Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 263B

Authentication of identity

Section 263B sets out the Minister's powers to verify a person's identity when allocating a PPS number or issuing a public services card.

• The Minister may require a person to attend a designated office in person and produce whatever information or documents are reasonably needed to confirm their identity.
• An electronic photograph or other image record of the person may be taken at the designated office for use in authenticating their identity at any time.
• The person may also be asked to provide an electronic sample of their signature, again for ongoing identity verification purposes.
• The Minister must retain any electronic image and signature in a format that allows them to be reproduced electronically.