To be eligible for Age Pension in Australia, you must meet the Australian government’s residence rules.
On the day that you claim for the Age Pension, you must be living in Australia, physically in Australia AND an Australian resident.
There are exceptions if you are claiming under a Social Security Agreement.
To get Age Pension you generally need to have been an Australian resident for at least 10 years in total. For at least 5 of these years, there must be no break in your residence. Services Australia may need more information to establish your Australian residence history.
Some people can get Age Pension if they have been an Australian resident for less than 10 years. As an example, if you are a woman whose partner has died, you may be eligible for Age Pension. To get this, both of the following must apply to you:
- You must be an Australian resident for the 2 years before you claim
- Both of you must have been Australian residents when your partner died.
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