Moving overseas permanently
After you've been overseas for one year you can withdraw your savings from KiwiSaver, if you have moved overseas permanently to a country other than Australia.
Trans-Tasman retirement savings portability
From 1 July 2013 you are no longer able to withdraw your savings early if you have moved to live permanently in Australia.
The Australian and New Zealand governments have worked on an agreement that makes KiwiSaver accounts and compulsory Australian pension savings portable across the Tasman. The portability arrangements allow a person who has retirement savings in both Australia and New Zealand to consolidate their savings in one account in their current country of residence.
When moving to Australia you will only be able to either leave your savings in a New Zealand KiwiSaver scheme or transfer your savings to an Australian complying superannuation scheme. You do not have to wait one year to make a transfer.
A number of conditions apply to the transfers. For further information:
- read the Tax Information Bulletin Vol 22 No 10 November 2010 pages 50 - 52,
- download Fact sheet - Trans-Tasman portability of retirement savings, or
- or contact your KiwiSaver scheme provider.
How much you can withdraw for permanent emigration
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You may be able to withdraw the current value of:
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You can't withdraw:
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How to apply for a permanent emigration withdrawal
Contact your KiwiSaver provider.
If you're applying for this type of withdrawal you must include:
- a statutory declaration stating you have permanently emigrated from New Zealand, and
- evidence that you have:
- departed from New Zealand (for example, your passport records), and
- lived at an overseas address at some time during the year after your departure from New Zealand.
What happens if you return to New Zealand?
If you return to New Zealand you can rejoin KiwiSaver if you're eligible.
