Centrelink Family Tax Benefit Part A: Eligible Visa Subclasses and Income Test

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A is a per‑child payment administered by Services Australia, but eligibility is not universal. The 2024–25 income year introduced a revised maintenance action test, updated income-free areas, and a continued freeze on the higher income-free area for families not receiving an income support payment. These adjustments coincide with the 1 July 2024 indexation of the maximum and base rates, making it critical for visa holders to confirm both their visa subclass status and their adjusted taxable income before lodging a claim. A visa that was not eligible on 30 June 2024 may have become eligible if the holder has since been granted a permanent visa or a specified temporary visa listed in the Social Security (Family Assistance — Family Tax Benefit) Determination. The following sections set out the visa subclasses that satisfy the residence requirements, the income test thresholds that apply from 1 July 2024, and the interaction with the maintenance action test for separated parents.

Visa Subclasses That Satisfy the FTB Part A Residence Requirement

Permanent Visa Holders

A person who holds a permanent visa and is residing in Australia meets the residence requirement for FTB Part A from the date of grant, provided they are not subject to a newly arrived resident’s waiting period for other payments. Permanent visas include:

• Subclass 100 (Partner)
• Subclass 189 (Skilled — Independent)
• Subclass 190 (Skilled — Nominated)
• Subclass 801 (Partner)
• Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme)
• Subclass 887 (Skilled — Regional)

Holders of a permanent visa who have been in Australia for less than 104 weeks may still be subject to the newly arrived resident’s waiting period for certain income support payments, but FTB Part A is exempt from that waiting period under section 21AA of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999. The exemption means a permanent visa holder can claim FTB Part A immediately upon arrival if they satisfy the income test and care requirements.

Temporary Visa Holders Listed in the Determination

Temporary visa holders are eligible only if their visa subclass is explicitly listed in the Social Security (Family Assistance — Family Tax Benefit) Determination 2018 (as amended). The most common eligible temporary visas are:

• Subclass 309 (Partner (Provisional))
• Subclass 820 (Partner)
• Subclass 445 (Dependent Child)
• Subclass 785 (Temporary Protection)
• Subclass 790 (Safe Haven Enterprise)

A holder of a Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage) visa, a Subclass 500 (Student) visa, or a Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa is not listed and therefore cannot receive FTB Part A, even if they have an Australian-resident child. Services Australia’s Family Tax Benefit — residence requirements page (updated 1 July 2024) confirms that only temporary visa holders covered by the Determination or a relevant international agreement can access the payment.

Special Category Visa (Subclass 444) Holders

New Zealand citizens who hold a Special Category Visa (subclass 444) and arrived after 26 February 2001 are treated as temporary residents for FTB purposes unless they meet the protected SCV holder criteria or have subsequently obtained a permanent visa. Protected SCV holders are those who were in Australia on 26 February 2001, or who were absent from Australia on that date but had been in Australia for a period of at least 12 months in the two years immediately before that date. A non-protected SCV holder who has not obtained a permanent visa cannot receive FTB Part A unless they qualify under an international agreement. The Social Security Amendment (New Zealand Citizens) Act 2024, which received Royal Assent on 28 June 2024, allows certain non-protected SCV holders who have lived in Australia for at least four years to access family assistance from 1 July 2024, but only if they meet the income and care tests and have applied under the new pathway.

Income Test for FTB Part A — 2024–25 Financial Year

Adjusted Taxable Income Components

Services Australia uses an adjusted taxable income (ATI) figure that combines:

• Taxable income
• Reportable fringe benefits amounts
• Reportable superannuation contributions
• Total net investment losses
• Tax-free government pensions or benefits
• Foreign income not already included in taxable income
• Tax-exempt foreign income
• Deductible personal superannuation contributions

The Australian Taxation Office pre-fills much of this data after the end of the income year, but a claimant must provide an estimate for the current year when lodging a claim. An underestimate of more than 10% that results in an overpayment will generate a debt, with interest applied from the original payment date under section 1223 of the Social Security Act 1991.

Income-Free Area and Taper Rates

From 1 July 2024, the income-free area for families receiving FTB Part A and not receiving an income support payment remains frozen at $60,417 until 30 June 2025, as confirmed in the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Fair and Sustainable Family Assistance) Regulations 2024. For families receiving an income support payment, the income-free area is indexed and is $62,986 for the 2024–25 year.

Once family ATI exceeds the applicable income-free area, the maximum rate reduces by 20 cents for each dollar of income above the threshold (taper rate of 20%). A secondary income threshold applies at $99,864 for families with one child, $105,000 for families with two children, and $110,136 for families with three or more children. Above this secondary threshold, the reduction increases to 30 cents per dollar. The base rate of FTB Part A for a child under 18 is $71.26 per fortnight as at 1 July 2024, and the maximum rate for a child aged 0–12 is $213.36 per fortnight (Services Australia, Family Tax Benefit Part A payment rates, 1 July 2024).

