An American woman, Sophia Kim, has spoken out after being unable to withdraw nearly $10,000 in Australian superannuation more than a year after leaving the country. Kim, who lived and worked in Sydney for four years before returning to California in May 2025, has repeatedly applied for a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment through AustralianSuper without success, calling the process "absurd" in comments to Yahoo and on TikTok. The case highlights the difficulties some former working-holiday visa holders face in reclaiming retirement savings after leaving Australia.

Kim submitted her first DASP application immediately upon leaving, but was told she could not access the funds until her visa expired; since then she has filed repeat applications, including four between February and April 2026, only to be told each time to wait 28 days or start again from scratch. She says she feels she is being deliberately given the runaround, a sentiment echoed by supportive social media users. The Australian Tax Office declined to discuss her case citing privacy laws but said delays can stem from incomplete applications, time zone differences and difficulties verifying identity for people living overseas; both the ATO and AustralianSuper have been contacted for further comment.