Medibank Private/ahm and other recent data breaches – advice for foreign passport holders

Medibank Private/ahm have advised the Australian Passport Office (APO) that some foreign passports for international students were compromised through this cyberattack. Medibank Private/ahm are contacting impacted customers directly.

If Medibank Private/ahm have advised you that your foreign passport information was compromised, you should contact the government that issued the passport for advice on what to do. This is also the case for all data breaches that impact foreign passport holders, including the recent breaches at Optus and Medlab.

The APO has advised that no Australian Travel Document information was compromised in this breach.

More information is available via the following webpage: Medibank Private/ahm and other recent data breaches

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)

If you are a Belgium or Luxembourg passport holder, you can apply for an Australian Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) using the AustralianETA app. An ETA allows you to visit Australia as often as you would like within a 12-month period, and stay up to 3 months each time.

To apply for an Australian ETA, use the AustralianETA app available from the Apple Store or Google Play.

For help using the app, the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ website has a step-by-step guide as well as instructional videos (listed under Step 1).

Further information is available on the Department of Home Affairs’ ETA webpage.

If you are unable to use the AustralianETA app, you can explore other visa options using the Visa Finder webpage.

European passport holders may be eligible for an eVisitor (subclass 651).

Whether you are visiting Australia for a short period of time or planning to migrate, you must have a valid Australian visa.

COVID-19 – Information

From July 6 2022, the way you ​travel to and from Australia has changed.

You no longer need to:

• fill out a Digital Passenger Declaration or Maritime Travel Declaration when entering Australia
• declare or prove your vaccination status
• seek exemptions to enter Australia

Destinations, airlines and cruise ships may have their own COVID-19 vaccination, testing and masking requirements that you are still required to meet.

Masks are still required on flights to Australia.

More information can be found here:

• COVID-19-related border restrictions lifted | Smartraveller
• Entering and leaving Australia (homeaffairs.gov.au)
• International travel and COVID-19 | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care