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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 5 November 2021

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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 21/11/01186
File Number: OBJ2021/34201

Dear C,

I refer to your email dated 24 November 2021 in which you request access to information held by the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).

I am writing to tell you that your request is not valid for the purposes of section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act, and to provide you with an opportunity to revise your request so that it is a valid request. This is called a ‘request consultation process’. You have 14 days to respond to this notice in one of the ways set out below.

Scope of Request
You have requested access to the following:
1. Please provide the number of applications outstanding for Victorian/Melbourne citizenship.

2. Please provide information on which time period applications you are currently processing?

More Information Required
Please specify each council within Victoria/Melbourne for which you require the information.
Also, please clarify for 'applications outstanding' the citizenship application types, for example, by conferral or by descent (or all).
Additionally, indicate whether you require to know the number of approved applications, who are yet to attend a citizenship ceremony.

Power to refuse request
Section 24 of the FOI Act provides that if the Department is satisfied that a practical refusal reason exists in relation to a request, the Department must undertake a consultation process with you, and if, after that consultation process, the Department remains satisfied that the practical refusal reason still exists, the Department may refuse to give you access to the documents subject to the request.

Practical refusal
A practical refusal reason exists if either (or both) of the following applies:
(a) the work involved in the processing of the request would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the Department from its other operations
(b) the request does not satisfy the requirement in section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act, which requires you to provide such information concerning the document you are seeking access to, to enable the Department to be able to identify it.

Reasons for practical refusal
I do not consider that your request satisfies the requirements of section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act.
In order for your request to be valid for the purposes of the FOI Act, it must provide such information concerning the documents that you are seeking access to, as is reasonably necessary to enable the Department to identify the documents.

Given the broad nature of the activities undertaken by the Department, I do not consider that you have provided a reasonable description of the documents to which you are seeking access to.
As such, I am satisfied that your request is not valid and a practical refusal reason exists in this request. You have not provided sufficient information concerning the document you are seeking to access, to enable the Department to be able to identify it.
Request Consultation Process

To enable the Department to consider your request for access under the FOI Act, the Department will require sufficient information concerning the specific existing documents you are seeking access to, so as to enable the Department to identify those documents.
You do not necessarily need to be able to identify the exact document you are seeking, but you need to provide the Department with sufficient information to enable us to identify it. Given the very broad nature of the functions that this Department has responsibility for, at a very minimum, we will require advice as to which business areas might hold the documents you are seeking to access. A copy of the Department’s organisation chart is available on the Department’s website here which may assist you with this.

In addition, you may wish to consider providing a timeframe for your request to assist the Department’s officers to reasonably be able to identify the documents you are seeking to access.
You now have an opportunity to revise your request to enable it to proceed.

Your request is currently not a valid request for the purposes of section 15(2)(b) of the FOI Act. As part of this practical refusal consultation, you have 14 days to do one of the following:
• withdraw your request;
• make a revised request;
• indicate that you do not wish to revise your request.

If you do not do one of the three things listed above during the consultation period (14 days) or you do not consult the contact person listed below during this period, the Department will take no further action with your request.
Contact

Should you wish to revise your request or have any questions in relation to this process, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI section at [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind regards,

FOI Officer - Geoff
Freedom of Information
Department of Home Affairs

E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

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OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

Dear C,

Freedom of Information Request - FA 21/11/01186

I refer to your email dated 24 November 2021 in which you requested access to documents held by Department of Home Affairs under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act).
You specifically requested access to:

1. Please provide the number of applications outstanding for Victorian/Melbourne citizenship.

2. Please provide information on which time period applications you are currently processing?.

On 25 November 2021, Department notified you of its intention to refuse your request on the basis that the work involved in processing your request in its current form would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of Department from its other operations due to its broad nature, size and complexity.

In particular, Department notified you that, within 14 days of receipt of that letter, you must advise Department that:
• you wish to make a revised request; or
• indicate that you do not wish to revise your request; or
• withdraw your request.

The 14 day period has now expired. As such, in accordance with section 24AB(7) of the FOI Act, Department considers that your request has been withdrawn.
If you have any enquiries concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to contact an FOI officer at [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind regards,

FOI Officer - Geoff
Freedom of Information
Department of Home Affairs

E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

show quoted sections