26 February 2026 – Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Planning a trip overseas is exciting, whether you’re visiting family, taking a long holiday, or spending extended time abroad. But if you’re an NDIS participant and you’re planning to be outside Australia for more than six weeks, it’s important to understand how this can affect your NDIS plan.

The 6 Week Rule  

The NDIS supports people who live in Australia. Short trips usually don’t affect your plan. However, if you’ll be overseas for more than six weeks, you must let the NDIA know.

If you don’t inform the NDIA and they later find out you’ve been away for an extended period, your NDIS Plan may be paused or cancelled. This can delay your supports when you return.

To notify the NDIA, call 1800 800 110 or speak with your NDIS Contact.

What Happens to Your Funding?  

The NDIS is designed to support participants while they are living in Australia.  Short overseas trips usually don’t affect your plan.  However, if you intend to be away for more than six weeks, you must notify the NDIA and understand how your funding may be impacted.

If you are overseas for more than six weeks:

• NDIS funding generally cannot be used while you are outside Australia;
• Supports such as therapy, personal care, and community access will need to be paused;
• Your plan budget may be temporarily paused during your absence;
• You should notify your providers of your travel dates to ensure services are paused and invoices are not submitted while you are away.

Understanding these requirements before you travel can help prevent disruptions to your supports and avoid unnecessary complications when you return.

Before you Travel

If you’re planning an overseas trip, a little preparation can go a long way.  Before you leave, make sure you:

✔ Inform the NDIA of your travel dates
✔ Let your providers know so they can pause services
✔ Let your plan manager know
✔ Keep a record of your travel dates

Planning ahead helps prevent unexpected issues and makes restarting your supports much smoother when you return home.

How can My Plan Assist Help

My Plan Assist can help you understand how travel affects your funding.  Our friendly team can also monitor your budget while you’re away and support a smooth restart of services when you return.

Travel With Confidence

Travelling overseas doesn’t automatically mean losing your NDIS plan – but not informing the NDIA can cause issues. If you’re planning a trip, reach out to My Plan Assist.  We’re here to help you prepare so you can travel with peace of mind.

My Plan Assist Phone: 07 5641 2277

My Plan Assist Email: [email protected]

My Plan Assist Website: www.myplanassist.com.au