When can you use your plan outside Australia for more than 6 weeks?

In some situations, we can give you a longer grace period. If you think you’ll be outside Australia for more than 6 weeks and need to use your funding, contact us . We’ll let you know whether we’ll extend the grace period.

If you know you’ll be overseas for more than 6 weeks, it’s a good idea to contact us before you leave Australia. Let us know:

• how long you think you’ll be overseas
• why you’re going overseas
• what supports you need when you’re overseas
• why you need NDIS funding for your supports.

There are some things we need to consider for everyone who will be outside Australia for more than 6 weeks. This includes if you’re on an extended holiday for more than 6 weeks.  

When we decide if we’ll extend the grace period, and for how long, we consider: 

• how long you’ll be outside Australia
• what supports you’re receiving through your plan
• if you can still get supports while you’re outside Australia, and if we can help you find these supports
• if we can keep in touch with you while you’re outside Australia
• if we previously decided to extend the grace period
• if denying your request would cause you ‘undue hardship’ – that is, it would make your situation overseas much more difficult, to a level that’s not fair or reasonable.

In what specific situations will we usually extend the grace period?

We’ll usually extend the grace period if you’ll be overseas for: 

• humanitarian reasons, such as foreign aid
• one of the reasons below.

When we decide if we’ll extend the grace period, and for how long, we consider different things depending on the reason you’ll be overseas.

If the reasons below apply to a ‘family member’, this usually means a:

• husband or wife
• ex-husband or ex-wife
• de facto partner or former de facto partner
• child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling
• child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a spouse or de facto partner
• step-relative, such as step-parents and step-children
• adopted immediate family member.

If you’re studying overseas or doing an exchange study program

We consider how long the course goes for. The overseas study needs to be either: 

• part of a course you’re doing in an Australian high school, TAFE or other training, or university
• part of a recognised program of international exchanges, such as an exchange semester during university.

If you or a family member need to work overseas for a short period

We consider how long you or a family member need to work overseas.  

If you or a family member are in the Army, Navy or Air Force Reserve forces

If you or a family member are in the Army, Navy or Air Force Reserve forces , we consider how long you or a family member need to be deployed overseas. 

If you need medical treatment or therapy that’s not available in Australia

We consider how long your treatment will take. We also allow a reasonable period of time for you to recover after your treatment or therapy. 

If you can’t come back to Australia for a reason you can’t control

We consider how much time is reasonable to allow you to return to Australia. 

Some of the reasons you can’t control while you’re overseas include if you or a family member: 

• are involved in a serious accident
• become seriously ill
• are hospitalised
• are the victim of a serious crime
• are a party to custody proceedings
• need to stay overseas because of criminal proceedings, for example if you’re involved or are a witness in a criminal trial.

Or there might be a situation that affects everyone in the area, including:

• war, industrial action, or social or political unrest you’re not willingly participating in 
• natural disasters, such as earthquakes, bushfires, floods or cyclones 
• border restrictions you can’t control, for example due to travel advice or a pandemic.