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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of
Information (FOI) Section. Please note that we will only action and
respond to FOI requests and other matters relating to the Freedom of
Information Act 1982.

If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request. Please do not send duplicate emails
as this may cause delays in processing times.

For matters not relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982, please
refer to the information below to assist in the resolution of your
enquiry.

General information regarding travelling to Australia

Information for visitors to Australia can be found [1]here.

Information regarding potential visa options can be found [2]here.

Request for a copy of your Visa Refusal or Visa Grant letter

If you have lost or misplaced correspondence regarding your Visa Refusal
or Visa Grant, or you wish to confirm the authenticity of your Visa
Refusal or Visa Grant, you should contact the office where you lodged your
visa application. 

Details of our offices located around the world can be found [3]here.

Checking your current Visa details and conditions

You can check your visa details and conditions on the Department’s Visa
Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal which can be accessed
[4]here.  If you do not have the necessary reference numbers to access the
VEVO portal, you should contact the office where you lodged your visa
application for further information.

Refund of Visa fees

If you are seeking a refund of fees associated with your Visa, you should
contact the office where you lodged your visa application.  Details of our
offices located around the world can be found [5]here.

Making a Visa application

Registered migration agents are authorised to provide immigration advice
or assistance, including advice regarding the lodgement of visa
applications. Further information on migration agents may be found
[6]here.  Please note that the Department is unable to assist you in this
regard.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your visa
application through ImmiAccount, you should submit your concerns through
the ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [7]here.

Australian Citizenship

If you are seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship, please refer
[8]here.

Information on how to apply for Australian citizenship, information for
Australian citizens and Australian Citizenship Day can be found [9]here.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

Movement Records/Travel History

If you are seeking evidence of your own travel movements/history you
should complete Form 1359, which can be found [10]here.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

Superannuation – Evidence of Immigration Status

Information about accessing your superannuation after leaving Australia
can be found [11]here.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

Changes in your situation including updating your Passport Details

If your situation has changes or is about to change, you need to tell us
because your visa might be affected.

Information can be found [12]here about how to notify the Department of a
change in your situation.

The FOI Section does not process these requests.

Duty Free concessions

Information relating to duty free concessions can be found [13]here.

General Enquiries

If you have a question, which has not been answered above, and which is
about visa, citizenship, travel or trade, including bringing goods in and
out of Australia, please refer to our general enquiries web form [14]here.

Thank you

Information updated 9 September 2020

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visi
2. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1
3. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
4. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
5. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/o...
6. https://www.mara.gov.au/
7. https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Immi...
8. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
9. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizens...
10. https://www.abf.gov.au/form-listing/form...
11. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
12. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
13. http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Duty-...
14. http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/m...

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OFFICIAL

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 21/03/00959
File Number: OBJ2021/9401

Dear Information Requested

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

I refer to your correspondence received on 16 March 2021 seeking access to documents held by the Department Of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

Scope of request

You have requested access to the following:
I would like to know the number of citizenship applicants who are approved and are now waiting to complete the citizenship ceremony, grouped by each of the states and territories as listed below.

States and Territories:
NSW
WA
QLD
SA
Vic
Northern Territory
Australian Capital territory
TAS

Your request was received by the Department on 16 March 2021 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 21/03/00959 . Please include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of Information Section.

Timeframe for receiving your decision

The statutory timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the date upon which your application was received by the Department.

Your review rights in relation to your request are available on the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner here.

Exclusion of staff details

The Department’s policy is to exclude the personal details of staff not in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the direct contact details of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an FOI request. If you require personal details of non-SES officers, or direct contact details of SES staff, please inform us so the decision maker may consider your request. Otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information being excluded from the scope of your request.

Duplicate documents

If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exists.

Publication of document

Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the Department may be required to publish these documents on its website within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act. Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or business affairs information.

Contacting the FOI Section

Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind Regards,

FOI Officer
Position number: 60028261MP
Authorised FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

-----Original Message-----
From: Information Requested <[FOI #7155 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 16 March 2021 1:43 PM
To: FOI <[Department of Home Affairs request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Number of citizenship applicants who are approved and are now waiting to complete the citizenship ceremony

Dear Department of Home Affairs,

I would like to know the number of citizenship applicants who are approved and are now waiting to complete the citizenship ceremony, grouped by each of the states and territories as listed below.

(if you require a 30 day extension after initial 30 days of request, I am ok with it)

States and Territories:

NSW
WA
QLD
SA
Vic
Northern Territory
Australian Capital territory
TAS

Please let me know if you need further details on this request.

Yours faithfully,
Information Requested

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #7155 email]

Is [Department of Home Affairs request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Home Affairs? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this email.

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OFFICIAL

FOI Request: FA 21/03/00959
File Number: OBJ2021/9401

Good evening,

Thank you for your email enquiring about the progress of your FOI request.

Please be advised that the Department is currently processing a large number of FOI requests. Our staff are working hard and the Department is committed to processing your request as quickly as possible.

A number of documents have been identified as falling within the scope of your request and an FOI Officer will be reviewing those documents in due course. A decision on access will be made on your request and you will be notified of this as soon as possible.

