Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) — Withdraw Super After Leaving
The Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) is the statutory pathway by which a departed former temporary resident withdraws their accumulated Australian super.
Eligibility requires that the temporary visa has ceased, the claimant has physically departed Australia, holds no other active Australian visa, and is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. Withholding is tri-component: 35% on the taxed element, 45% on the untaxed element, 0% on the tax-free component, with a single 65% rate replacing the standard rates where the claimant ever held a Subclass 417 or 462 Working Holiday Maker visa.
Estimated time
About 30-60 minutes to complete the DASP online application once super-fund details and passport are at hand; super-fund payment generally within 28 days of a complete application, four to six weeks for ATO-held balances
Cost
A$0 - A$55.77
What You Need
Tap to check off items as you gather them
Additional Items
- Withholding composition (statutory, deducted by the super fund or ATO from the gross balance; not a fee added in addition): 35% on the taxed element of the taxable component, 45% on the untaxed element of the taxable component, 0% on the tax-free component for standard non-WHM claimants. A single 65% rate replaces those standard rates for the entire taxable component where the claimant ever held a Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) or Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visa during the period the super accumulated. The tax-free component is returned without withholding in all cases. Rates have been stable since 1 July 2017.
- Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings (OTE) effective 1 July 2025, described by the ATO as the final scheduled increase under current law. This is the employer-funded contribution rate against which the DASP-claimable balance accumulates for temporary residents working in Australia.
- Super fund paper-application fee for a NAT 7204 lodgement is fund-discretionary — the ATO publishes that the fund may charge a fee depending on the value of the super money, without setting a statutory cap. Ask the fund for the fee in writing before lodging paper. The DASP online application path carries no ATO or super-fund fee.
- Section 20C six-month trigger: if no DASP claim is lodged within six months of departure and visa cessation, the super fund transfers the balance to the ATO as unclaimed super money under section 20C of the Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999. The claim then runs against the ATO, processing takes four to six weeks rather than 28 days, and international money transfer is no longer available for the payment.
- ATO-held super accrues Consumer Price Index (CPI) linked interest under current Treasury policy. This is an addition to the balance, not a cost.
Step-by-Step
- 1
Collect super-fund details before leaving Australia
- List every super fund holding a balance for the claimant. Most temporary residents accumulate multiple accounts through different employers' default funds
- Capture each fund's Australian Business Number (ABN) and the claimant's member account number with the fund
- Note the Tax File Number (TFN) — optional in the DASP application itself, but it lets the DASP online system search for and display super accounts automatically
- Confirm an Australian bank account in the claimant's name is open and will remain open for several months after departure
💡 Tip: Generally, you can claim a DASP if you accumulated super while working in Australia on a temporary resident visa, your visa has ceased to be in effect (expired or cancelled), you have left Australia and do not hold any other active Australian visa, and you are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia.
- 2
Start the DASP online application via the ATO
- Open the ATO DASP online application system. The application can be started while still in Australia and saved between sessions
- Enter passport details exactly as they appear on the passport — name spelling, date of birth, and passport number must match
- Enter Tax File Number where held; otherwise, manually add each super fund's ABN and member account number
- Add bank account details for receiving the payment — an Australian bank account in the claimant's name for EFT, or, where the super fund supports it, overseas bank account details for international money transfer (IMT)
⚠️ Watch out: If the claimant cannot produce an expired visa label or passport, the super fund will require Certification of Immigration Status via Form 1194 before paying, even where the balance in that fund is under A$5,000 — see step 4.
- 3
Depart Australia and submit the saved application
- Submit the DASP online application only after physical departure from Australia AND cessation of the temporary visa (expired or cancelled). The ATO system will not accept submission before both conditions are met
- The ATO DASP online system electronically confirms immigration status with the Department of Home Affairs in most cases — eliminating the need for a separate Form 1194 (CIS) request
- Once submitted, the super fund receives the application electronically and processing begins
💡 Tip: Lodge within six months of departure and visa cessation to avoid section 20C transfer to the ATO. Beyond six months, payment shifts to a four-to-six-week ATO timeline and international money transfer becomes unavailable.
