Verifying your identity

Why you are asked for identity information

When you use a NSW Government service, you may need to provide details from an identity document. This is to connect you with the service as quickly and securely as possible. 

The information you provide is then checked against existing government records. 

This check helps us to make sure that it's you accessing the service and not someone pretending to be you.

Documents you can use

How you provide your identity information depends on whether you are transacting online or in person at a Service NSW Centre.

The documents you need may differ for each transaction, so it's important to check.

You may be asked for the following:

• Australian driver licence
• Australian passport
• Foreign passport (Australian visa)
• Australian birth certificate (not a commemorative birth certificate)
• Australian certificate of registration by descent
• Australian citizenship certificate
• ImmiCard
• Medicare card
• Pensioner Concession Card
• Health Care Card
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Veteran Gold Card
• Veteran Card
• Aviation and Maritime Security Identification Card.

Online

Search for the transaction you need. You'll find information on who can apply, where to apply and identity documents required.  

We'll usually ask you to enter information from one or more of your identity documents.

Each transaction is different and you'll see the exact documents you need when you start your application. If you do not have the documents required, call us on 13 77 88 to find other ways to verify your identity.

At a service centre

In some situations, you may be able to complete a transaction at a service centre. 

Before you visit

The documents you need may differ for each transaction, so check the website first.  

Search for the transaction online, to:

• check if you can apply in a centre
• find out which documents you need to bring with you.

Prepare your documents

• In most cases, you'll need the original documents (for example, your passport, plastic driver licence, plastic Medicare card).
• In some cases, you may be able to use a NSW Photo Card as an identity document (check the transaction for details).
• Laminated copies of documents will not be accepted.
• Commemorative birth certificates will not be accepted.
• If you're representing someone else using Power of Attorney, you may need to bring the original Power of Attorney document or a certified copy. Call 13 77 88 before your visit to check. You'll also need to bring your own identity documents.

Important information

• If you're asked for 2 or more identity documents, the names on your documents must match.
• Document must be in English – you can apply for document translation services.
• You may be asked to provide a certified copy of a document. This is a photocopy that's been compared with the original and endorsed as a true copy by a Justice of the Peace (JP), or a public officer such as a police officer.

See the Privacy statement for how Service NSW collects and handles your personal information when you use our services and products.

Face verification

Face verification is a way of confirming your identity online. This form of proof of identity is included in selected transactions, such as renew a Working with Children Check.

Face verification software can improve the security of your information by using a liveness check and facial matching to verify your identity.

The liveness check determines whether there is a live person in front of a mobile phone, tablet or computer camera, or whether it is a fraudulent attempt to gain access.

Facial matching compares 2 images: in this case an individual’s selfie and a reference image from a trusted identity document such as a driver licence photo. The match is verified in real-time through one-to-one matching. This means your image will not be compared to a database of images. It is only compared against an image that you control from your device.

Key facts

• The technology used for face verification meets national and international standards and benchmarks.
• The government will not retain any biometric data regardless of the outcome of the face verification process. After a check is successfully completed, all biometric data is permanently destroyed.
• The government will retain and store a transaction log of the result (match/no match) along with metadata (date, time, transaction type) for auditing purposes. No personal information will be stored as part of this log.

Need help?

Related links

• Prepare your documents in case of an emergency