OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 25/11/01060
File Number: FA25/11/01060

Dear Oliver Smith,

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

This letter acknowledges that on 17 November 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 the following final, current internal documents held by the Department of Home Affairs relating to the assessment of Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

For clarity, this request does not include emails, email attachments, or any form of internal correspondence.

1. Final risk profiles / risk assessment documents

Any final and currently in-force:

- visa program risk profiles

- country risk summaries

- operational risk assessments

- program integrity assessments

that relate specifically to Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

(Only final versions—drafts excluded.)

2. Final decision-maker guidance not published on LEGENDcom

- Any final internal guidance documents used by decision-makers that:

- supplement, update, or go beyond the publicly available procedural instructions on LEGENDcom,

- specifically relate to Vietnamese applicants for Subclass 600, and

- are not already publicly accessible on LEGENDcom.

This includes only final standalone guidance documents, not emails.

3. Final briefing notes or minutes

Any final briefing notes, final minutes, or final EL1, EL2, or executive-level advice created between: 1 January 2025 to 17 November 2025

where the subject matter concerns:

- risk indicators for Vietnamese Subclass 600 applicants, or

- risk mitigation strategies to be applied by decision-makers, or

- integrity concerns relating to Vietnamese visitor visa applications.

(Only final versions—drafts and duplicates excluded.)

Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA 25/11/01060 . 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 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 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 [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 [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind regards,

Varsha
Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information
Position Number 60204567
Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch
Legal Group
Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

-----Original Message-----
From: Oliver Smith <[FOI #14010 email]>
Sent: Monday, 17 November 2025 11:43 AM
To: FOI <[Department of Home Affairs request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Internal Risk Documentation on Vietnamese Visa Applicants - Revised Scope Following FA 25/09/00768

Dear Department of Home Affairs,

This is a new FOI request, replacing my previous request FA 25/09/00768 (which lapsed during the consultation period). The revised scope is drafted to avoid any practical refusal concerns while still seeking the key substantive material.

I seek access to the following final, current internal documents held by the Department of Home Affairs relating to the assessment of Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

For clarity, this request does not include emails, email attachments, or any form of internal correspondence.

1. Final risk profiles / risk assessment documents

Any final and currently in-force:

- visa program risk profiles

- country risk summaries

- operational risk assessments

- program integrity assessments

that relate specifically to Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

(Only final versions—drafts excluded.)

2. Final decision-maker guidance not published on LEGENDcom

- Any final internal guidance documents used by decision-makers that:

- supplement, update, or go beyond the publicly available procedural instructions on LEGENDcom,

- specifically relate to Vietnamese applicants for Subclass 600, and

- are not already publicly accessible on LEGENDcom.

This includes only final standalone guidance documents, not emails.

3. Final briefing notes or minutes

Any final briefing notes, final minutes, or final EL1, EL2, or executive-level advice created between: 1 January 2025 to 17 November 2025

where the subject matter concerns:

- risk indicators for Vietnamese Subclass 600 applicants, or

- risk mitigation strategies to be applied by decision-makers, or

- integrity concerns relating to Vietnamese visitor visa applications.

(Only final versions—drafts and duplicates excluded.)

To ensure efficiency and avoid practical refusal, I expressly exclude:

- emails

- drafts

- working papers

- duplicates

- material already published on LEGENDcom

- personal information of individual applicants

- system-generated metadata

I am happy to receive edited copies under s 22 if exemptions apply.

Yours faithfully,

Oliver Smith

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[FOI #14010 email]

Is [Department of Home Affairs request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Home Affairs? If so, please contact us using this form:

https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

hide quoted sections

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 25/11/01060
File Number: FA25/11/01060

Good morning Oliver Smith,

I refer to your request received on 17 November 2025 for access to documents under the FOI Act.

The current due date for your request is 17 December 2025.

In order for the Department to complete the process of retrieving all the documents that fall within the scope of your request 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 16 January 2026.

