Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2024C00057:schedule:21:p10
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2024C00057
Segment Type: schedule
Provision Reference: sch 21 (pt 10/13)
Character Range: 748689–751503

shall be exempted from requirements for authentication by diplomatic or consular authorities.

   3. Copies of documents which are certified as true and exact copies by an agency of one Contracting Party shall be accepted as true and exact copies by an agency of the other Contracting Party, without further certification.

  Article 22
  Language of Communications

   1. The Competent Authorities and agencies of the Contracting Parties may correspond directly with each other and with any person, wherever that person may reside, whenever it is necessary to do so for the application of this Agreement or the legislation to which this Agreement applies. The correspondence may be in any official language of either Contracting Party.

   2. An application or document may not be rejected by a Competent Authority or agency of a Contracting Party solely because it is in an official language of the other Contracting Party.

Article 23
Lodgment of Claims, Notices or Appeals

   1. Any claim, notice or appeal concerning the determination or payment of a benefit under the legislation of a Contracting Party which should, for the purposes of that legislation, have been lodged within a prescribed period to a Competent Authority or agency of that Contracting Party, but which is lodged within the same period to a Competent Authority or agency of the other Contracting Party, shall be treated as if it had been lodged to the Competent Authority or agency of the first Contracting Party.

   2. The date on which a claim, notice or appeal concerning the determination or payment of a benefit under the legislation of one Contracting Party is lodged with the Competent Authority or agency of the other Contracting Party shall be treated, for all purposes concerning the matter to which it relates, as the date of lodgment of that document with the Competent Authority or agency of the first Contracting Party.

   3. If, after the entry into force of this Agreement, a person files a written application for benefits with the agency of a Contracting Party under the legislation of that Contracting Party, and if that person has not explicitly requested that the application be restricted to benefits under that legislation, the application shall also protect the rights of that person to corresponding benefits under the legislation of the other Contracting Party, provided that the person at the time of application:

       (a) is entitled on age grounds to lodge a valid claim for a benefit of the other Contracting Party; and

       (b) requests that it be considered as an application under the legislation of the other Contracting Party; or

       (c) provides information indicating that periods of coverage have been completed under the legislation of the other Contracting Party.

   4. In any case to