Proof of identity

These instructions apply to applicants who hold in-principle approval, are in Australia and have an intended employer.

Instructions for applicants – verifying identity in person

1. If specified in your in-principle approval letter, complete the statutory declarations for Certificate/s of Good Standing (CoGS) and/or International Criminal History Check (ICHC). You must use Ahpra’s statutory declarations relevant to the state or territory where you will be signing the statutory declaration. The statutory declarations must be witnessed by an Authorised Officer as specified on each statutory declaration, but this does not have to be the same registered health practitioner at your intended place of employment.
2. Make a copy of your original identity document/s. To check what documents you must provide, please see your in-principle approval letter or download the Proof of Identity Requirements flyer above.
3. Take the original document/s and your copy/ies to a registered health practitioner at your intended place of employment.
4. You must ensure the registered health practitioner certifies your documents in line with the requirements outlined below.

Instructions for registered health practitioners – verifying identity in person

1. Check the copy provided to you is the same as the original document.
2. If the original document contains a photograph (e.g. passport, driver’s licence), visually compare the face of the person presenting the documents against the photograph of the person in both documents to confirm that the person before you is the person pictured.
3. On a single-page document, write or stamp, ‘I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original’.
4. On documents with more than one page, initial every page and write or stamp the following on the last page, ‘I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original’.
5. On documents with a photograph, write or stamp, ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original and the photograph is a true likeness of the person presenting the document as sighted by me’.
6. You must also write or stamp on the copy:
   • your signature
   • your full name
   • your occupation or profession (including your registration number)
   • your stamp or seal (if relevant)
   • your phone number, and
   • the date.

Instructions for employers – submitting certified copies of documents

Copies of the applicant’s identity documents must be submitted to Ahpra via email by either a registered health practitioner or other employee at the applicant’s intended place of employment (e.g. administration officer, receptionist, manager, etc.)

1. Scan the certified copies of all proof of identity documents and any statutory declarations (if required).
2. Email scanned copies of identity documents and statutory declarations to nationalregistration@ahpra.gov.au. A Regulatory Officer will assess all documents received and notify the applicant when registration has been finalised or if any further information is required.

These instructions apply to applicants who hold in-principle approval, are in Australia and have an intended employer.

Instructions for applicants – verifying identity via audio-visual link

1. If specified in your in-principle approval letter, complete the statutory declarations for Certificate/s of Good Standing (CoGS) and/or International Criminal History Check (ICHC) via remote witnessing. You must use Ahpra’s statutory declarations form relevant to the state or territory where you will be signing the statutory declaration.
2. The statutory declaration/s must be witnessed by an Authorised Officer as specified on each statutory declaration, but this does not have to be the same registered health practitioner at your intended place of employment.
3. Establish a time with your employer to complete the identification verification process via audio-visual link using an online video-conferencing platform such as Skype or Zoom. Your identification must be verified by a registered health practitioner at your intended place of employment.
4. Send scanned copies of your identification documents to your employer to print out before your audio-visual call takes place. To check what documents you must provide, please see your in-principle approval letter or download the Proof of Identity Requirements flyer above.
5. The audio-visual call must take place with the employer (a registered health practitioner) during which, you must display the original identification document next to yourself so the registered health practitioner can verify your identity.
6. You must ensure the registered health practitioner takes screenshots to show that each document has been presented and certifies your documents in line with the requirements outlined below.
7. Your employer will submit any certified documents to Ahpra. You can submit any statutory declarations directly to your regulatory officer or to your employer to submit on your behalf.

Instructions for registered health practitioners – verifying identity via audio-visual link

1. Print out copies of the identification documents sent to you by the applicant.
2. During the audio-visual call, you must sight the applicant displaying the original identification document next to themselves in order to verify their identity and take screenshots to show that each document has been presented.
3. Check the copy provided to you is the same as the original document.
4. If the original document contains a photograph (e.g. passport, driver’s licence), visually compare the face of the person presenting the documents against the photograph of the person in both documents to confirm that the person before you is the person pictured.
5. On a single-page document, write or stamp, ‘I have sighted the original document electronically and certify this to be a true copy of the original as presented to me’.
6. On documents with more than one page, initial every page and write or stamp the following on the last page, ‘I have sighted the original document electronically and certify this to be a true copy of the original as presented to me’.
7. On documents with a photograph, write or stamp, ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original presented to me electronically and certify that the photograph is a true likeness of the person presenting the document as sighted by me’.
8. You must also write or stamp on the copy:
   • your signature
   • your full name
   • your occupation or profession (including your registration number)
   • your stamp or seal (if relevant)
   • your phone number, and
   • the date.

