Accepted Identity Documents
Complete guide to the identity documents you'll need for your Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) application
What You Need to Know
The National Police Checking Service requires at least three (3) identity documents — one from each category below — plus your linkage selfie. There is no points system.
Commencement of Identity
Birth certificate, citizenship certificate, passport, visa or ImmiCard
Primary Use in Community
Driver licence, passport or state photo ID card
Secondary Use in Community
Medicare card, Centrelink card or student ID
Linkage Selfie
A selfie holding one of your approved photographic IDs
Commencement of Identity Documents
You must provide at least ONE document from this category
Australian Birth Certificate
Full birth certificate issued by an Australian state or territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Birth extracts and birth cards are not accepted.
Australian Citizenship Certificate
Issued in your name (or former name) by the Department of Home Affairs.
Australian Passport
A current (not expired) Australian passport issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We verify all identity documents manually, so expired passports cannot be accepted.
Australian Visa
Issued by the Department of Home Affairs. This MUST be supported by your foreign passport, which is needed for verification.
ImmiCard
A card issued in your name (or former name) by the Department of Home Affairs.
Primary Use in Community Documents
You must provide at least ONE document from this category — all documents must be current (not expired)
Australian Passport
Current (not expired) passport issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Australian Driver Licence, Learner Permit or Provisional Licence
Issued by an Australian state or territory in your name, with your photo, and not expired. Digital driver licences must have their security features tested for authenticity.
ImmiCard
A card issued in your name (or former name) by the Department of Home Affairs.
Foreign Passport
Issued by a foreign government, with a valid Australian visa or valid entry stamp (or equivalent).
Proof of Age / Photo Identity Card
Issued by an Australian state or territory government, showing your name, date of birth, photo and signature.
Student Identity Document (Under 18 Only)
For applicants aged under 18 with no other Primary document — issued by an Australian secondary school, TAFE, university, Registered Training Organisation or state government agency.
Secondary Use in Community Documents
You must provide at least ONE document from this category — every document must show your name and must not be expired
Medicare Card
Issued by Services Australia.
Evidence of a Government Benefit
Evidence of your right to a Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs benefit, issued by Services Australia.
Electoral Enrolment
Proof of electoral enrolment in your name, showing your current address, provided by the Australian Electoral Commission.
Security Guard / Crowd Control Photo Licence
Issued by an Australian state or territory government.
Firearms Licence
A current card issued in your name, with your photo, by an Australian state or territory police agency.
Photo Identity Card (incl. Working With Children / Occupational Licence)
A photo ID card issued in your name, with your photo, by the Commonwealth or an Australian state or territory government — this may take the form of a working with children or vulnerable people card, or a government-issued occupational licence.
Aviation or Maritime Security Identification Card (ASIC / MSIC)
A current card issued in your name, with your photo, by the Department of Home Affairs.
Police, Defence Force or Consular Photo Identity Card
A photo ID card issued by an Australian federal, state or territory police agency, the Australian Defence Force, or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Australian Student Photo ID or Certified Academic Transcript
Issued by an Australian secondary school, TAFE, university, Registered Training Organisation or state government agency, in your name (or former name).
Bank Card or Credit Card
Issued by a bank, credit union or building society. Your signature must be on the card, we do not record card numbers, and cards from foreign banks or institutions are not accepted.
Tax File Number
Issued by the Australian Taxation Office.
DFAT Identity Documents
A Certificate of Identity, Document of Identity, or United Nations Convention Travel Document, issued in your name (or former name) by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Foreign Identity Documents
Such as a foreign driver licence, issued by the relevant foreign government. Documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by a NAATI-accredited translation.
Credit Reference Check or Trusted Referee's Report
A credit reference check issued by a credit provider, or a report from a trusted referee who knows you personally.
Linkage — Your Verification Selfie
As part of your online application, you'll be asked to take a clear selfie holding one of your approved photographic identity documents — such as your driver licence, passport, or state photo ID card — next to your face.
This is your linkage image — a required part of the National Police Checking Service identity verification process. It links you to your claimed identity by allowing us to visually confirm that you are the person shown in your identity documents before your application is submitted to the ACIC.
- Use good lighting — your face and the entire ID document must both be clearly visible
- Hold the ID beside your face — don't cover your face or the document photo
- No filters, hats or sunglasses — we need to match your face to the document photo
- The document must be one of your approved photographic IDs from the lists above
Has Your Name Changed?
Separate from your linkage image, if the names on your identity documents differ you must also provide a Change of Name document. These don't count towards your three identity documents. Accepted Change of Name documents are:
Change of name certificate — issued by an Australian state or territory government; or a marriage certificate issued by an Australian state or territory government Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Church or celebrant-issued marriage certificates are not accepted.
Important Notes
- Documents must be current — We verify all identity documents manually. Every document you provide must be current: expired documents, including expired passports, cannot be accepted.
- Names must match — If your name has changed, provide a state or territory government-issued change of name certificate or registry-issued marriage certificate as a Change of Name document.
- Documents must be in English — Foreign documents in another language must be accompanied by a NAATI-accredited translation.
- Clear images required — When uploading documents, ensure all text is clearly visible and the entire document is captured. We are required to keep a record of each document you present.
- Linkage image (selfie) required — You must supply a clear selfie holding one of your approved photographic ID documents next to your face. This linkage image visually links you to your claimed identity, and applications cannot be submitted to the ACIC without it.
- Each document counts once — A single document can only satisfy one category, even if it appears in more than one list.
- Can't meet these requirements? — Special provisions may be available if you genuinely cannot provide standard documents (for example, if your birth was not registered, you are experiencing homelessness, you arrived in Australia undocumented, you live in a remote area, or you were affected by a natural disaster). Contact us before applying and we will help you through the available options.
Ready to Start Your Application?
Have your three documents ready? Begin your Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check application now.
Start Your NCCHC Application