Kind Regards,

Michael
Position number: 60028261
Authorised FOI Officer
Freedom of Information
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

-----Original Message-----
From: Information Requested <[FOI #7155 email]>
Sent: Friday, 16 April 2021 3:40 PM
To: FOI <[Department of Home Affairs request email]>
Subject: Re: Acknowledgement – FOI request FA 21/03/00959 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Dear FOI,

I am still awaiting the response to above query. This is beyond 30 days

FOI Request: FA 21/03/00959

File Number: OBJ2021/9401

kindly do the needful

Yours sincerely,

Information Requested

-----Original Message-----

OFFICIAL

In reply please quote:

FOI Request: FA 21/03/00959

File Number: OBJ2021/9401

Dear Information Requested

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

I refer to your correspondence received on 16 March 2021 seeking access to documents held by the Department Of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

Scope of request

You have requested access to the following:

I would like to know the number of citizenship applicants who are approved and are now waiting to complete the citizenship ceremony, grouped by each of the states and territories as listed below.

States and Territories:

NSW

WA

QLD

SA

Vic

Northern Territory

Australian Capital territory

TAS

Your request was received by the Department on 16 March 2021 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 21/03/00959 . Please include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of Information Section.

Timeframe for receiving your decision

The statutory timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the date upon which your application was received by the Department.

Your review rights in relation to your request are available on the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner here.

Exclusion of staff details

The Department’s policy is to exclude the personal details of staff not in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as well as the direct contact details of SES staff, contained in documents that fall within scope of an FOI request. If you require personal details of non-SES officers, or direct contact details of SES staff, please inform us so the decision maker may consider your request. Otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information being excluded from the scope of your request.

Duplicate documents

If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exists.

Publication of document

Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the Department may be required to publish these documents on its website within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act. Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or business affairs information.

Contacting the FOI Section

Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind Regards,

FOI Officer

Position number: 60028261MP

Authorised FOI Officer

Freedom of Information

E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[FOI #7155 email]

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this email.

hide quoted sections

OFFICIAL

23 April 2021

Applicant

BY EMAIL:  [FOI #7155 email]

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:       FA 21/03/00959

File Number:        OBJ2021/9401

Dear Applicant

Freedom of Information (FOI) request - Access Decision

On 16 March 2021 the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) received
a request for access to document under the Freedom of Information Act 1982
(the FOI Act).

The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a decision on your
request for access under the FOI Act.

1            Scope of request

You have requested access to the following document:

I would like to know the number of citizenship applicants who are approved
and are now waiting to complete the citizenship ceremony, grouped by each
of the states and territories as listed below.

States and Territories:

NSW

WA

QLD

SA

Vic

Northern Territory

Australian Capital territory

2            Authority to make decision

I am an officer authorised under section 23 of the FOI Act to make
decisions in respect of requests to access document or to amend or
annotate records.

3            Relevant material

In reaching my decision I referred to the following:

·       the terms of your request

·       the document relevant to the request

·       the FOI Act

·       Guidelines published by the Office of the Information Commissioner
under section 93A of the FOI Act (the FOI Guidelines)

·       advice from Departmental officers with responsibility for matters
relating to the document to which you sought access

4            Document in scope of request

In accordance with section 17 of the FOI Act, the Department has used its
computer system to produce one document that contains information that
falls within the scope of your request. The data produced in the document
existed in the possession of the Department on 16 March 2021 when your FOI
request was received.

5            Decision

The decision in relation to the document in the possession of the
Department which fall within the scope of your request is as follows:

·       Release one document in full

6            Legislation

A copy of the FOI Act is available at
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2.... If you are unable to
access the legislation through this website, please contact our office for
a copy.

7            Your Review Rights

Internal Review

If you disagree with this decision, you have the right to apply for an
internal review by the Department of this decision.  Any request for
internal review must be provided to the Department within 30 days of you
being notified of the decision.  Where possible please attach reasons why
you believe a review of the decision is necessary.  The internal review
will be carried out by an officer other than the original decision maker
and the Department must make a review decision within 30 days. 

Applications for review should be sent to:

By email to: [1][email address]

OR

By mail to:

Freedom of Information Section

Department of Home Affairs

PO Box 25

BELCONNEN   ACT  2617

Review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

You may apply directly to the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) for a review of this decision.  You must apply in
writing within 60 days of this notice.  For further information about
review rights and how to submit a request for a review to the OAIC, please
see Fact Sheet 12 "Freedom of information – Your review rights", available
online at
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...

8            Making a Complaint

You may complain to the Australian Information Commissioner about action
taken by the Department in relation to your request.

Your enquiries to the Australian Information Commissioner can be directed
to:

Phone 1300 363 992 (local call charge)
Email  [2][email address]

There is no particular form required to make a complaint to the Australian
Information Commissioner. The request should be in writing and should set
out the grounds on which it is considered that the action taken in
relation to the request should be investigated and identify the Department
of Home Affairs as the relevant agency.

9            Contacting the FOI Section

Should you wish to discuss this decision, please do not hesitate to
contact the FOI Section at [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Signed electronically

Glen

Position number 60081621

Authorised Decision Maker | Freedom of Information Section

FOI and Records Management Branch

Data Division | Strategy and Law Enforcement Group

Department of Home Affairs

OFFICIAL

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately.  This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.
 

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. 
The Department of Home Affairs and ABF respect your privacy and have
obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.  

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:foi.reviews@
2. mailto:[email address]