Department ATD Privacy Notice
The Department of Home Affairs (department), and our contracted service providers, are bound by the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in Schedule 1 to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). The APPs regulate how the department manages personal information. This includes its:
- collection
- use
- storage
- sharing.
The APPs also explain how you can access or correct the personal information that we hold about you.
This notice explains why the department collects your personal information when you submit an Australia Travel Declaration (ATD), and how we manage that information. You can find more information about the department’s general personal information handling practices in the
Department’s Privacy Policy.
Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas) is collaborating with the department to provide the ATD system in the Qantas App. When you submit an ATD in the Qantas App, Qantas collects your personal information and sends it to the department. The Qantas App will store the personal information you submit in the ATD on your personal device and not in any Qantas systems. It will stay visible in the Qantas App for a short period, usually for 24 hours after your scheduled arrival in Australia. It will be deleted from your personal device when the Qantas App is next opened on your personal device after that 24 hour period. Qantas does not store the ATD information on its systems.
The ATD offers a digital alternative to the paper Incoming Passenger Card (IPC). It allows you to provide information using the Qantas App on your personal device up to 72 hours before you board your flight to Australia relating to:
- immigration
- customs
- health
- biosecurity
- currency matters.
Personal information we collect
Personal information that the department collects via the ATD includes:
- your name, date of birth and usual occupation
- your intended address in Australia
- your email address and passport details
- contact details in Australia and emergency contact details
- flight number, and country in which you boarded the flight
- migration status
- details about your travel to and stay in Australia
- declarations in relation to immigration, customs, health, biosecurity and currency matters.
Why we collect your personal information
The department collects your personal information to manage your entry into Australia. This includes to:
- verify your identity
- fulfill the department’s immigration, customs and border security functions
- collect information for other Australian Government agencies, including:
- the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, to assess the biosecurity risk in relation to you or the goods that you bring into Australia and compliance with the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth)
- the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, for the purposes of the
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth) in relation to the movement of currency into Australia
- the Department of Health and Aged Care, to manage risks to human health and to assess compliance with the
Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth)
- the Australian Bureau of Statistics, to analyse statistics about migration and administer the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975 (Cth)
- send you ATD notifications.
We may use your email address to invite you to participate in a survey or other research about your experience using the ATD. Your participation will help us to improve the ATD.
How we collect your personal information
The department collects your personal information from Qantas when you submit an ATD. We use and/or disclose that information for the purposes explained in this Privacy Notice.
Generally, the department will collect your personal information from:
- you
- Qantas
- a third party who is authorised to act on your behalf.
We may collect personal information about you from third parties. This may include:
- other Australian Government agencies
- law enforcement agencies
- foreign governments.
All ATD information is held by the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. ATD information is also held securely on your personal device in the Qantas App for a limited period.
Consequences of not providing your information
If you do not provide your personal information and complete all mandatory fields, you will not be able to submit an ATD. You may be required to complete and submit a paper IPC when you arrive in Australia.
Who the department generally discloses your personal information to
The department discloses personal information to the following Australian Government agencies, being information the department has collected on their behalf:
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Department of Health and Aged Care
- Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre
- Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The department discloses personal information to other Australian Government agencies and state and territory government agencies. This allows these agencies to undertake their statutory duties and associated functions. The main agencies are:
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Department of Education
- Services Australia
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission
- Clean Energy Regulator in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Where permitted by the Privacy Act or other applicable legislation, the department will disclose your personal information to these agencies.
Where you provide consent through the ATD system the department will also disclose your personal information to the Office of National Intelligence (ONI). This is to support the ONI’s national intelligence functions under the
Office of National Intelligence Act 2018. If you do not consent to this disclosure, you will be required to complete an IPC on arrival. The contents of that paper form will be shared with the ONI in accordance with the
Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and
Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth).
The department shares personal information with enforcement bodies where reasonably necessary for enforcement related activities. This includes:
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission
- Australian Taxation Office
- Australian Federal Police
- state revenue offices
- state or territory police forces.
If you submit an ATD, we will disclose your personal information to the same agencies that we would disclose your paper IPC to. You can find more information on
Form 1442i Privacy Notice.
The department also discloses information to its contracted service providers.
It also shares de-identified, aggregated data with the Australian Bureau of Statistics for statistical and research purposes.
Disclosure of personal information to overseas recipients
The department is not likely to disclose the personal information we collect via the ATD to overseas recipients.
How you can access or correct your personal information
You will be able to update your ATD at any time until you present it to an Australian Border Force officer or Biosecurity officer.
You can also make a request to access or correct your personal information under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) and the Privacy Act. The department’s Privacy Policy explains how you can access or correct the personal information that we hold about you.
Concerns and complaints
If you believe that the department has handled your personal information in a way that breaches our APP obligations, our Privacy Policy explains how you can make a complaint and how we will deal with your complaint.
How you can contact us
View our full contact details.
Use our Compliments, complaints and suggestions feedback form.
Write to:
The Manager Global Feedback Unit
GPO Box 241
Melbourne VIC 3001 Australia
