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The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the What the department does and our contact details
department) includes the Australian Border Force. The Privacy
The department’s mission is to protect Australia’s border and
Act 1988 (Privacy Act) requires the department to notify an
manage the movement of people and goods across it by
individual of certain matters when it collects personal information
contributing to and ensuring:
about them. This form is your notification of those matters.
• Australia’s future through managed migration
What is personal information? • the protection of refugees and contribution to humanitarian
policy internationally
The Privacy Act provides that personal information is information
or an opinion about an individual who is reasonably identifiable. • Australia’s security through border management and traveller
facilitation
The department also collects certain sensitive personal
information, which is defined under the Privacy Act and includes • the collection of border revenue and trade statistics
information about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, sexual • the facilitation of legitimate trade
orientation or practices, criminal records, health information and • Australia’s maritime security and commercial interests
biometric information, membership of professional or trade
• compliance with Australia’s immigration laws and integrity in
associations, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs,
decision-making
and membership of political associations.
• the administration of Australian citizenship laws.
The main pieces of legislation administered by the department
are the Migration Act 1958 (the Migration Act), the Customs Act Full contact details can be found on the department’s website
1901 (the Customs Act), the Immigration (Guardianship of www.border.gov.au
Children) Act 1946 (the IGOC Act), the Excise Act 1901(the If you believe we have wrongly collected or handled your
Excise Act), the Australian Border Force Act 2015 (the Border information, you can:
Force Act), the Maritime Powers Act 2013 (Maritime Powers Act), • telephone the Global Feedback Unit on 133 177 during
and the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (the Citizenship Act). business hours
The department considers that all personal information, • complete a feedback form online at www.border.gov.au
including sensitive personal information obtained by an
• write to:
entrusted person of the department is ‘protected information’
The Manager
under the Border Force Act.
Global Feedback Unit
GPO Box 241
Personal identifiers Melbourne VIC 3001
The Migration and Citizenship Acts include specific provisions Australia
about the collection, use, and/or disclosure of your personal • contact us directly through any office of the department.
information, including sensitive information such as biometrics
(also known as ‘personal identifiers’).
From whom the department will collect your personal
The Acts define personal identifiers to include:
information
• fingerprints or handprints
Generally, the department (or its contracted service providers)
• an image of the face and shoulders will collect your personal information directly from you, a third
• an audio or video recording (for the purposes of the Migration party you authorise to act on your behalf or an authorised system
Act only and with some limited exceptions) as defined under the Migration Act. Authorised systems include
• a measurement of height and weight SmartGate and other automated border clearance systems.
We may also collect your information from third parties, which
• an iris scan
may include other Australian Government agencies, law
• a person’s signature, or enforcement agencies, foreign governments, sponsors, medical
• any other identifier prescribed in the regulations. practitioners, organisations that you have nominated, education
Biometric information (personal identifiers) may be collected providers, employers and members of the public who contact the
and/or verified from individuals: department with information (eg. ‘dob-in calls’).
• at airports when travelling Agencies or contractors performing immigration services
• for onshore visa applicants (including protection visa Some personal information is collected and used on our behalf
applicant) by other government agencies authorised to carry out some of
• who are non-citizens in the Australian community the department’s functions.
• who are immigration detainees Personal information is also collected and used on our behalf by
• who are Australian citizenship applicants. contractors. Examples include advanced passenger processing by
airlines for both outward and inbound flights, computer systems,
More information about the department’s Biometric Initiatives,
research surveys/interviews, support services for immigration
is available on the website
detainees and medical services.
www.border.gov.au/about/corporate/information/fact-
sheets/84biometric The department requires that its contractors also comply with
the Privacy Act, regardless of whether they are located in
Australia or overseas.