- 4
Lodge Form 1194 (CIS) where the balance is A$5,000 or more
If the withdrawal benefit in any single super fund is A$5,000 or more, OR the online system cannot auto-confirm immigration status, OR the claimant cannot produce expired visa or passport documents
- Open the Department of Home Affairs Form 1194 page and lodge via ImmiAccount
- List every super fund the CIS should be issued to — one lodgement can request CIS to multiple funds
- Pay the published Form 1194 fee via ImmiAccount before lodging — listed at A$55.77 as at December 2023 on the Form 1194 cover sheet; verify the current rate before lodging
- The Department of Home Affairs issues the CIS electronically and directly to the super fund(s) named on the request
⚠️ Watch out: If the Department of Home Affairs cannot confirm immigration status from departmental records (for example, where the claimant held a substantive temporary visa under a previous name), expect supplementary identity-document requests. Respond promptly — the super fund cannot pay a balance A$5,000 or above without the CIS.
- 5
Super fund withholds DASP tax and pays the net amount
- The super fund receives the application (electronically for online lodgements; by post for NAT 7204 paper applications) and verifies eligibility against ATO records and the CIS where required
- The fund withholds DASP tax at the statutory rates — 35% on the taxed element of the taxable component, 45% on the untaxed element of the taxable component, 0% on the tax-free component; or a single 65% rate on the entire taxable component for Working Holiday Maker (Subclass 417 / 462) visa history
- Net payment is remitted to the claimant's nominated bank account (Australian EFT or, where the fund supports it, IMT to an overseas account)
- The fund issues a DASP Payment Summary to the claimant within 14 days of payment
💡 Tip: Payment is generally within 28 days of the super fund receiving a complete application. The DASP Payment Summary documents the gross balance, withholding rate applied, and net amount paid — keep it for any home-country tax position the DASP may interact with.
- 6
Claim ATO-held super if section 20C transfer has occurred
If more than six months have passed since departure and visa cessation, OR the ATO already held super for the claimant (small or inactive low-balance accounts)
- Use the same DASP online system — it can claim ATO-held and fund-held balances in a single workflow
- Alternatively, lodge the paper Application for payment of ATO-held superannuation money (NAT 74880) by post to Australian Taxation Office, PO Box 3578, ALBURY NSW 2640. No fee applies for ATO paper applications
- Payment for ATO-held DASP is restricted to electronic funds transfer (EFT) to an Australian bank account in the claimant's name or an Australian-dollar cheque — international money transfer is not available for ATO-held balances
- ATO-held DASP claims are typically paid within four to six weeks of receipt of a complete application
⚠️ Watch out: International banks do not generally accept AUD-denominated cheques for deposit. If the Australian bank account has been closed, reopen or open an Australian bank account in the claimant's name before requesting the cheque — or accept the cheque and confirm with the foreign bank whether it will accept the deposit beforehand.
Local Tips from the Community
- Start the DASP online application while still in Australia. The application can be saved with TFN, super-fund ABNs, member numbers, and passport details captured in advance, then submitted after departure and visa cessation. Recovering super-fund details from overseas is the single most common cause of avoidable delay.
- Keep your Australian bank account open for several months after departure. For ATO-held DASP, payment is restricted to electronic funds transfer (EFT) to an Australian bank account in the claimant's name or an Australian-dollar cheque — international money transfer (IMT) is not available for ATO-held balances.
- Verify your visa history before assuming the 35% withholding rate. If a Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) or Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visa was held at any point during the period the super accumulated, the 65% Working Holiday Maker (WHM) rate applies to the entire taxable component — there is no proration between WHM and non-WHM periods within a single DASP.
- If the withdrawal benefit in any single super fund is A$5,000 or more, the fund requires a Certification of Immigration Status (CIS, Form 1194) issued by the Department of Home Affairs before paying. Lodge Form 1194 via ImmiAccount and pay the published fee; one lodgement can request CIS to multiple super funds.
