Internal Risk Documentation on Vietnamese Visa Applicants

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[1]Australian Government Department of Home Affairs logo

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Your email has been received by the Department of Home Affairs’ (the
Department) Freedom of Information (FOI) section.

If you have lodged a request for access to documents or amendment to
information, you will receive an acknowledgement letter within 14 days.

Please see our website for more information on submitting a valid request
for access to information. [2]Freedom of information
(homeaffairs.gov.au)

Legal priority: If your situation has changed to the extent that your FOI
request now have a legal priority such as Administrative Appeals Tribunal,
Court, Ministerial Intervention, Visa cancellation deadline since you
submitted your initial request, please provide a physical evidence to
support your priority claim.

We’re responding to a large volume of requests

Due to the high volume of requests we receive, we will not be able to
respond to requests to provide status updates on current requests for
information. We prioritise processing the requests we receive, including
yours.

If processing your request is going to take us a lot of time because the
request is large or the request is unclear, it may be refused.

Frequently Asked Questions

If your email relates to other matters then please contact the relevant
area of the Department or review the frequently asked questions below. The
mailbox is unable to respond to visa and citizenship status updates or
questions. If your query is answered by this information you will not
receive another response to your email.

Your Query General Information
If you applied [4]Our online services (homeaffairs.gov.au)
online, you can
check your visa [5]Ceremony wait times (homeaffairs.gov.au)
application status
in [3]ImmiAccount.
I want to access [6]Check visa details and conditions
my visa details (homeaffairs.gov.au)
I want to apply [7]Applying online in ImmiAccount
for a visa to (homeaffairs.gov.au)
Australia
My visa has [8]Your visa is expiring or has expired
expired (homeaffairs.gov.au)
I want to apply [9]Become a citizen (homeaffairs.gov.au)
for Australian
Citizenship or [10]Evidence of citizenship and certificates Change
access/amend my a citizenship certificate (homeaffairs.gov.au)
citizenship
details
I want my travel [11]Requesting travel records (homeaffairs.gov.au)
records in and out
of Australia
I am having Use our [12]technical guide to troubleshoot in
technical problems [13]ImmiAccount.
lodging an
application If you are still unable to resolve your issue submit
the [14]ImmiAccount Technical Support Form
I wish to provide Provide information by [15]ImmiAccount. After you
information about submit your application, use [16]ImmiAccount to:
a visa application
or provide ·       apply for a bridging visa
information about
changes to my ·       access the My Health Declarations service
situation
·       attach documents to your online application

·       check the progress of your application

· update your passport or address details

· notify of incorrect information in your
application

Further details and instructions refer to
[17]ImmiAccount Help & Support

[18]Changes in your situation (homeaffairs.gov.au)
I have made an If you have been sent a request letter to complete
appointment for a health but are experiencing delays you can attach
health/biometrics details of your appointment to [19]ImmiAccount.
examination
I want to withdraw [20]You want to withdraw an application
my visa or (homeaffairs.gov.au)
citizenship
application
I want to update [21]Changes in your situation (homeaffairs.gov.au)
my address,
contact or
passport details
Can my visa fee be Refunds can only be made in very limited
refunded? circumstances governed by legislation.

For further information see [22]Getting a refund
(homeaffairs.gov.au)
Visa eligibility Information on [23]visa options is available on the
query Department’s website.
Since my visa was [24]Changes in your situation (homeaffairs.gov.au)
granted I have had
a child born in
Australia
I want to report [25]Border Watch Online Report (homeaffairs.gov.au)
suspicious or
illegal
immigration, visa,
customs and trade
activity.
I want to lodge Find out how to provide [26]Compliments, complaints
feedback about a and suggestions
Department service

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:

FOI Request: FA 25/09/00768

File Number: FA25/09/00768

Dear Oliver Smith

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

This letter acknowledges that on 8 September 2025 the Department of Home
Affairs (the Department) received your request to access documents held
by the Department under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI
Act). This letter also provides important information about your request.

Scope of request

You have requested access to the following:

I seek access to documents held by the Department of Home Affairs that
supplement, update, or go beyond the publicly available processing
instructions on LEGENDcom, specifically:

Current internal documents (including but not limited to risk profiles,
country information notes, operational risk assessments, risk indicators,
or supplementary decision-maker guidance) which address:
1. Identified risks or concerns associated with Vietnamese passport
holders applying for:
- Visitor visa (subclass 600)
- Transit visa (subclass 771)
- Student visa (subclass 500)
- Any mitigating factors or considerations staff are instructed to apply
in relation to those risks.
2. Internal correspondence, memoranda, or briefing notes (including emails
and attachments) created within the last 12 months between:
- Onshore Department of Home Affairs staff, and
- Staff at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi or the Australian
Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City,
- where the subject matter concerns refusal trends, risk management, or
assessment practices for Vietnamese applicants for the above visa
subclasses.
3. Any current country risk assessments or intelligence summaries relating
specifically to Vietnamese nationals as they pertain to visa
decision-making, where these are not publicly available on LEGENDcom or
your website.

For clarity, I do not seek access to:
- Material already published on LEGENDcom;
- Personal information about individual applicants;
- Drafts or duplicates of already-released public material.

