Worldview FAQ on the Australian Document Verification Service

Reference URL

The website URL for the most current information on the Australian DVS service is: https://www.dvs.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx please refer to this site for recent updates on availability, coverage, etc.

FAQ

1. What documents does the DVS service verify?

Answer:

1. Passports for Australian Nationals.
2. Australian Medicare card data.
3. Australian Driving License data.
4. Data issued for Australian visa holders.

1. What is the required input for a DVS Visa check of a foreign national?
1. Exact and complete name as written on passport.
2. Passport number from originating country.
3. Country of passport issuance as defined with the 3 letter ISO 3166-1 format – USA/AUS.

1. What is returned when a DVS Visa check occurs? 
1. The verification service provides a simple True/False.
2. True means all input details matched.
3. False means one or more elements of the input failed.
2. What are the expiration periods for Australian Passports?

Answer: The expiration periods for AU passports are:

1. 10 years for Adults (16+).
2. 5 years for Adults over 75 (optional).
3. 5 years for Children (<16).

1. How many different types of Passports are there in Australia?

Answer: There are 3 types of AU passports currently valid:

1. M series – issued until May 2009 (all expire by May 2019).
2. N series – issued May 2009 to June 2014.
3. P series – current issue from June 2014.
4. All of the above have document numbers starting with an alpha character (M, N, or P) followed by 7 numerical characters.  Some of the P series also start with two alpha characters (PA, PE) followed by 7 numerical characters.

1. Does the DVS service do fuzzy or partial matching on data?

Answer: No, the DVS service does not do fuzzy or partial matching on the data entered for a search. The name provided must match exactly the name on the document.  If the individual has a middle name or multiple names, then all must be included in the search to return a match.

1. Is gender required for a DVS search?

Answer: Yes, required on a passport search is Gender and currently accept Male or Female.

1. How long is a driving license valid?

Answer: Regarding driving licence, the document number generally stays the same when the licence is renewed.  It typically only changes when reported stolen. 

1. How long is a driving license valid in Australia?

Answer: Licences can be valid for anywhere between 1 and 5 years after issuing before they must be renewed. 

1. Is province required for driving license verification?

Answer: Driver’s licence searches must also include the correct state of issue for the licence in the standard 2/3 letter abbreviations: QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA, WA or NT.

1. What are the ID type indicators?

Answer: For checking an Australian passport, the indicator input field should have a value of 1. For checking an Australian Medicare card, the indicator input field should have a value of 3. For checking an Australian drivers license, the indicator input field should have a value of 4. For checking an Australian visa holder’s data, the indicator input field should have a value of 5.