Australian Certificate of Identity explained

Australian Certificate of Identity should not be confused with Australian Document of Identity.

Document Name:Australian Certificate of Identity
Date First Issued:September 2022 (current version)
Using Jurisdiction: Australia
Document Type:Travel document
Purpose:International travel document
Eligibility:Non-Australian citizens
Expiration:Maximum of 3 years

The Australian Certificate of Identity (COI) is a biometric travel document issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to individuals who are not Australian citizens and are about to leave Australia or one of its territories.

It should not be confused with the Document of Identity, which conversely is intended mainly for use by Australian citizens in circumstances where it would be unnecessary or undesirable to issue a passport.

Eligibility

A person in one of the following can apply for a COI:[1]

Document note

The Australian Certificate of Identity contains a note on the inside of the front cover which words the following in English:

This Certificate of Identity is issued for the sole purpose of providing the holder with a travel document that can serve in lieu of a national passport. It is issued without prejudice to and no way affects the nationality of the holder. It does not constitute authority to re-enter Australia. If the holder returns to the country of which the holder claims to be a national and is able to obtain a valid document from that country, this Certificate of Identity ceases to be valid and must be surrendered to the issuing authority.

and in French:

Use

Holders of a COI who are refugees or stateless persons and legally resident in Australia can enter Germany, Hungary and Slovenia visa-free.[2] Holders of a COI who are refugees (but not stateless persons) legally resident in Australia can enter Slovakia visa-free.[2] The maximum length of stay under these visa exemptions is 90 days in a 180-day period.

See also

References

  1. Web site: Passport Manual. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120228025838/http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/passports/Policy/TravelDocuments/index.htm. 2012-02-28.
  2. http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/doc_centre/borders/docs/31.10.2011_Information%20539-2001_EN.pdf Information pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement

External links