FAQs
General
Can my date of birth be included on the Companion Card?
Can I use the Companion Card outside Victoria?
Can I apply for a Companion Card if I have a temporary
disability?
Who is a companion?
Can my date of birth be included on the Companion Card?
The Companion Card is not a proof of age card; it simply identifies the cardholder as someone who, due to a permanent disability, always requires the attendant care type support from a companion to participate at most community venues and activities.
The application process for the Companion Card does not ask applicants to provide a copy of their birth certificate or other proof of age documentation. As the date of birth provided on the application form is not verified through documentation, it cannot be added to the card as proof of age identification.
There are other ways for someone to verify their age that requires the necessary legal documentation, for example; Keypass.
Can I use the Companion Card outside Victoria?
Victoria has led the way with the introduction of this highly successful and credible program. As a result of licensing requirements Victorian cardholders now have reciprocal rights with Western Austrailia, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Australia Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory.
The National Companion Card Program was officially launched on 3 December 2009.
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Can I apply for a Companion Card if I have a temporary disability?
If you require a companion to assist you to participate at community activities due to a temporary disability, you are not eligible to receive a Companion Card. It is up to the individual and the venue/activity operators to negotiate an alternative method to verify the need for a companion ticket.
The Companion Card is issued to people with a significant, permanent disability who always require attendant care support from a companion to participate at most community venues and activities.
The Companion Card must only be used in those instances where you require assistance from your companion to participate at that particular venue or activity.
Who is a companion?
A companion is someone who provides attendant care type support to a person with a disability to assist them to participate at a venue or activity. Attendant care support includes significant assistance with mobility, communication, self-care or learning, where the use of aids, equipment or alternative strategies do not enable the person to carry out these tasks.
A companion could be a paid or unpaid assistant or carer, which may include a friend or a family member. Cardholders can choose whom they wish to have as their companion, and this may vary depending on the activity and the occasion.
A person is not entitled to a Companion Ticket if he or she is accompanying the cardholder for solely social or recreational reasons, without providing essential attendant care support required by the cardholder, due to their disability, in order to access that particular venue or activity.