Skip to main content

COVID-19 and travel

Do not go overseas. A travel ban is in place. Exemptions apply. View details
Home - smartraveller.gov.au, be informed, be prepared - logo
Smartraveller
Facebook
Twitter

Where are you going?

Browse destinations

Main navigation

  • HomeHome
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Destinations
      • Passport services
      • Visas
      • Insurance
      • Schengen
      • Travel advice explained
    • Who you are
      • Children
      • Dual nationals
      • LGBTI++
      • Mature
      • School leavers
      • Women
    • Activities
      • Adoption
      • Adventure
      • Backpacking
      • Business
      • Living and working overseas
      • Marriage
      • Studying
      • Surrogacy
      • Volunteering
    • Major events
      • Cultural events
      • Religious events
      • Sporting events
    • Health
      • Disability
      • Infectious diseases
      • Medical assistance overseas
      • Medical tourism
      • Medication
      • Mental health
      • Pregnancy
      • Reciprocal health
      • Vaccinations
      • Death
    • Staying safe
      • Assault
      • Demonstrations
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
    • Middle EastBrowse all destinations in the Middle East.
    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
      • COVID-19 portal
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese Simplified
      • Chinese Traditional
      • Indonesian
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Voting overseas
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
      • 中文 简体 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 中文繁體 (Chinese Traditional)
      • Bahasa Indonesia
      • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
      • (Tiếng Việt) Vietnamese
      • Filipino community
      • Indian community
      • Malaysian community
    • Resources
      • Missing overseas
      • Fact sheet: Arrested or jailed overseas
      • Fact sheet: Sexual assault overseas
      • Fact sheet: Death overseas
      • Fact sheet: Travel Smart
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide
      • Before you go checklist
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19
      • The impact of COVID-19 on international travel
      • Leaving Australia
      • Trying to get home
      • Staying overseas
      • COVID-19 vaccinations
      • Mental health and wellbeing
      • General FAQs
    • Travel zones
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Smartraveller privacy collection notice

Smartraveller privacy collection notice

  • Purpose of the privacy collection notice
  • Collection and use of personal information
  • Disclosure and storage of personal information
  • The Consular Privacy Collection Statement
  • DFAT's privacy policy

Purpose

We manage the personal information we collect from you through Smartraveller in accordance with our obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act), which incorporates the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

As part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) consular services, DFAT provides travel advice and consular information using its Smartraveller platform. You can:

  • subscribe to receive email updates to Smartraveller travel advice for a country or region
  • opt in to get SMS critical alerts that DFAT may send if there is a crisis in the country or region you’re subscribed to

Personal information is information that identifies you. It includes your name, date of birth, address, email address and phone number. In a crisis, when you register online through Smartraveller for consular assistance, your personal information may include sensitive personal information (for example, details about your situation and the type of consular assistance you require).

Read more about our services.

Collection and use

We collect your personal information to:

  • send email updates to Smartraveller travel advice for the country or region you are subscribed to
  • send SMS ‘critical alerts’ about a crisis in a country or region you are subscribed to
  • register your need for consular assistance in a crisis

If you choose not to provide your personal information for a Smartraveller subscription, DFAT will not be able to notify you of any updates to travel advice or send you SMS critical alerts we may issue for overseas crises. You can still read our travel advice online.

If you do not wish to provide personal information by registering your need for consular assistance during a crisis, DFAT may not be able to help you. For more information about how DFAT handles your personal information when you register, please read DFAT’s Consular Privacy Collection Statement.

Disclosure and storage

We will only disclose your personal information where we are authorised or required to do so by law. We will not use or disclose personal information for direct marketing. We will store your personal information securely on a database in Australia.

When you unsubscribe, DFAT will delete the personal information collected from you through Smartraveller for subscription.

How we will handle your personal information

We protect your personal information against misuse, interference and loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We use a range of physical and technological controls to ensure that only staff who need access to your personal information are able to access it.

