Ordinarily resident in SSA country when you apply for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

You may be ordinarily resident in a country NZ has a Social Security Agreement (SSA) with when you apply. If so, there are extra criteria you need to meet to get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension.

Definition of ordinarily resident

Ordinarily resident means you:

are normally and lawfully in an SSA country
intend to stay in that SSA country, and
consider that SSA country to be your home.

How we decide if someone is ordinarily resident

Living in Australia but not ordinarily resident

If you're living in Australia but not ordinarily resident there, you may still qualify. You need to meet the extra criteria (listed further down the page), and either:

have been physically present in Australia for at least 26 weeks, or
intend to remain physically present in Australia for 1 year from when you apply.

Ordinarily resident in the UK

If you're ordinarily resident in the UK when you apply, you cannot get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension.

You may be able to get a UK benefit or pension instead under the UK Social Security Agreement

Extra criteria you need to meet

Select the SSA country you're ordinarily resident in to find out what extra criteria you need to meet.

You need to:

meet the criteria for Australian Age Pension (this includes the age criteria which is age 67)
be either:
- an NZ citizen and have a Special Category visa
- an Australian citizen, or
- an Australian permanent resident
be in Australia when you apply, and
have been resident in New Zealand for at least 1 year continuously from age 20.

Who can get Australian Age Pension - Services Australia

What we mean by 'resident in New Zealand'

When we say 'resident in NZ', we mean you permanently made your home in NZ. This definition is part of the definition of 'have lived in NZ'.

Definition of 'have lived in NZ' for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

You need to:

be in Canada or New Zealand when you apply
intend to remain ordinarily resident in Canada for at least 26 weeks from when you apply, and
have been resident in New Zealand for at least 1 year continuously from age 20.

What we mean by 'resident in New Zealand'

When we say 'resident in NZ', we mean you permanently made your home in NZ. This definition is part of the definition of 'have lived in NZ'.

Definition of 'have lived in NZ' for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

You need to:

be in Denmark or New Zealand when you apply
intend to remain ordinarily resident in Denmark for at least 26 weeks from when you apply, and
have been resident in New Zealand for at least 1 year continuously from age 20.

What we mean by 'resident in New Zealand'

When we say 'resident in NZ', we mean you permanently made your home in NZ. This definition is part of the definition of 'have lived in NZ'.

Definition of 'have lived in NZ' for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

You need to:

be in Ireland or New Zealand when you apply
intend to remain ordinarily resident in Ireland for at least 26 weeks from when you apply, and
have been resident in New Zealand for at least 1 year continuously from age 20.

What we mean by 'resident in New Zealand'

When we say 'resident in NZ', we mean you permanently made your home in NZ. This definition is part of the definition of 'have lived in NZ'.

Definition of 'have lived in NZ' for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

You need to:

be in the Netherlands or New Zealand when you apply
intend to remain ordinarily resident in the Netherlands for at least 26 weeks from when you apply, and
have been resident in New Zealand for at least 1 year continuously from age 20.

What we mean by 'resident in New Zealand'

When we say 'resident in NZ', we mean you permanently made your home in NZ. This definition is part of the definition of 'have lived in NZ'.

Definition of 'have lived in NZ' for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

You need to:

be in South Korea or New Zealand when you apply
intend to live in South Korea for at least 26 weeks from when you apply, and
have been resident in New Zealand for at least 1 year continuously between ages 20 and 65.

What we mean by 'resident in New Zealand'

When we say 'resident in NZ', we mean you permanently made your home in NZ. This definition is part of the definition of 'have lived in NZ'.

Definition of 'have lived in NZ' for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension