Protecting your Privacy
There are laws to protect the information you provide when applying for a passport. The Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Passports Act 2005 regulate how the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade uses your information. An officer of the department who breaches these Acts may face criminal or civil penalty, or both. The Privacy Act 1988 prohibits officers from collecting, using or disclosing your information except in the performance of their duties. It obliges the department to take all reasonable steps to protect your information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Forms
Your passport application form is our primary source of information about you. The department may use this information only to establish your eligibility for a passport. This includes establishing your identity and citizenship. The information may not be provided to other organisations and individuals except as allowed under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Passports Act 2005.
Disclosure to assess eligibility
To determine your eligibility for a passport, the department needs to verify the information you provide. Authorised officers may disclose your information to any organisation or individual able to assist with verification. These include:
- the Australian Electoral Commission;
- the Department of Immigration and Citizenship;
- state or territory Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages;
- state or territory road traffic authorities; and
- any other organisation or individual who issued or signed a document presented with a passport application.
Disclosure for other reasons
Information may be disclosed for other limited purposes set out in the Australian Passports Act 2005. These include:
- notification that a passport is lost or stolen
- law enforcement reasons
- to assist with international travel by Australian passport holders.
The full list of agencies in Australia and overseas to which the department may disclose passport information is contained in the Australian Passport Determinations 2005, which can be found on this website. In making any disclosure, the department must comply with its obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.
Privacy on the internet
The department does not collect personal information about you when you visit websites on the department’s servers, unless you choose to provide that information. However, our websites contain links to other sites. The department is not responsible for the content and privacy practices of other sites, and we encourage you to read the privacy policy of each site.
The department’s website www.dfat.gov.au and this passports website provide more information on the department’s internet privacy policies.
Who to contact
If at any time you believe we have not adhered to our privacy obligations, or you have any other questions on the material set out here, contact:
Director, Passport Operations Section
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
R G Casey Building
John McEwen Crescent
BARTON ACT 0221
Facsimile: (02) 6261 1038
Email: passports.australia@dfat.gov.au
You can obtain further information about your rights under the Privacy Act 1988 from the Privacy Commissioner’s website www.privacy.gov.au.