Australian Document of Identity

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Australian Document of Identity
The front cover of a contemporary Australian Document of Identity
TypeTravel document
Issued by Australia
PurposeInternational travel document
EligibilityCertain Australian citizens and Commonwealth citizens
ExpirationMaximum of 3 years

The Australian Document of Identity (DOI) is a travel document issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Australian citizens and some Commonwealth citizens in specific and rare[1] circumstances. It is not intended to be a broadly used identity document in Australia, nor does it generally provide evidence of citizenship or residency.

The Australian Certificate of Identity is a related document issued for use by certain persons who do not hold Australian or Commonwealth citizenship.

Purpose[edit]

The primary purpose of the Document of Identity is to allow an Australian citizen to travel to Norfolk Island without the need for a passport. By the Australian Passports Determination 2005 a Document of identity is also issued to Australian citizens to whom it is unnecessary or undesirable to issue a passport and, under compassionate circumstance, to non-Australian Commonwealth nationals who are unable obtain a valid travel document from their country or countries of nationality. Examples of this include: Australian citizens who have been denied a passport due to them having an outstanding arrest warrant, Australian citizens who request a document of identity instead of a passport, Australian citizens who are transgender,[2] Australian citizens being repatriated or deported to Australia or extradited, and Australian citizens whose travel the Minister believes should be restricted.

Eligibility[edit]

A person in one of the following can apply for a DOI:[3]

  • An Australian citizen to whom the issue of an Australian passport is unnecessary or undesirable
  • A Commonwealth citizen who cannot obtain a valid travel document for the country or countries of which he/she has nationality for compassionate reasons when he/she needs to travel urgently

Validity[edit]

Documents of Identity are issued free to travel to Norfolk Island, but other Documents of Identity are usually only for a single journey, and for a limited period. Many countries do not recognize a Document of Identity as a valid travel document. Furthermore, possession of a currently-valid Australian passport excludes the holder from applying for a Document of Identity.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Non-citizen travel documents". 8 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Sex and Gender Diverse Passport Applicants". Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  3. ^ "Passport Manual". Archived from the original on 28 February 2012.

External links[edit]