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Free replacement passports for victims of natural disasters

Bushfires, storms and floods across Australia can have a significant wellbeing and financial impact on the people affected.

If your passport is lost, damaged or destroyed due to a natural disaster, you may be eligible for a free replacement.

Call us on 131 232 for more information.

Article Date:
07 December 2023

Holidays are nearly here! Be travel ready.

A hand holding a boarding pass rests on a suitcase with a summer hat on top. In the background a plane ascends into a clear blue sky.

The holiday season is fast approaching. Get ahead of the curve and check your passport now. If you’re planning to travel, make sure your passport: 

  • won’t expire until at least 6 months after your trip ends 

  • is free of damage like rips, marks, stains or missing pages 

  • has at least 2 blank visa pages. 

If you need to renew or apply for a passport, don’t leave it too late. Make sure you allow enough time to get it before you travel.  

You can find our passport processing timeframes and start your application online

Article Date:
01 December 2023

Optimum Allied Health data breach

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of a cyber incident affecting some staff and clients of Optimum Allied Health (OAH).   

Investigation into the cyber incident has found evidence that some personal information was compromised. This includes a small number of Australian passports.    

OAH is contacting impacted customers directly and continues to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the cyber-attack.   

Foreign passports were also compromised through this cyberattack. If OAH has advised you that your foreign passport information was compromised, you should contact the government that issued the passport for advice on what to do. 

Affected 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. Further information on how your passport may be affected can be found on the APO website. 

Protecting against scams and identity theft provides advice on safeguarding your personal information. 

Customers can also seek help from IDCare, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to the Australian community in responding to identity theft.   

Advice on how 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.  

Article Date:
08 November 2023

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