Proof of identity and Verification of identity

The following documents are the only forms of identification accepted by VIT as proof of identity.

Commencement of identity documents

Confirms the applicant's birth or arrival in Australia

Applicants must provide one of the following

• Australian birth certificate (full only, not an extract or birth card)
• Australian passport (current but not cancelled)
• Australian Citizenship Certificate
• Australian Visa (current at time of entry to Australia as a resident or tourist)
• ImmiCard issued by Immigration and Border Protection that enables the cardholder to prove their visa and / or immigration status
• Certificate of identity issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade to refugees and non-Australian citizens for entry to Australia
• Document of identity issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade to Australian citizens or persons who have the nationality of a Commonwealth country for travel purposes
• Certificate of evidence of residence status.

Primary use documents

Shows the use of the applicant’s identity in the community

Applicants must provide one of the following

• Australian driver’s licence (current), learner permit or provisional licence issued by a state or territory, showing a signature and / or photo and the same name as claimed
• Australian marriage certificate issued by a state or territory (church or celebrant-issued certificates are not accepted)
• passport (current) issued by a country other than Australia with a valid entry stamp or visa
• Proof of age or photo identity card (current) issued by an Australian Government agency in the name of the applicant, with a signature and photo.

Secondary use documents

Confirms certification of the identity documents provided

Applicants must provide two of the following

• Centrelink card (including Health Care, Seniors Health or Pensioner Concession card)
• Medicare card
• foreign government issued documents (such as a current overseas Driver’s licence or national identity card)
• Australian government issued photo ID card (excluding Working with Children (WWC) clearances, previously called Working with Children Checks or WWCC)
• Australian tertiary student photo identity card
• Australian Electoral Commission enrolment
• certificate of ID issued by Foreign Affairs & Trade
• document of identity issued by Foreign Affairs & Trade
• convention travel document secondary (United Nations) issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade
• consular photo ID card issued by Foreign Affairs and Trade
• security guard or crowd control photo licence
• police officer photo ID card
• Australian defence force photo ID card
• aviation security ID card 
• maritime Security ID card
• credit reference check
• Australian secondary student card
• certified academic transcript from an Australian university
• trusted referees report.

Change of name documents

If an applicant has legally changed their name at any stage, they will also be required to provide one of the following change of name documents

• marriage certificate (church or celebrant-issued certificates are not accepted)
• divorce order
• name change certificate issued by a State or Territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
• Deed poll
• Statutory declaration (when none of the above documents are available).

The VIT cannot accept the following documentation as valid proof of identity

• Working with Children (WWC) clearance / card (previously known as a Working with Children Check or WWCC)
• unofficial academic results, including
  • copies of a student’s statement of results from education provider websites
  • copies of academic records that are not certified copies provided by the education provider
• bank, debit or credit cards
• bank statements
• rental agreements.

This process requires applicants to use Service Victoria’s app for verification.

Applicants will need

An original primary ID document, which must be one of the following

• Australian passport (current or expired less than three years)
• current foreign passport (with linked Australian visa)
• Australian birth certificate
• Australian citizenship certificate
• Immicard.

An original secondary ID document, which must be one of the following

• current Australian drivers licence
• Medicare card (physical card only).

A smartphone that is

• with a valid Australian mobile number
• less than five years old
• capable of taking and uploading a photo of yourself.

Important information

At least one ID document must have a photo, and the names on your ID documents must match. If they do not match, you will be asked to provide a change of name certificate or marriage certificate issued by an Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages registry.

Service Victoria first-time users

If this is the first time using Service Victoria, the process can take up to 25 minutes to complete, however identity is validated on the spot and the details can be saved for future requirements (such as Working with Children clearances, online drivers licenses, vehicle or boat registration and more).

Watch a short video about the online ID checking process.

This process requires applicants to fill in the VOI form and take original identity documents to an authorised third party for verification.

Applicants will need

• originals or copies of the four (4) proof of identity documents selected in their application
• access to a printer. 

The VOI form must include the following

• reference numbers and expiry dates for all four documents
• third party’s full name
• third party’s occupation
• proof of the third party’s occupation (and therefore authorisation to act as a third party), which may include
  • their workplace’s name and address
  • an official stamp from their workplace
  • the official registration number provided by their industry’s regulatory body, or
  • their VIT registration number
• third party’s signature (electronic signatures are not accepted).

Important information

The VIT is unable to accept VOI forms that do not contain complete verification from an authorised third party. Submission of incomplete documents may delay the assessment of an application.

Read our verification of identity FAQs for more information.