- Lodge the DASP claim within six months of departure and visa cessation. Beyond six months, the super fund transfers the balance to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) under section 20C of the Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999, payment shifts to a four-to-six-week ATO timeline, and IMT becomes unavailable.
What Could Go Wrong
Submit the DASP online application after departure: The ATO DASP online system cannot electronically confirm immigration status because of a visa-history complication
Recovery: Lodge Form 1194 (Certification of Immigration Status) via ImmiAccount with the Department of Home Affairs and pay the published fee. The Department issues the CIS directly to the super fund(s) named on the request. Processing resumes once the fund receives the CIS.
Receive payment from the super fund: More than 28 days have passed since submission and the fund has not paid or contacted the claimant
Recovery: The ATO recommends following up directly with the super fund. Confirm whether the fund is awaiting CIS via Form 1194 (most common cause for balances A$5,000 or more) or whether identity-verification documents are mismatched. If the fund refuses to act on a complete claim that meets the statutory criteria, escalate to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
Claim DASP from an ATO-held balance after section 20C transfer: The Australian bank account has been closed and the claimant is now overseas
Recovery: For ATO-held super, the only payment options are EFT to an Australian bank account in the claimant's name or an Australian-dollar cheque — international money transfer is not available. Reopen or open an Australian bank account in the claimant's name, or accept the AUD cheque and confirm with the claimant's foreign bank whether it will accept the cheque for deposit before requesting it. Some foreign banks refuse AUD-denominated cheques entirely.
Costs
| Item | Amount | Payment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DASP online application (lodged via ATO DASP online system) | A$0 | N/A | No ATO or super-fund fee for online lodgement. Free across all funds. |
| DASP paper application to the ATO for ATO-held super (NAT 74880) | A$0 | N/A | No fee for paper applications sent to the ATO at PO Box 3578, ALBURY NSW 2640. |
| Certification of Immigration Status (CIS, Form 1194) fee (Optional) | A$55.77 | ImmiAccount, before lodging Form 1194 | Published rate as at December 2023 on the Form 1194 cover sheet. Paid once per Form 1194 lodgement regardless of how many super funds are listed. Verify current rate on the Department of Home Affairs Form 1194 page before lodging. Waived if: Withdrawal benefit in every single super fund is under A$5,000 AND the claimant can produce certified passport (with departure stamp) plus visa evidence accepted by each fund |
| DASP paper application to a super fund (NAT 7204) — fund processing fee (Optional) | A$0 | Charged by the super fund where applicable | Fund-discretionary; the ATO does not publish a statutory cap. The ATO states the fund may charge a fee depending on the value of the super money. Ask the fund for the fee in writing before lodging paper. Online lodgement is the no-fee alternative. |
- Payment:
- N/A
- Notes:
- No ATO or super-fund fee for online lodgement. Free across all funds.
- Payment:
- N/A
- Notes:
- No fee for paper applications sent to the ATO at PO Box 3578, ALBURY NSW 2640.
- Payment:
- ImmiAccount, before lodging Form 1194
- Notes:
- Published rate as at December 2023 on the Form 1194 cover sheet. Paid once per Form 1194 lodgement regardless of how many super funds are listed. Verify current rate on the Department of Home Affairs Form 1194 page before lodging.
- Waived if:
- Withdrawal benefit in every single super fund is under A$5,000 AND the claimant can produce certified passport (with departure stamp) plus visa evidence accepted by each fund
- Payment:
- Charged by the super fund where applicable
- Notes:
- Fund-discretionary; the ATO does not publish a statutory cap. The ATO states the fund may charge a fee depending on the value of the super money. Ask the fund for the fee in writing before lodging paper. Online lodgement is the no-fee alternative.
FAQ
General
Can I claim DASP if I am still in Australia?
No. The DASP online application can be started and saved while in Australia, but the application cannot be submitted until after departure and visa cessation. The ATO recommends starting the application before departure so super-fund details and passport information are captured in advance — recovering those details from overseas is the most-cited cause of avoidable delay.
