10.14.4.20 Where People Can Lodge Claims under the Agreement with Germany

Where claims can be lodged

Claims for Australian benefits covered by the Agreement may be lodged:

• in Germany with any of the German Pension Insurance Funds,
• in a third country, with which Australia has an appropriate agreement, with the authority nominated in the Administrative Arrangement to that agreement, and
• in Australia, with any Centrelink office.

Under Article 13 of the Agreement with Germany, the date on which a claim is lodged with any of the above mentioned authorities is the official date of lodgement for all purposes. This Article ensures that people outside Australia are not disadvantaged as a result of mailing delays.

In addition, Article 13 protects the rights of a person who lodges a claim for payment with the Agency of one party. That claim shall also be considered to be a claim for the 'corresponding' benefit from the other party if information provided at the time of lodging the original claim indicated that the person may be qualified for a corresponding benefit. For the original lodgement date to apply, the original claim (or a copy, or acceptable evidence, of it) must be received in the other country within 6 months of the claim originally being lodged.