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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs Freedom of
Information (FOI) Section.

The FOI section only responds to valid FOI requests and other matters
relating to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).  Visit the
FOI Information on our Website for more information on what [1]information
can be accessed under the FOI Act 1982.

What is a valid FOI request?

A valid FOI request may be for:

- documents you previously provided to the Department as part of a visa
application

- a copy of a decision record made by the Department

- statistical information held by the Department

- papers or briefings the Department prepared.

If your email is a valid FOI request, the Department will contact you
shortly to acknowledge your request.

A valid FOI request must:

o Be in writing and state the request is for consideration under the FOI
Act.
o Have enough information for us to be able to identify the documents
you are seeking.
o Provide a physical or electronic address where we can send our
decision.

Do not send duplicate emails as this may cause longer delays in processing
times.

What is an invalid FOI request?

Invalid FOI requests may include:

- Making a visa application

- Seeking evidence of your Australian Citizenship

- Seeking information about traveling to or departing Australia.

If your email is not specific an FOI request or FOI related matter, the
FOI section will not respond.

What happens next?

Once we receive and have registered your FOI request, we will send you an
acknowledgment letter by email. Read the acknowledgment letter carefully
for further instructions.

FOI requests are generally processed in the order they are received.

We will contact you as soon as the Department has assessed your request
under the FOI Act.

We’re responding to a large volume of requests

Due to the current high volume of requests, we will not provide progress
up-dates on current FOI requests.  This is to ensure we are able to
process as many requests as possible, including yours.

If processing your request is going to take us a lot of time and because
it is large or unspecific, it may be refused.  

Still have a question or request?

If you still have a question, which has not been answered above, and which
is about the work of the Department, use our general enquiries web page

[2]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...

You may be able to resolve your enquiry faster using these other resources

We only action and respond to FOI requests that are valid under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982. You may be able to resolve your enquiry
faster by using these resources:

General information about travelling to Australia:

The Department of Home Affairs, “Entering Australia” site
[3]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...

·       For visa and our requirements for entry to Australia
[4]https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...

For a copy of your visa refusal or visa grant letter you should contact
the office where you lodged your visa application. 

·       To check your current visa details and conditions use the
Department’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) portal which can
be accessed [5]here

·       If you are experiencing technical difficulties in lodging your
visa application through ImmiAccount, submit your concerns through the
ImmiAccount Technical Support Form, which is accessible [6]here.

·       For evidence of your Australian Citizenship please refer [7]here.
The FOI Section does not process these requests.

·       For movement records or travel history complete the online
International Movement Records form [8]here. The FOI Section does not
process these requests.

·       To update your details, including your Passport details, you can
notify the Department [9]here. The FOI Section does not process these
requests.

We appreciate your feedback         

We appreciate your feedback to help improve our services.

If you would like to provide feedback to us please use our Compliments,
complaints and suggestions form.
[10]https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...

Thank you

Information updated 11 January 2022

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. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-an...
2. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
3. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
4. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/ge...
5. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/al...
6. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-sup...
7. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizens...
8. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering...
9. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-i...
10. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-...

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 22/07/00170
File Number: OBJ2022/17792

Dear Faraz Ahmed

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

I refer to your correspondence received on 1 July 2022 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:

1) How many citizenship ceremonies are planned for 2022 and approximately how many people usually participate in each ceremony in Woollahra Municipal Council NSW?

1) The number of people waiting to be allocated to an Australian citizenship ceremony (who have been approved) in Woollahra Municipal Council NSW.

2) The number of people allocated to an Australian citizenship ceremony (who have been approved) in Woollahra Municipal Council NSW.

The following will not be processed as part of this request, below are the reasons.

1) How many citizenship ceremonies are planned for 2022 and approximately how many people usually participate in each ceremony in Woollahra Municipal Council NSW?

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 provides a right to obtain access to “a document of an agency”. As such, it is not possible for the Department to provide responses to questions under the FOI Act.

Your request was received by the Department on 1 July 2022 and has been allocated FOI request number FA 22/07/00170.

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 exist.

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,

Michael
Position number: 60097355
Authorised FOI Officer
FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division
Strategy and National Resilience Group
Department Of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

show quoted sections

OFFICIAL

FOI request: FA 22/07/00170

Dear Faraz Ahmed

I refer to your FOI request received on 1 July 2022. 

