who resides in Cyprus to claim a pension from Australia even though he or she may no longer be an Australian resident.

Cypriot legislation requires minimum insurance periods to qualify for benefits. Under the Agreement, periods of working life residence in Australia are treated as insurance periods in Cyprus.

These deemed periods do not affect the amount of pension which is based only on the relevant periods in each country.

People living in Australia can lodge claims for Cypriot and Australian pensions with any Centrelink Customer Service Centre. Centrelink will supply all the necessary claim forms.

People living in Cyprus can lodge claims with any office of the Cypriot Department of Social Insurance Services.

In Australia's case, this is from the first day a person qualifies for payment after lodgement of a claim. Claims for Age Pension may be lodged up to 3 months in advance of reaching Age Pension age. If a person lodges their claim after they reach Age Pension age, then payment would generally not be backdated.

When You Live in Australia

Australian pensions are paid by Centrelink. Payments are usually made into a person's nominated bank account every two weeks.

Cyprus pays its own pensions and benefits through the Cypriot Department of Social Insurance Services.

People who get a pension from both countries, will get two separate payments – one from Australia and one from Cyprus

Temporarily Absent From Australia

People who get an Australian pension, and travel to Cyprus, or another country, for less than 12 months, will continue to have their pension paid into their nominated bank account in Australia every two weeks subject to ongoing qualification.

Permanently Absent From Australia

People who get an Australian pension, and leave Australia permanently, or for more than 12 months, will be paid their pension by cheque every 4 weeks to their overseas address. Cheques paid to customers in Cyprus are in US dollars.

To make a claim a person needs to complete a claim form and provide documents to show identity, date of birth, marriage etc. The most helpful documents are:

• birth certificates and passports (including expired and foreign passports) and naturalisation/citizenship papers;
  
• marriage certificate(s);
  
• birth certificates for any dependent children;
  
• death certificates or divorce papers if applicable;
  
• any documents proving periods of residence in Australia;
  
• any documents proving periods of contribution and/or residence in Cyprus;
  
• any documents which could be useful, for example, bank statements, proof of rent or home ownership, Taxation Notice of Assessment.