What is Maternity Immunisation Allowance?
Maternity Immunisation Allowance (MIA) is a non-income tested payment to encourage parents to fully immunise children in their care. From 1 January 2009, Maternity Immunisation Allowance is generally paid as two separate amounts. The first payment will be made if your child is immunised between 18 and 24 months. The second payment will be made if your child is immunised between four and five years of age.
Please Note: For parents who claim MIA for children adopted from outside Australia, depending on the age of your child when they entered Australia, you may receive MIA as one full amount.
How much is Maternity Immunisation Allowance?
For current rates of payment for Maternity Immunisation Allowance, go to Family Assistance Payment Rates.
Can I get Maternity Immunisation Allowance?
You can get the first amount of Maternity Immunisation Allowance if:
- you meet Australian residency requirements, and
- the child you are claiming for is a dependent child, and
- the child has been fully immunised on schedule, between the ages of 18 and 24 months, or
- the child is on a recognised catch-up schedule, or
- the child has an approved exemption from immunisation, and
- you make a claim before the immunised child turns two years old.
You can get the second amount of Maternity Immunisation Allowance if:
- you meet Australian residency requirements, and
- the child you are claiming for is a dependent child, and
- the child has been fully immunised on schedule, between the ages of four and five, or
- the child is on a recognised catch-up schedule, or
- the child has an approved exemption from immunisation, and
- you make a claim before the immunised child turns five years old.
Please Note: If you did not qualify for MIA for your child before they turned two years of age under the rules that applied prior to 1 January 2009, you can still receive the full amount of MIA if your child is appropriately immunised before the age of five and you lodge your claim on or before your child's fifth birthday.
Children adopted from overseas
From 1 January 2009, you can claim Maternity Immunisation Allowance for children who are adopted from outside Australia and who enter Australia before they are 16 years of age. If your child was adopted from outside Australia you will need to claim on or before your child's fifth birthday or within two years of their arrival in Australia (whichever is later). Children who arrive in Australia on or before their third birthday will generally receive MIA in two separate amounts, the first before four years of age and the second between four and five years of age, if your child is immunised at these ages. If your child arrives in Australia after their third birthday, MIA is payable as a single amount if your child is fully immunised between 18 months and two years after arrival.
Please Note: Under transition arrangements for the extension to the age limit for children adopted from outside Australia, you may also be eligible for MIA if you adopted a child from outside Australia and your child entered Australia under the age of 16 years between 1 July 2006 and 31 December 2008. For further information, contact the FAO on 13 6150.
Bereavement
Maternity Immunisation Allowance is not income tested and can also be paid upon the death of a child or for stillborn babies. Claims upon the death of a child may be made within the later of two years from the date of death of the child, or five years after the birth of the child. For a stillborn child a claim must be made within five years from delivery.
Contact us for more information.
How do I get Maternity Immunisation Allowance?
Maternity Immunisation Allowance is a non-income tested payment to encourage parents to immunise their children.
If you received Baby Bonus for your child, the Family Assistance Office will automatically check your eligibility for Maternity Immunisation Allowance.
If you were not paid Baby Bonus, you will need to claim Maternity Immunisation Allowance through the Family Assistance Office on or before the child’s second birthday to receive the first amount and on or before the child's fifth birthday to receive the second amount.
You can claim Maternity Immunisation Allowance for children who are adopted from outside Australia and who enter Australia before they are 16 years of age.
If your child was adopted from outside Australia, you will need to claim on or before your child's fifth birthday or within two years of their arrival in Australia (whichever is later).
You can obtain a claim form by contacting us.