It would assist the Department in managing its FOI caseload if you could provide a response to this request by close of business, Friday 21 November 2025

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

Kind regards,

Varsha
Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information
Position Number 60204567
Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch
Legal Group
Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

-----Original Message-----
From: FOI
Sent: Tuesday, 18 November 2025 9:10 AM
To: '[FOI #14010 email]' <[FOI #14010 email]>
Subject: Acknowledgement – FOI request FA 25/11/01060 [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive, ACCESS=Personal-Privacy]

OFFICIAL: Sensitive
Personal-Privacy

In reply please quote:
FOI Request: FA 25/11/01060
File Number: FA25/11/01060

Dear Oliver Smith,

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Access request

This letter acknowledges that on 17 November 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 the following final, current internal documents held by the Department of Home Affairs relating to the assessment of Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

For clarity, this request does not include emails, email attachments, or any form of internal correspondence.

1. Final risk profiles / risk assessment documents

Any final and currently in-force:

- visa program risk profiles

- country risk summaries

- operational risk assessments

- program integrity assessments

that relate specifically to Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

(Only final versions—drafts excluded.)

2. Final decision-maker guidance not published on LEGENDcom

- Any final internal guidance documents used by decision-makers that:

- supplement, update, or go beyond the publicly available procedural instructions on LEGENDcom,

- specifically relate to Vietnamese applicants for Subclass 600, and

- are not already publicly accessible on LEGENDcom.

This includes only final standalone guidance documents, not emails.

3. Final briefing notes or minutes

Any final briefing notes, final minutes, or final EL1, EL2, or executive-level advice created between: 1 January 2025 to 17 November 2025

where the subject matter concerns:

- risk indicators for Vietnamese Subclass 600 applicants, or

- risk mitigation strategies to be applied by decision-makers, or

- integrity concerns relating to Vietnamese visitor visa applications.

(Only final versions—drafts and duplicates excluded.)

Your request has been allocated FOI request number FA 25/11/01060 . 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 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 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 [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 [Department of Home Affairs request email].

Kind regards,

Varsha
Authorised FOI Officer, Freedom of Information Position Number 60204567 Privacy, FOI and Records Management Branch Legal Group Department of Home Affairs
E: [Department of Home Affairs request email]

Personal-Privacy
OFFICIAL: Sensitive

-----Original Message-----
From: Oliver Smith <[FOI #14010 email]>
Sent: Monday, 17 November 2025 11:43 AM
To: FOI <[Department of Home Affairs request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Internal Risk Documentation on Vietnamese Visa Applicants - Revised Scope Following FA 25/09/00768

Dear Department of Home Affairs,

This is a new FOI request, replacing my previous request FA 25/09/00768 (which lapsed during the consultation period). The revised scope is drafted to avoid any practical refusal concerns while still seeking the key substantive material.

I seek access to the following final, current internal documents held by the Department of Home Affairs relating to the assessment of Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

For clarity, this request does not include emails, email attachments, or any form of internal correspondence.

1. Final risk profiles / risk assessment documents

Any final and currently in-force:

- visa program risk profiles

- country risk summaries

- operational risk assessments

- program integrity assessments

that relate specifically to Vietnamese nationals applying for Visitor visas (Subclass 600).

(Only final versions—drafts excluded.)

2. Final decision-maker guidance not published on LEGENDcom

- Any final internal guidance documents used by decision-makers that:

- supplement, update, or go beyond the publicly available procedural instructions on LEGENDcom,

- specifically relate to Vietnamese applicants for Subclass 600, and

- are not already publicly accessible on LEGENDcom.

This includes only final standalone guidance documents, not emails.

3. Final briefing notes or minutes

Any final briefing notes, final minutes, or final EL1, EL2, or executive-level advice created between: 1 January 2025 to 17 November 2025

where the subject matter concerns:

- risk indicators for Vietnamese Subclass 600 applicants, or

- risk mitigation strategies to be applied by decision-makers, or

- integrity concerns relating to Vietnamese visitor visa applications.

(Only final versions—drafts and duplicates excluded.)

To ensure efficiency and avoid practical refusal, I expressly exclude:

- emails

- drafts

- working papers

- duplicates

- material already published on LEGENDcom

- personal information of individual applicants

- system-generated metadata

I am happy to receive edited copies under s 22 if exemptions apply.

Yours faithfully,

Oliver Smith

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[FOI #14010 email]

Is [Department of Home Affairs request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Department of Home Affairs? If so, please contact us using this form:

https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

hide quoted sections