ID Requirements for Individual Applicants

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) has specific proof of identity requirements for police checks. To ensure that your checks are processed without delay, please pay close attention to the ID document requirements.

Required ID Categories

A minimum of four (4) separate and unique ID documents must be provided to satisfy each of the ID categories below. Each provided document may only satisfy a single requirement category.

See acceptable documents by category (below)

Required Personal Information

As a set, the ID documents you provide must include (between them) the following information about you:

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Photograph. Acceptable photographic IDs include:
    • Australian government issued ‘photo card’
    • Immicard issued by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection
    • Police Force, Australian Defence Force or an Australian Government agency photo ID card
    • Australian university/tertiary institution photo ID card.
    • If none of these documents contains a photograph, the applicant must submit a passport style photograph certified by a person listed in Schedule 2 of the Statutory Declarations Regulations 1993.

Documents in Different Names

If you provide ID documents using a former name, you must include evidence of your name change in addition to the four ID documents.

Acceptable change of name evidence includes:

  • Change of name certificate issued by Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or
  • An Australian marriage certificate issued by a state or territory (church or celebrant-issued certificates are not accepted)

Original Documents

The documents you provide must be scanned copies of your original ID documents.

ID Documents by Category

  • Commencement of Identity Document (1x)

    Commencement of Identity Documents (1x)

    • Australian birth certificate (full certificate required – not an extract, birth card, or commemorative version)
    • Australian passport  (not expired)
    • Australian visa  that is current at the time of entry to Australia as resident or tourist
    • ImmiCard issued by Immigration and Border Protection that enables the cardholder to prove their visa and/or immigration status and enrol in services
    • Australian Citizenship certificate

  • Primary Use in the Community Document (x1)

    Primary Use in the Community Document (1x)

    • Australian driver’s licence (current), learner permit or provisional licence issued by a state or territory, showing a signature and/or photo and the same name as claimed
    • Passport (current) issued by a country other than Australia with a valid entry stamp or visa – must be accompanied by a current Australian Visa (VEVO printout is acceptable)
    • Proof of age or photo identity card (current), issued by an Australian Government agency in the name of the applicant, with a signature and photo
    • Student identification card (current) with signature or photo (for persons under 18 years of age with no other Primary Use in Community Documents)

  • Secondary Use in the Community Document (2x)

    Secondary Use in the Community Document (2x)

    • Medicare card
    • Australian utility bill showing full name and address (water, gas, and electricity bills only)
    • Australian private health insurance card
    • Australian taxation office assessment notice
    • State/territory government rates assessment notice
    • Foreign Affairs and Trade – certificate of identity
    • Foreign Affairs and Trade – a document of identity
    • Foreign Affairs and Trade – convention travel document secondary (United Nations)
    • Foreign government issued documents (for example, drivers licence)
    • Australian Electoral Commission enrolment
    • Security guard or crowd control photo licence
    • Evidence of right to an Australian government benefit (Centrelink or Veterans’ Affairs
    • Foreign Affairs and Trade – Consular photo identity card
    • Police force – photo identity card issued to an officer
    • Australian Defence Force – photo identity card
    • Australian Government or a state or territory government – photo identity card
    • Aviation Security Identification Card
    • Maritime Security Identification card
    • Credit reference check
    • Australian tertiary student photo identity document
    • Australian secondary student photo identity document
    • Certified academic transcript from an Australian university
    • Trusted referees report

    Special Provisions

    If your applicant cannot provide the above minimum proof of identity documentation, the ACIC can, in exceptional circumstances, allow you to use a different combination of documents to verify the applicant’s identity. For more details, please go to Special Provisions.

Please note – in addition to sighting the required applicant ID, you may need to upload certain types of ID to the order. If this is required, you will be prompted to do so during the order process.