Preliminary assessment of charges

This email is to advise you that I have made a preliminary assessment that
you are liable to pay a charge in respect of the processing of your FOI
request in accordance with s.29 of the FOI Act.  Please see the attached
notice for further information.

The FOI Act provides you with 30 days to respond, in writing, to this
notice, which is close of business Wednesday, 24 August 2022.

Details on how to make a payment to the Department are included in the
notice. Please ensure that you include your FA reference number with your
payment. If this information is not included with your payment details it
may delay the processing of your request.

Please note if you make the payment by EFT, please advise the FOI section
at [1][Department of Home Affairs request email] immediately to avoid delays in the processing
of your payment.

Please also advise if you wish to withdraw your request so the invoice can
be cancelled.

Kind regards

Lynette

Position number - 60025562

Authorised FOI Officer

FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division

Strategy and National Resilience Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [2][Department of Home Affairs request email]
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:[email address]
2. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL

Faraz Ahmed

BY EMAIL:  [FOI #9072 email]

In reply please quote:

FOI Request:       FA 22/07/00170 (closing)

File Number:       OBJ2022/17792 (closing)

Dear Faraz Ahmed

I refer to several email requests made by you for similar information and
for which you have received two separate file numbers and invoices. We
propose to close the first and cancel the associated invoice.

Please note you have a second file request still open and a second invoice
that remains unpaid at this point.

On 1 July 2022 you requested access to:

1) The number of people waiting to be allocated to an Australian
citizenship ceremony (who have been approved) in Woollahra Municipal
Council NSW.

2) The number of people allocated to an Australian citizenship ceremony
(who have been approved) in Woollahra Municipal Council NSW.

On 25 July 2022, Department notified you of a requirement to pay a
processing charge of $25.00 in respect of your original request (see
invoice 1197403888)

On 14 July 2022, you sent the Department another request for access to
similar documents:

1) How many citizenship ceremonies are planned for 2022 and approximately
how many people usually participate in each ceremony in Woollahra
Municipal Council NSW and Waverley Council NSW?

2) The number of people waiting to be allocated to an Australian
citizenship ceremony (who have been approved) in Woollahra Municipal
Council NSW and Waverley Council NSW

3) The number of people allocated to an Australian citizenship ceremony
(who have been approved) in Woollahra Municipal Council NSW and Waverley
Council NSW.

This second request was acknowledged and allocated a new FOI request file
number: FA 22/07/00688. This will remain as your FOI file record.

On 5 August 2022, the Department notified you of a second requirement to
pay another processing charge of $25.00 in respect of your second request
(see invoice 1197444614).

This means you have two invoices outstanding in our system which totals
$50.00.

As your second request covers the information originally requested on 1
July 2022, the Department will close your original request (FA
22/07/00170) and cancel Invoice 1197403888.

Please note future correspondence should quote your second request:

FOI Request:       FA 22/07/00688 (open)

File Number:       OBJ2022/19057 (open)

Payment is still required for Invoice 1197444614 for $25.00 to provide the
documents. Please ensure to use reference: 1197444614 when making payment
and email [1][Department of Home Affairs request email] immediately the payment is made with
FA 22/07/00688 in the subject line of your email.

In particular, the Department notified you that, within 30 days of receipt
of the letter dated 5 August, you must either:

·         agree to pay the charge; or

·         contend that the charge has been wrongly assessed, should be
reduced, or should not be imposed; or

·         withdraw the request.

The Department notified you that if, within 30 days of receipt of that
letter, you failed to notify the Department of one of the above matters,
your request would be considered to have been withdrawn.

If you have any enquiries concerning this matter, please do not hesitate
to contact me at [2][Department of Home Affairs request email].

If you wish me to contact you by phone to explain further I can do so if
provided with your phone number.

Kind regards,

Lynette

Position number: 60025562

Authorised FOI Officer

FOI and Records Management Branch | Data Division

Strategy and National Resilience Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [3][Department of Home Affairs request email] 

[4]Acknowledgement of Country Signature Block Graphic 2022

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:[Department of Home Affairs request email]
2. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]
3. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]