I request that the documents be provided in electronic form. If parts of
the documents are considered exempt, I request access to edited copies
with exempt material deleted pursuant to section 22 of the FOI Act..

Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA 25/09/00768 . Please
include your FOI request number in all correspondence with the Freedom of
Information Section.

Timeframe

The timeframe for processing a request is 30 days from the day we receive
your request, as set out in the FOI Act.

Your review rights in relation to your request are available on [1]Freedom
of information reviews | OAIC.

Fees and Charges

Charges do not apply to requests from individuals seeking access to
documents about themselves. However, a charge may apply to all other
requests for access to documents.

Charges are based on the amount of time the Department spends on your
request. Charges can range from $10 to over $1,000 depending on the
complexity and scope of your request. The Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner reported that across the public service, the
average charge notified was $335.50 in 2020-21.

If a charge applies, you will be issued with a Notice of Charge that
explains the charge and your options.

Detailed information about FOI charges that may apply to your FOI request
is available on [2]the Department’s website.

We do not provide personal details of staff or non-public facing
operational email addresses

The Department’s practice is to exclude the personal details of Government
employees, including contractors, not in the Senior Executive Service
(SES), as well as the direct contact details of SES staff, contained in
documents that fall within scope of an FOI request. If you require
personal details of non-SES officers, or direct contact details of SES
staff, please inform us so the decision maker may consider your request.
Otherwise we will take it that you agree to that information being
excluded from the scope of your request as irrelevant under section
22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act. However names of staff that have previously
been released in departmental correspondence may be disclosed.

We do not provide duplicated documents

If the FOI decision-maker deems a document to be a duplicate, they will
not assess those pages as part of your FOI request. This means that if a
there is a decision to release the document to you, you will receive only
one copy, even if multiple copies of that document exist.

Publication of document

Released documents you request may be published to our website.

Where documents are released to you in response to your request, the
Department may be required to publish these documents on its website
within 10 working days in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act.
Publication will not be required where the documents contain personal or
business affairs information.

How to reduce or withdraw your request

Reducing the scope of your request can reduce the time and charges
associated with processing your FOI request.

To reduce or withdraw your request, contact the FOI section at
[3][Department of Home Affairs request email] and include your FOI request number.

Contacting the FOI Section

Should you wish to discuss your request you may contact the FOI Section at
[4][Department of Home Affairs request email].

Thanking You

Julie

Position no. 60210421

Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information

Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [5][Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
2. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-an...
3. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]
4. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]
5. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

Dear Oliver Smith,

I refer to your request received on 8 September 2025 for access to
documents under the FOI Act.

The current due date for your request is 8 October 2025.

In order for the Department to complete the process of retrieving all the
documents that fall within the scope of your request and the subsequent
decision making process in relation to those documents, the Department
will require additional time to process your request.

The Department seeks your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act to
extend the timeframe for the processing of your request by 30 days. This
would extend the due date for your request to Friday 7 November 2025.

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could
provide a response to this request by close of business, Monday 15
September 2025

If you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to
contact me on the details below.

Thanking You

Julie

Position no. 60210421

Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information

Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [1][Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

Dear Oliver Smith,

I am following up on a request for extension of time of 30 days that was
forwarded to you on the 12 September 2025. Kindly confirm if you agree to
the extension of time of 30 days or not please.

Please find the email below requesting an extension of time of 30 days,
with extended due date of Friday 7 November 2025, to finalise the FOI
request.

Thanking You

Julie

Position no. 60210421

Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information

Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [1][Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

From: FOI
Sent: Friday, 12 September 2025 5:17 PM
To: [FOI #13616 email]
Subject: CM: FOI Request FA 25/09/00768 - Request for Extension of time -
Response due Monday 15 September 2025 [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive,
ACCESS=Personal-Privacy]

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

Dear Oliver Smith,

I refer to your request received on 8 September 2025 for access to
documents under the FOI Act.

The current due date for your request is 8 October 2025.

In order for the Department to complete the process of retrieving all the
documents that fall within the scope of your request and the subsequent
decision making process in relation to those documents, the Department
will require additional time to process your request.

The Department seeks your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act to
extend the timeframe for the processing of your request by 30 days. This
would extend the due date for your request to Friday 7 November 2025.

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could
provide a response to this request by close of business, Monday 15
September 2025

If you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to
contact me on the details below.

Thanking You

Julie

Position no. 60210421

Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information

Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group

Department of Home Affairs

E: [2][Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

Important Notice: The content of this email is intended only for use by
the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received
this email by mistake, please advise the sender and delete the message and
attachments immediately. This email, including attachments, may contain
confidential, sensitive, legally privileged and/or copyright information.

Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of this information
by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.
The Department of Home Affairs, the ABF and the National Emergency
Management Agency respect your privacy and have obligations under the
Privacy Act 1988.

Unsolicited commercial emails MUST NOT be sent to the originator of this
email.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]
2. mailto:[Department of Home Affairs request email]

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

Dear Oliver Smith,

Thank you for agreeing to the Extension of time.

Kind Regards
Julie
Position no. 60210421
Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information
Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch | Legal Group
Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

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