Requirements for accessing certificates in hardship
Supporting evidence for fee-waived certificates
For us to consider waiving the fee for a certificate, the application must be submitted with:
- evidence of financial hardship
- evidence of immediate need
- proof of ID for the person applying.
Financial hardship
You must provide evidence why the certificate fee can't be paid, for example a combination of your most recent:
- current healthcare or pension cards
- Centrelink support payment statement
- bank statements, payslips or proof of income
- evidence of employment circumstances
- evidence of an inability to access funds, such as a letter from a
- domestic violence support service, doctor, counsellor, or social worker verifying that a domestic violence situation prevents you from accessing funds
- letter from a temporary or crisis accommodation provider verifying that the person is vulnerable and currently using their services.
You may need to provide more than 1 of these documents to show financial hardship.
Immediate need
Your application must also include evidence that shows how the certificate will fix a current problem that you are experiencing. For example:
- a letter from a school for your child, which states
- you must provide a birth certificate to the school
- a due date within 28 days of the application
- a written offer of accommodation, employment, medical treatment, or other substantial service that states there is a
- requirement to provide a birth certificate (or other life event certificate) as proof of identity
- due date within 28 days of the application.
Financial hardship
You must provide evidence why the certificate fee can't be paid, for example a combination of your most recent:
- current healthcare or pension cards
- Centrelink support payment statement
- bank statements, payslips or proof of income
- evidence of employment circumstances
- evidence of an inability to access funds, such as a letter from a
- domestic violence support service, doctor, counsellor, or social worker verifying that a domestic violence situation prevents you from accessing funds
- letter from a temporary or crisis accommodation provider verifying that the person is vulnerable and currently using their services.
You may need to provide more than 1 of these documents to show financial hardship.
Immediate need
Your application must also include evidence that shows how the certificate will fix a current problem that you are experiencing. For example:
- a letter from a school for your child, which states
- you must provide a birth certificate to the school
- a due date within 28 days of the application
- a written offer of accommodation, employment, medical treatment, or other substantial service that states there is a
- requirement to provide a birth certificate (or other life event certificate) as proof of identity
- due date within 28 days of the application.
Proof of ID (identification)
Copies of proof of ID documents mailed to us with your application must be certified as a true and correct copy by a qualified witness. Do not send original proof of ID by post. If you apply in person at a counter, a customer service officer can look at your original proof of ID.
If you currently live overseas, you may use the local equivalent for the ID items listed. If your overseas ID is not in English, you need to provide a translation from a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
You must provide 3 forms of current ID:
- 1 from each category below
or
- 2 from Community ID and 1 from the Home address evidence categories below.
Types of ID (categories)
Personal ID
- Australian photo driver licence
- Australian passport
- Overseas passport
- Adult proof of age card (formerly 18+ card)
Community ID
- Medicare card
- Concession or healthcare card
- Student ID
- School or other educational report from the last 12 months
- Salary advice or payslip
- Private health provider ID card
- Defence force or police service identification card
- Australian firearms licence
- Document of identity issued by the passport office
- Naturalisation, citizenship or immigration certificate
- Full birth certificate
- Security guard or crowd control licence
- Government employee photo ID
- Blue card
Home address evidence
Only provide the page with your name and current home address details.
- Recent utility account—such as gas, electricity, home phone
- Rent or lease agreement
- Rates notice
- Vehicle registration or driver licence renewal notice
- Recent official letter from other government service providers (not us)
- Electoral enrolment document
- Insurance policy notice
Certified and translated identity documents
Identity documents can be certified in Australia by a:
- Justice of the Peace
- Commissioner for Declarations
- barrister or solicitor
- notary public.
Outside of Australia, they can be certified by a:
- notary public
- Australian Embassy officer
- Australian Consulate officer.
Translating and interpreting services
For original documents that are not in English, you must also provide a translation from a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).