Departure prohibition orders
Departure prohibition orders (DPOs) may be used to stop parents with outstanding child support from leaving Australia. DPOs are a last resort and only issued after in-depth consideration of all relevant information about a person’s situation are taken into account.
What is a departure prohibition order (DPO)?
A DPO is an administrative order that we can issue to prevent parents from leaving Australia until they pay their overdue child support or negotiate a satisfactory payment arrangement. We don't need a court order to prevent a customer from leaving Australia. DPOs are an effective way to collect outstanding child support. In 2008-09, we recovered around $5 million in overdue child support by issuing DPOs.
Will I be issued with a DPO if I miss one payment?
No. If you miss a payment, we'll try to contact you to work out a way for you to pay the overdue amount. It is also your responsibility to contact us to make suitable arrangements. If you refuse to work with us, we'll look at other options to recover the overdue child support payment.
How will I know if I've been issued with a DPO?
We'll formally advise you in writing when a DPO is issued and will make every effort to contact you to discuss the situation personally. If you choose to pay the overdue amount in full or negotiate a satisfactory ongoing payment arrangement, we can lift the DPO and you'll be allowed to travel overseas. If you have moved and not advised us of your current address, we can still issue a DPO.
What if I have to travel overseas for work or an emergency?
If we've issued you with a DPO you may be able to apply for a Departure Authorisation
Certificate (DAC), which allows you to travel overseas for a specified period. We will only consider a DAC if a satisfactory plan to pay the overdue amount is in place or under humanitarian grounds such as to visit sick or dying relatives.
When a DAC is issued the DPO still remains in place. We reserve the right to refuse to issue a DAC, with appeals against this decision managed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
What will happen if I try to travel overseas when I have a DPO?
If you attempt to leave Australia while a DPO is in place, you'll be stopped by the Australian Customs Service or the Australian Federal Police. You will be given a CSA phone number to call to discuss paying your overdue child support in full or entering into a payment arrangement. This allows us to either revoke the DPO or issue a
Departure Authorisation Certificate(DAC). It is an offence for a person to leave Australia when they have a DPO if they do not have a DAC.
How can I have the DPO in place revoked?
You can apply at any time to have the DPO in place revoked. Applications can be made in writing or via telephone. You must provide reasons why you believe the DPO should be withdrawn.
How can I avoid being issued with a DPO?
Make sure your child support is paid before you travel overseas so your children are supported while you're gone. If you are having financial problems and still need to travel overseas for work or personal reasons, contact us to work out a suitable payment arrangement.
How do I appeal a DPO?
To appeal a DPO contact the Federal Court of Australia or Federal Magistrates Court of Australia. Decisions made by CSA to revoke or vary a DPO, to provide a DAC and to obtain security are subject to review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.