Media release
Senator Chris Evans
Leader of the Government in the Senate
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
112.09
5 December 2009
Biometrics testing introduced for protection visa applicants
Biometric information will now be collected from people seeking asylum in Australia under
a
new identity security initiative, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris
Evans, said today.
As part of the new initiative, protection visa applicants in Sydney and Melbourne – where
the biggest caseloads are found – will now be asked to provide a digital facial image and a
scan of their fingerprints.
Biometrics uses measurable biological characteristics to establish a unique identity for a
person. Those characteristics are recorded and referred to for identification purposes.
“Establishing the identity of non-citizens is a fundamental part of both visa assessment and
border processing. Better identity management and the use of biometrics are crucial to
keeping Australia’s borders secure and maintaining the integrity of our migration program,”
Senator Evans said.
“This initiative will improve our current processes for identity-checking and assessing
people’s claims for protection under the Refugees Convention.
“It will also strengthen our ability to detect inconsistent identity and immigration claims.”
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has already successfully rolled out
biometrics collection of fingerprints and facial images from immigration detainees –
including irregular maritime arrivals on Christmas Island – and illegal foreign fishers. Facial
images are also collected from all people sitting the citizenship test and as part of health
assessments.
Through data-sharing arrangements under the Five Countries Conference (FCC)
processes, fingerprints collected through the protection visa process may also be checked
against the biometric records of the United Kingdom, USA and Canada to determine if the
person has an immigration record or has previously applied for protection in those
countries.
Data-sharing trials under these arrangements have already proven effective. In one case,
a fingerprint match with an FCC partner country has revealed a person currently seeking
asylum in Australia is known by several different names in that country, in addition to
having numerous criminal convictions. This information will now form part of any
assessment of this person’s claims and application.
“Biometric data is widely used in the international community as an effective tool to
manage visa and immigration processes, improve identity management and combat fraud,”
Senator Evans said.
“This is part of Australia’s ongoing cooperation with other countries such as the UK and
Canada to strengthen international border and immigration management through the
secure and confidential cross-checking of identity information.”
Participation in the initiative will be voluntary and limited to applicants in Sydney and
Melbourne for the first six months. If people choose not to participate, their applications will
continue to be processed in line with standard procedures. At the end of the pilot, the
government will consider national expansion of the process and making it compulsory.
The Minister said biometrics data would only be shared in accordance with the Privacy Act
1988 and the disclosure provisions of the Migration Act 1958.
Media Contact: Cian Manton – (02) 6277 7860 or 0413 760 818
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