10.25.4.20 Where People can Lodge Claims under the Agreement with Finland

Where claims can be lodged

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

• in Australia, at any Centrelink office, or
• in Finland, with any of the Finnish pension institutions, and
• requests on certificate of coverage matters can only be made at the ATO or any of the Finnish pension institutions in Finland.

Under Article 17, paragraph 2 of the Agreement, the date on which a claim is lodged with either of the above-mentioned authorities is the official date of lodgement for all purposes. This ensures that people outside Australia and Finland are not disadvantaged as a result of mailing delays.

Article 17, paragraph 4 allows a claim for benefit under the legislation of a party to also be considered as a claim for the 'corresponding' benefit from the other party provided that:

• the claim is received by the other party within 12 months of the original claim being lodged, and
• the applicant stated on the original claim an affiliation with the other country.

Finnish domestic legislation states that the Finnish pension institutions have to pay a penalty (an interest rate calculation) if a claim for Finnish pension is not processed within 3 months. Article 17, paragraph 5 ensures that this 3 month period does not commence until the claim reaches the Finnish pension institution.