Instructions for employers – submitting certified copies of documents

Copies of the applicant’s identity documents together with the required screenshots must be submitted to Ahpra via email by either a registered health practitioner or other employee at the applicant’s intended place of employment (e.g. administration officer, receptionist, manager, etc.)

1. Scan the certified copies of all proof of identity documents and any statutory declarations (if required).
2. Email scanned copies of identity documents and statutory declarations to nationalregistration@ahpra.gov.au. A Regulatory Officer will assess all documents received and notify the applicant when registration has been finalised or if any further information is required.

This option is only available to applicants who are in Australia and:

• have in-principle approval
• have sufficient proof of identity documents, and
• do not have an intended employer.

If you do not have an employer and meet the eligibility requirements above, you can present in person with Ahpra via an audio-visual link. To do this you must first have your identity documents certified, provide them to Ahpra, and we will then arrange for an Ahpra staff member to meet with you via audio-visual link to verify your identity.

To check what documents you must provide, please see your in-principle approval letter or download the Proof of Identity Requirements flyer above.

Instructions for applicants – verifying identity via audio-visual link with Ahpra

Certified copies of your proof of identity documents must be received and assessed before your present in person appointment.

Stage 1: Preparing for your present in person appointment

1. Get your proof of identity documents certified by an Authorised Officer. To ensure your documents are certified correctly please print the guide 'Certifying Documents (PDF 296KB)’ and take it with you to the Authorised Officer. Note that any documents with a photograph (e.g. a passport, driver’s licence etc.) must be certified with the statement ‘I certify this is a true copy of the original and the photograph is a true likeness of the person presenting the document sighted by me.’
2. If specified in your in-principle approval letter, complete the statutory declarations for Certificate/s of Good Standing (CoGS) and/or International Criminal History Check (ICHC). You must use Ahpra’s statutory declarations form relevant to the state or territory where you will be signing the statutory declaration.
3. Submit certified copies of your identification documents and any statutory declarations (if required) via email to your Ahpra Regulatory Officer to verify before your audio-visual appointment takes place.

Stage 2: Present in person appointment with Ahpra staff member

4. Your Ahpra Regulatory Officer will review the certified copies of your identity documents to ensure they are compliant, and will let you know if further information is required.
5. Your Ahpra Regulatory Officer will contact you to establish a time for you to present in person via audio-visual link.
6. During the audio-visual appointment, your camera and microphone must be on. You must have any identity documents containing a photo with you during the appointment as you will be required to display your original photo identity documents next to you so the Ahpra staff member can verify your identity.
7. Once the Ahpra staff member has verified your identity, they will end the call.
8. Your Regulatory Officer will contact you once your registration has been finalised.

Before your application for registration can be finalised you are required to present in person with your employer either at your intended place of employment or via audio-visual link. Please refer to the instructions under Presenting in person with your employer at your intended place of employment or Presenting in person with your employer via audio-visual link.

You may be able to have your identity verified by your employer, while you are in quarantine at a government-designated facility so your registration can be finalised sooner. Please refer to the instructions under Presenting in person with your employer via audio-visual link.

If you have been approved in-principle, are in Australia and you don’t have an intended employer to present in person to, you can complete your verification of identity via audio-visual link with Ahpra. Please refer to the instructions under Presenting in person with Ahpra via audio-visual link.

No. All applicants who have been approved in principle must be in Australia when completing the present in person requirements.

Prior to your application being finalised, please complete the Request for change of personal details – CHPD-00 form, which can be found under Common forms. Please do this as soon as possible.
Once your application is finalised you can update your address via your online services account.