Departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP): preparing the document set
Short answer
A departing Australia superannuation payment lets a former temporary visa holder claim their Australian retirement savings after leaving the country, once the visa has ceased. The claim is lodged through the Australian Taxation Office's online system and decided by the fund holding the money, or by the ATO if the balance has been transferred there. The applicant's document work is identity evidence — often required as certified copies — plus English translations of any Thai record such as a change-of-name certificate or marriage registration. A set is usually ready in 1–3 business days; processing time belongs to the fund or the ATO.
Key facts
| Who can claim | A person who worked in Australia on a temporary visa, has left the country, and whose visa has ceased or been cancelled — not an Australian or New Zealand citizen and not a permanent resident. |
|---|---|
| Where it is lodged | Through the ATO's DASP online application. The decision maker is the superannuation fund holding the balance, or the ATO where the money has already been transferred to it. |
| Identity evidence | Passport photo page and evidence of departure, plus visa status evidence. Many funds require these as certified copies for overseas applicants. |
| Thai documents commonly translated | Change-of-name certificate, marriage registration, divorce registration, birth certificate and address confirmation — used when the fund's records do not match the passport name. |
| Most common failure point | Names that do not match across the fund account, the passport and the receiving bank account. |
| Indicative timing | 1–3 business days to assemble documents and translations · processing follows the fund's or ATO's own queue. |
Documents usually required
Passport
Photo page plus pages evidencing departure from Australia, used to establish identity and that you have left.
Visa status evidence
Evidence that the temporary visa has ceased or been cancelled, such as a visa status check record.
Superannuation account details
Fund name, member number, and USI where available, together with the most recent member statement.
Tax file number
Helps the fund locate the account and reduces claims rejected because the records cannot be matched.
Change-of-name or marriage documents with translation
Connects the former name on the fund account to the current passport name. Translate the document in full with the translator's certification.
Receiving bank account details
The account must be in the applicant's name; check the account and bank code format the fund requires for international transfers.
Step by step
1) List every fund where you held an account
People who changed employers often hold several accounts. Check old payslips and member statements so none is missed.
2) Reconcile names and dates of birth
Compare the fund records with the passport. Where they differ, prepare the change-of-name evidence and its translation in advance.
3) Prepare and certify identity copies
Copy the required passport pages in full and have them certified in the form the fund specifies for overseas applicants.
4) Translate the Thai documents involved
Translate the change-of-name certificate, marriage registration or other referenced records in full, with the translator's certification.
5) Lodge and track the claim
Lodge through the ATO system and keep the reference number. If the fund asks for more evidence, send it as one complete set to avoid repeated rounds.
Why sets get returned
- The fund holds a maiden name but no translated marriage registration is attached.
- Claiming while still in Australia or before the visa has ceased, so the claim does not meet the conditions.
- Passport copies certified in a form the fund does not accept.
- A receiving account that is not in the applicant's name, or an incorrectly formatted international bank code.
- Forgetting an older account from a previous employer, forcing a second claim later.
Prefer not to manage it yourself?
Most delayed DASP claims stall on mismatched names and copies certified the wrong way. Our team has prepared documents for Australian requirements for more than 15 years and will assemble the whole set correctly the first time — translations, certified copies and ordering — so you are not booking another appointment from the other side of the world.
Frequently asked questions
What is DASP and who is eligible?
It is the mechanism for claiming Australian superannuation after leaving the country. The applicant must have worked in Australia on a temporary visa, have departed, and hold a visa that has ceased or been cancelled, while not being an Australian or New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident. Confirm the current conditions with the Australian Taxation Office before lodging.
Which documents actually need translating?
If the fund's records match your passport and no Thai record is involved, translation may not be needed at all. In practice many applicants must translate a change-of-name certificate, marriage registration or divorce registration to show that the name on the account and the current name belong to the same person. Translate the full document and identify the translator.
How should passport copies be certified?
Each fund publishes the certifier categories it accepts from overseas applicants; consular officers and notarial services attorneys are commonly accepted. Read the fund's requirement first, then have the certifier write the certification with their name, occupation and the date on every copied page rather than only the first.
How long does payment take?
It depends on the fund holding the balance and on how complete the claim is. Complete claims generally move faster than claims that trigger repeated requests for more evidence, and balances already transferred to the ATO follow the ATO's own processing queue. No provider can promise a processing time on the decision maker's behalf.
What if I have several super accounts?
Each fund holding a balance needs its own claim. The efficient approach is to collect payslips and member statements from every employer first, then build one master identity and translation set that can be reused for each fund, so a certifier only has to be visited once.
Does claiming affect a future return to Australia?
Eligibility is assessed on your visa status at the time of the claim, and returning later on a new visa is a separate matter. If you expect to work in Australia again soon, take tax advice or speak to the fund first, because withdrawing is a taxed event at the applicable rate.
Do translations need consular legalisation as well?
Usually not. What the fund needs is properly certified identity evidence and a translation that clearly identifies the translator. Legalisation through the Department of Consular Affairs generally becomes relevant where a Thai document is going to an authority that requires a layered certification chain. Ask the fund how far it needs to go before arranging extra steps.
What can your team handle?
We check that names and dates of birth reconcile across every document, translate the Thai records in full, prepare copies for certification, and order the set to match the fund's published list so the claim goes in once. Tax outcomes and eligibility remain decisions for the fund and the ATO. Send your files through LINE for an assessment first.
Reviewed 13 August 2026. Always confirm the current requirement with the receiving authority before you lodge.