Will claiming a DASP affect a future Australian visa application?
No. The ATO confirms that claiming a DASP does not affect any future visa application. A former temporary resident who claims their DASP can subsequently return to Australia on a new temporary or permanent visa without DASP-related prejudice. If the same individual later becomes an Australian permanent resident and there is still ATO-held super in their name, they can consolidate that balance back into an Australian super fund or take a direct payment — the direct payment retains DASP character and is taxed at DASP withholding rates.
What withholding rates apply to my DASP?
Tri-component for standard (non-WHM) claimants: 35% on the taxed element of the taxable component, 45% on the untaxed element of the taxable component, and 0% on the tax-free component. A single 65% rate replaces those standard rates for the entire taxable component where the claimant ever held a Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) or Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visa during the period the super accumulated — there is no proration between WHM and non-WHM periods within a single DASP. The tax-free component is returned without withholding in all cases. Withholding is final: there is no refund mechanism via a later Australian tax return.
What happens if I do not claim within six months of leaving Australia?
The super fund must transfer the balance to the Australian Taxation Office as unclaimed super money under section 20C of the Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 by the next scheduled unclaimed-super statement day (31 October or 30 April each year). The claim then runs against the ATO rather than the fund, processing shifts to a four-to-six-week timeline rather than 28 days, and payment is restricted to EFT to an Australian bank account or an Australian-dollar cheque. The DASP withholding rate is unchanged. The balance retains its DASP character regardless of how long it sits as ATO-held super.
Do I need a Certification of Immigration Status (Form 1194)?
Where the withdrawal benefit in a single super fund is A$5,000 or more, the fund requires a CIS issued by the Department of Home Affairs via Form 1194 before paying. Below A$5,000, the fund may accept certified copies of passport (with the departure stamp) plus visa evidence as an alternative — subject to the individual fund's policy. The fund decides which alternative evidence it will accept; ask the fund before lodging paper documents. Form 1194 is also required where the claimant cannot produce an expired visa label or passport. The published CIS fee at December 2023 is A$55.77 per Form 1194 lodgement.
I am a New Zealand citizen — can I claim a DASP?
No. A New Zealand citizen who has permanently moved to New Zealand uses the separate Trans-Tasman Retirement Savings Portability Scheme to transfer their entire Australian super balance to a complying KiwiSaver scheme, provided the Australian fund is regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and the KiwiSaver account is eligible to receive the transfer. The claimant needs an Inland Revenue Department (IRD) number and must complete a statutory declaration confirming permanent New Zealand residence. Partial transfers are not permitted — the whole balance must be transferred.
Do I need to lodge an Australian tax return for the year of departure because of the DASP?
DASP itself is final-tax: no further income tax is due on the DASP amount, and the DASP is not declared as income on an Australian tax return. Other Australian-source income earned in the year of departure may still trigger a tax-return obligation separately. Where the year of departure includes mixed income, advice from a registered Australian tax practitioner is recommended. Withholding deducted from the DASP is final and cannot be refunded via a later tax return.
How do I appeal a super-fund or ATO decision on my DASP?
If the super fund refuses or delays a complete claim that meets the statutory eligibility criteria, the claimant can complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) — the external dispute-resolution scheme covering super funds. ATO objection decisions on DASP-adjacent assessments can be escalated to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART; the body that replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 14 October 2024). The fund does not have discretion to refuse a claim that meets the statutory eligibility criteria; it can require additional supporting documents and charge a paper-application fee where applicable.
