I have just received an extraordinary piece of correspondence from DIBP asserting that an Australian Birth certificate and possession of an Australian passport is not proof of Australian citizenship.
If you click on the link you will see this amazing piece of correspondence.
I don't blame the case officer they are just acting under orders, but I do think it begs the question WTF?
Perhaps it is no longer enough to be born in Australia and to have an Australian passport, perhaps DIBP will ask us all to "prove" we are Australian citizens.
This sort of BS is busy work.
I wonder of the Minister knows what his department is up to?
I understand your exasperation. However I have seen an instance where the overseas post issued an Australian passport to someone who wasn't entitled to it. The situation was that his mother *was* an Australian, but she lost it before he was born. The passport officer didn't check properly and issued the passport to the child. The person was not able to obtain Australian citizenship through his father.
Evidence of citizenship is issued by a case officer who is supposedly trained to determine eligibility of citizenship and deal with complex cases. The Australian passport is issued by a DFAT officer who does not have the training to deal with citizenship issues as they only make decisions under the Passports Act. DIBP deals with the Australian Citizenship Act.
Perhaps DIBP know something about the family that you don't know (yet) - ie that the passports officer incorrectly issued an Australian passport to someone who is not an Australian citizen? Perhaps you might need to ask a few questions and check the immigration history of the parents.
WTF is exactly my sentiment as well.
I read the documents and then checked that this wasn't posted on 1 April. After noting this was not the date, I sat for a few minutes in stunned disbelief.
How can a person get an Australian Passport without being a citizen. Surely DIBP has a link to citizen's passport records.
What a crock!!
One shocked RMA.