Overseas access

Accessing the DVS from overseas

If you are a private sector user, you must notify us if you have personnel outside Australia or New Zealand that access and use of the Document Verification Service (DVS) on your behalf. You must notify us before your personnel use or access the DVS from overseas.

Overseas personnel include any entities or individuals located outside of Australia or New Zealand who act as your employee, agent, contractor, consultant, sub-contractor (at every level) or sub-consultant (at every level).

Your organisation may need to access the DVS from outside Australia or New Zealand because:

  • You have offshore staff that support you when verifying an individual's identity, such as staff who have relocated overseas.
  • You have overseas operations or entities that support you when verifying an individual's identity, such as a call centre or technical support.

Overseas access does not mean that you can complete identity checks on individuals who are located overseas and do not possess Australian documentation. This is not a function of the DVS. 

How to notify us

Your participation agreement requires you to notify us in writing before accessing the DVS from locations outside of Australia or New Zealand.

Where to find this obligation in your participation agreement:

  • Business users: clause 4.7(g)
  • Identity service providers: 4.12(j)
  • Gateway service providers: 4.15(j)

To notify overseas access of the DVS, please email IVSComplianceReporting@ag.gov.au

You need to provide the following information when notifying us of your overseas personnel:

  • your legal entity name
  • your Australian Business Number or New Zealand Business Number
  • your Originating Access Code(s)
  • the countries outside of Australia and New Zealand where DVS information will be accessed
  • the names of any overseas based entity or individual (overseas personnel) acting on your behalf
  • your relationship with the overseas personnel or entity.

We may request additional information to make sure that your notification requirements are met. After you notify us, you will receive a written acknowledgement from us outlining some of your overseas access obligations.

Maintaining your overseas access

When accessing or using the DVS from overseas, you must:

  • Make sure that only the overseas personnel in your notification will access or use the DVS on your organisation's behalf.
  • Make sure you do not allow any unauthorised entity or individual overseas to use or access the DVS.
  • Make sure all overseas personnel comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) when handling personal information received when accessing or using the DVS.
  • Notify us of a change of circumstances, including any changes to functions or activities involving overseas personnel accessing the DVS. 

Where to find the obligation for your overseas personnel to comply with the APPs:

  • Business users – Clause 4.7(i) 
  • ID Service Providers – Clause 4.12(l) 
  • Gateway service provider – Clause 4.15(l)

You must continue to meet these conditions to maintain your overseas access to the DVS. The conditions are set out in the written acknowledgement we provide you. They reflect the requirements of your participation agreement and the DVS Access Policy and Guidelines.

  • Your organisation must notify us in writing before any changes are made to your overseas access. This includes:
  • new or additional entities requiring overseas access
  • new or additional functions requiring overseas access
  • changes to the number or roles of overseas personnel in your original notification.
  • changes to countries from which your overseas personnel will access the DVS
  • if overseas access is no longer needed by your organisation.

Find out more

For questions about overseas access, contact the Framework Administrator at IVSComplianceReporting@ag.gov.au.

This information should not be taken as legal advice. You should seek legal advice if you do not understand your obligations or how the legal requirements for overseas access apply to you.