After This Process
- → Keep the DASP Payment Summary issued by the super fund within 14 days of payment — required for any home-country tax position the DASP interacts with under that country's residence-and-source rules or double-tax treaty with Australia
- → Check home-country tax treatment of the DASP separately. Australian withholding is final from the Australian perspective; whether the home country also taxes the DASP depends on its own rules
- → If the claimant later returns to Australia on a new temporary or permanent visa, DASP eligibility for any super accumulated during the new stay applies on the new departure — a single DASP claim does not bar future claims for future stays
- → If the claimant becomes an Australian permanent resident after departure and a balance remains ATO-held, decide whether to consolidate into an Australian super fund or take a direct payment — both options remain DASP-taxed
Sources
- ATO — Departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP) (ato.gov.au ↗)
- ATO — DASP online application system (ato.gov.au ↗)
- ATO — The final SG rate increase is coming on 1 July (ato.gov.au ↗)
- ATO — Tax rates: working holiday makers (ato.gov.au ↗)
- Department of Home Affairs — Form 1194 (Certification of Immigration Status) (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗)
- AustLII — Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 section 20C (austlii.edu.au ↗)
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More in Australia
5 sources cited last accessed 2026-05-18
T1 official portal · T2 embassy/consulate · T3 news · T4 community — higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →
- T1Australian Taxation Office (ATO) — DASP information page 2026-05-18
DASP eligibility requires that the claimant accumulated super on a temporary visa issued under the Migration Act 1958 (excluding Subclass 405 Investor Retirement and Subclass 410 Retirement), the visa has ceased to be in effect, the claimant has physically departed Australia, holds no other active Australian visa, and is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. Withholding for non-Working Holiday Maker claimants is 35% on the taxed element of the taxable component, 45% on the untaxed element of the taxable component, and 0% on the tax-free component. The 65% Working Holiday Maker rate applies to the entire taxable component where the claimant held a Subclass 417 or Subclass 462 visa at any point during the period the super accumulated. Standard processing for a complete super-fund application is generally within 28 days. The Certification of Immigration Status (Form 1194) is required where the withdrawal benefit in a single super fund is A$5,000 or more. Source content captured via WebSearch snippet against the ATO DASP page following HTTP 403 on direct WebFetch.
ato.gov.au - T1Australian Taxation Office (ATO) — small-business newsroom 2026-05-18
The Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate increases to 12% on 1 July 2025. The ATO describes this as the final scheduled increase. The 12% rate applies to all salary and wages paid to eligible workers on and after 1 July 2025, even where the pay period it relates to began before 1 July. This is the employer-funded contribution rate against which the DASP-claimable balance accumulates for temporary residents working in Australia. Source content captured via WebSearch snippet against the ATO small-business newsroom following HTTP 403 on direct WebFetch.
ato.gov.au - T1Australian Taxation Office (ATO) — Working Holiday Makers tax rates page 2026-05-18
The tax on any DASP made to a Working Holiday Maker on or after 1 July 2017 is 65%. A Working Holiday Maker is the holder of a Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) or Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) visa. The 65% rate applies for the entire taxable component of the DASP where the claimant held either subclass at any point during the period the super accumulated — there is no proration between WHM and non-WHM periods within a single DASP. Source content captured via WebSearch snippet against the ATO Working Holiday Makers page following HTTP 403 on direct WebFetch.
ato.gov.au - T1Department of Home Affairs — Form 1194 cover sheet 2026-05-18
Form 1194 (Certification of Immigration Status) is lodged with the Department of Home Affairs to confirm the claimant's eligibility for a DASP to a super fund. The Department issues the CIS electronically and directly to the super fund(s) named on the request. A single Form 1194 lodgement can request CIS to multiple super funds. The published fee on the Form 1194 cover sheet recorded at December 2023 is A$55.77. The fee is paid via ImmiAccount before lodging. There is no fee for Form 1195 (request to cancel a temporary visa). Verify the current fee before lodging.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au - T1Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) — Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 consolidated 2026-05-18
Section 20C of the Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 obliges a super fund to transfer a former temporary resident's super balance to the Australian Taxation Office as unclaimed super money if no DASP claim has been lodged within six months of the visa ceasing to be in effect and the former temporary resident having left Australia. Transfer occurs by the next scheduled unclaimed-super statement day (31 October or 30 April each year). After transfer, the claim runs against the ATO and the payment retains its DASP character — taxed at DASP withholding rates.
austlii.edu.au