In accordance with the Archives Act 1983 (Cth), DFAT will keep your personal information according to DFAT’s Administrative Functions Disposal Authority.

How to unsubscribe from email alerts to travel advice updates

You can unsubscribe from further emails using the links in the email message. If you have trouble unsubscribing or you continue receiving updates after unsubscribing, please send an email to smartraveller@dfat.gov.au.

When you unsubscribe, DFAT will delete the personal information collected from you through Smartraveller for subscription.

Consular Privacy Collection Statement

Providing consular assistance to Australians overseas is a core function of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). To do this effectively, we (DFAT) are required to collect, use and disclose an individuals’ personal information.

The privacy of consular clients and their families is a fundamental aspect of managing consular cases. In accordance with Australian Privacy Principle 5, this statement outlines how we collect, use, disclose and store personal information related to consular cases in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act). Our privacy policy is available at dfat.gov.au.

Read the full consular privacy collection statement.

DFAT’s Privacy Policy and contact details

Please refer to DFAT’s Privacy Policy for further information about how:

  • you can access information we hold about you
  • to seek correction of information we hold about you
  • you may complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles
  • DFAT deals with privacy complaints

If you have any questions – information is available using the following methods:

  • Website: www.dfat.gov.au
  • Phone: +61 (0)2 6261 1111
  • Email: privacy@dfat.gov.au
  • Mail: Director, Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section
    Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
    RG Casey Building
    John McEwen Crescent
    BARTON ACT 0221

This Privacy Policy

From time to time, we will review and revise this Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to amend this policy at any time. The current version is always on our website.

Contact us

The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance.

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

1300 555 135 from within Australia

For non-urgent enquiries, visit the contact page

About us

Smartraveller is provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

For more information go to about us.

Resources

View resources for travel industry and media.

Feedback

To provide feedback on our website or subscription service, email us at smartraveller@dfat.gov.au

To provide feedback on consular services that you have recently received, email consular.feedback@dfat.gov.au

Information in other languages

Find information in other languages.

Connect with us

Facebook

Twitter

RSS

News

Read our latest news.

Footer

Australian Government logo. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • Privacy policy
  • Copyright
  • Cookies and analytics
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Legal
  • Sitemap

Main navigation

  • HomeHome
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Destinations
      • Passport services
      • Visas
      • Insurance
      • Schengen
      • Travel advice explained
    • Who you are
      • Children
      • Dual nationals
      • LGBTI++
      • Mature
      • School leavers
      • Women
    • Activities
      • Adoption
      • Adventure
      • Backpacking
      • Business
      • Living and working overseas
      • Marriage
      • Studying
      • Surrogacy
      • Volunteering
    • Major events
      • Cultural events
      • Religious events
      • Sporting events
    • Health
      • Disability
      • Infectious diseases
      • Medical assistance overseas
      • Medical tourism
      • Medication
      • Mental health
      • Pregnancy
      • Reciprocal health
      • Vaccinations
      • Death
    • Staying safe
      • Assault
      • Demonstrations
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
    • Middle EastBrowse all destinations in the Middle East.
    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
      • COVID-19 portal
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese Simplified
      • Chinese Traditional
      • Indonesian
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Voting overseas
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
      • 中文 简体 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 中文繁體 (Chinese Traditional)
      • Bahasa Indonesia
      • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
      • (Tiếng Việt) Vietnamese
      • Filipino community
      • Indian community
      • Malaysian community
    • Resources
      • Missing overseas
      • Fact sheet: Arrested or jailed overseas
      • Fact sheet: Sexual assault overseas
      • Fact sheet: Death overseas
      • Fact sheet: Travel Smart
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide
      • Before you go checklist
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19
      • The impact of COVID-19 on international travel
      • Leaving Australia
      • Trying to get home
      • Staying overseas
      • COVID-19 vaccinations
      • Mental health and wellbeing
      • General FAQs
    • Travel zones