Asylum seekers who are offered substantial amounts of money by the government to leave the detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru must spend their own cash before receiving the payment.

The Sunday Age believes that once asylum seekers take up the offer to return to their home country, they are asked by the International Organisation of Migration to provide receipts for purchases in their country before they can receive the promised amount.

"Make a decision to get on with the rest of your life": Immigration Minister Scott Morrison tells asylum seekers in an orientation video. Credit:Andrew Meares

The Coalition has dramatically increased monetary incentives in the ''return packages'' for asylum seekers, as revealed by Fairfax Media last month. The packages range from $3300 to $10,000 based on ''individual circumstances'', compared with Labor's offering of $1500 to $4000. Lebanese asylum seekers are being paid $10,000 if they voluntarily return home, while Iranians and Sudanese are offered $7000, Afghans $4000 and Pakistani, Nepalese and Burmese $3300.

Asylum seekers who take up the offer are transported to the Hideaway Hotel in Port Moresby that is paid for by the International Organisation of Migration before being flown home.