Maintenance Action Test Interaction

A parent who is separated and entitled to child support from the other parent must take reasonable maintenance action to receive more than the base rate of FTB Part A. Reasonable action includes applying for a child support assessment through Services Australia or obtaining an exemption due to family violence. The maintenance action test applies even if the other parent lives overseas, unless an exemption is granted under section 25 of the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989. From 1 July 2024, the maintenance income credit and the maintenance income-free area are $1,878.80 per annum per child. Maintenance received above this amount reduces FTB Part A by 50 cents per dollar.

Claiming FTB Part A as a Visa Holder

Documentation Required at Claim

Visa holders must provide:

• Their visa grant notice or VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online) printout showing the subclass and grant date
• Proof of the child’s Australian residency or citizenship (birth certificate, citizenship certificate, or visa grant notice for the child)
• Bank account details for an Australian financial institution
• Tax file numbers for themselves and their partner (if applicable)
• An estimate of adjusted taxable income for the current financial year

Services Australia may request additional evidence of care arrangements if the child is not the biological child of the claimant, or if shared care exists. The Family Tax Benefit — how to claim page (Services Australia, updated 1 July 2024) states that claims can be lodged online through myGov linked to Centrelink, by phone, or by paper form.

Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period Exemption

As noted in section 2.1, FTB Part A is exempt from the newly arrived resident’s waiting period under section 21AA of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999. This exemption applies to all permanent visa holders and to eligible temporary visa holders listed in the Determination. A visa holder who arrives on an eligible temporary visa and later transitions to a permanent visa does not need to serve a new waiting period for FTB Part A; the exemption continues to apply.

Claiming for a Child Born Overseas

A child born overseas who is granted a visa and arrives in Australia becomes eligible for FTB Part A from the date of arrival, not the date of birth, unless the child is an Australian citizen by descent. An Australian citizen child born overseas is eligible from the date of birth if the parent meets the residence requirements at that time. The Department of Home Affairs’ Australian citizenship by descent processing times (as at 30 June 2024) indicate a median processing time of 12 months, which may delay the evidence required to establish eligibility.

Interaction with Other Payments and Obligations

FTB Part A and Child Care Subsidy

FTB Part A and Child Care Subsidy (CCS) are separate payments with different income tests. A family can receive both simultaneously. The CCS income test uses the same adjusted taxable income definition but applies different thresholds and taper rates. From 1 July 2024, the CCS subsidy percentage for a family with ATI below $83,280 is 90%, tapering down by 1% for each $5,000 of income above that threshold. Receipt of FTB Part A does not reduce CCS entitlement, but both payments are reconciled at the end of the income year, and an overpayment in either will result in a debt.

Tax Return Lodgement Obligation

All FTB Part A recipients must lodge a tax return or notify Services Australia that they are not required to lodge. The ATO’s Lodge your tax return deadline for the 2023–24 income year is 31 October 2024 for self-lodgers, and 15 May 2025 for those using a registered tax agent. Failure to lodge by the applicable date will suspend FTB Part A payments and may result in a debt for the entire amount paid during the relevant income year. Services Australia matches data with the ATO from August 2025 onward to reconcile 2024–25 entitlements.

Reporting Changes in Circumstances

Visa holders must notify Services Australia within 14 days of any change that could affect their FTB Part A rate, including:

• Change in visa status (e.g., grant of a permanent visa)
• Change in care arrangements for the child
• Change in income estimate by more than 10%
• Departure from Australia for more than six weeks (unless an exemption applies)

A temporary visa holder who ceases to hold an eligible visa loses entitlement from the date the visa ceases. Overpayments arising from a failure to notify are recoverable as debts under section 1223 of the Social Security Act 1991, with interest applied at the ATO general interest charge rate, which was 11.38% p.a. as at 1 July 2024.

Actionable Takeaways

1. Verify visa eligibility before lodging a claim. Check the Social Security (Family Assistance — Family Tax Benefit) Determination 2018 for the current list of eligible temporary visas. If your visa subclass is not listed, you cannot receive FTB Part A, and lodging a claim will result in a rejection that may delay access to other payments.

2. Estimate adjusted taxable income accurately for the 2024–25 year. The income-free area for non-income-support families remains $60,417, and an underestimate exceeding 10% will produce a debt with interest at the ATO general interest charge rate. Use the ATO’s online calculator to include reportable fringe benefits, reportable super contributions, and net investment losses.

3. Lodge a tax return for the 2023–24 year by 31 October 2024 (or 15 May 2025 if using a tax agent) to avoid suspension of FTB Part A. Services Australia will not reconcile 2023–24 entitlements until the ATO confirms your income.

4. If you are a non-protected SCV holder who arrived after 2001, assess eligibility under the new pathway introduced on 1 July 2024. The Social Security Amendment (New Zealand Citizens) Act 2024 provides access to FTB Part A for those who have lived in Australia for at least four years, but a separate application is required through myGov.

5. Notify Services Australia within 14 days of any visa status change. A grant of a permanent visa may increase your entitlement or remove a previous restriction, but failure to report a visa cessation will generate an overpayment debt recoverable with interest.