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Western Sydney University data breach

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is aware of a cyber incident impacting Western Sydney University.  

The University’s investigation into the cyber incident has found the personal details of a number of their former and current students and staff were compromised, including Australian passport numbers and copies of Australian and foreign passports.     

The University is contacting impacted individuals directly and continues to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the cyber-attack.     

Affected Australian passports are still safe to use for international travel. Your passport number cannot be used to obtain a new passport. Robust controls are used to protect passports from identity takeover, including sophisticated facial-recognition technology.   

See our page on protecting against scams and identity theft for more advice on how to safeguard your personal information.   

You can also seek help from IDCARE, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to Australians on how to respond to identity theft.      

More advice on what you can do to protect yourself and your family from cyber security incidents is available on the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) webpage at: www.cyber.gov.au.   

If you’re a foreign passport holder whose personal details have been compromised, you should contact the government that issued your passport for further advice what to do.  Please refer to DFAT’s list of foreign government representatives based in Australia.   

Article Date:
02 October 2024

Beware of travel visa scams!

We’ve seen an increase in the number of visa related scams reported to us.

These scams use fraudulent websites to steal your money and get your identity documents.

There are also companies that will process your visa or visa waiver application, for a higher fee than if you were to use the official government channels.

To avoid these websites, make sure you visit Smartraveller to get all the latest visa information for your destination. 

For more information on travel visa scams and what to do if you think you’ve been scammed, visit IDCare.

Article Date:
02 October 2024

New passport application status tracker

We've introduced a new passport application status tracker!

The status tracker lets you check the progress of your passport application online, including an estimated date for when your passport will be ready to collect or post.

All passports can now be tracked, including child, priority and fast-track applications, as well as those lodged overseas.

You can use the status tracker once you've lodged your passport application. You will need your application number (e.g. AB123456A). If you don't have your application number, see where do I find my application number?

This new service is one of several exciting changes to modernise Australia's passport service. Stay tuned! 

Article Date:
16 September 2024

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