This page sets out information for Identity Service Providers (IDSPs) about identity opinions. This includes how to write an identity opinion and explains how an identity opinion is different from an information match result. Your obligations as an IDSP are contained in your DVS IDSP Participation Agreement.
If you are an IDSP, you will receive an information match result every time you make a request through the DVS. Information match results state whether an individual's identity information matches the official government record (such as a passport or driver licence) and indicate that the identity document is legitimate.
Information match results include responses like Y (yes) or N (no). Even though an information match result does not include any document details, the Identity Verification Services Act 2023(Cth) requires you to treat information match results as personal information.
As an IDSP, you must never provide an information match result to your clients or anyone else. Your clients are not authorised to receive an information match result or information that may imply an information match result.
As an IDSP you are only authorised to provide an identity opinion to your clients. You are not authorised to disclose an information match result to your client or anyone outside of your organisation.
An identity opinion is an opinion on whether an individual is who they say they are. Identity opinions can be given as a likelihood or confidence rating. They must not include the content of an information match result or imply what that result might be. This means that an identity opinion should not indicate 100% certainty about a person's identity or their identity document, even if their documents are verified successfully through the DVS.
Only IDSPs are allowed to provide identity opinions to their clients. Business Users and Gateway Service Providers must not provide an identity opinion to any third party.
As an IDSP, you must create an identity opinion that is based on more than one identity verification check. This could include aggregating the content from an information match result and another source, like a credit check or biometric check to build an identity opinion. You should never base an identity opinion only on the response from an information match result.
The following dropdowns provide examples of how you can create an identity opinion.
Example: “This individual is likely to be who they say they are”.
Reason: Does not disclose Information Match Result.
Example: “We are confident that this individual is who they say they are”.
Reason: Does not disclose Information Match Result.
Example: “We do not believe this identity document to be genuine”.
Reason: Does not disclose Information Match Result.
Example: “We believe this individual is of low risk”.
Reason: Does not disclose Information Match Result.
Example: “This individual’s document matches their official record”.
Reason: Explicitly discloses Information Match Result.
Example: “We are 100% confident that this individual is who they say they are.”
Reason: Implicitly discloses Information Match Result.
For more information about becoming an IDSP, go to: Identity service provider.
If you require additional guidance about identity opinions, please contact IVSComplianceReporting@ag.gov.au.
The information on this page is not and should not be taken as legal advice.