{"id":"F2018L01043","name":"Migration (IMMI 18/001: Class of Passports) Instrument 2018","slug":"migration-immi-18-001-class-of-passports-instrument-2018","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":439709,"registerId":"F2018L01043-fast-fetch-1775955627525","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Migration (IMMI 18/001: Class of Passports) Instrument 2018","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nMigration (IMMI 18/001: Class of Passports) Instrument 2018\n\nI, Peter Dutton, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, make the following instrument.\n\nDated    12th July 2018\n\nPeter Dutton\n\nThe Hon Peter Dutton MP\n\nMinister for Home Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection\n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Name \n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Schedules\n\nPart 2—Class of Passports\n\n6  Class of passports for Public Interest Criterion 4021 in Schedule 4\n\nSchedule 1 – Travel documents with certain characteristics\n\nSchedule 2 – Travel documents specified for Public Interest Criterion 4021 in Schedule 4 to the Regulations\n\nSchedule 3 — Repeals\n\nIMMI 14/073 (F2014L01319): Class of Passports Instrument 2014\n\nIMMI 14/094: Direction (Section 71B)\n\n \n\n \n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1  Name\n\n1.            This instrument is the Migration (IMMI 18/001: Class of Passports) Instrument 2018.\n2.            This instrument may be cited as IMMI 18/001.\n\n\n2  Commencement\n\nThis instrument commences on the day after the instrument is registered.\n\n3  Authority\n\nThis instrument is made under Public Interest Criterion 4021 in Schedule 4 to the Regulations.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote:  A number of expression used in this instrument are defined in the Migration Act 1958 and Regulations, including the term passport.\n\nIn this instrument:\n\nRegulations means Migration Regulations 1994.\n\n5  Schedules\n\nEach instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\n\n\n\nPart 2—Class of Passports\n\n6  Class of passports for Public Interest Criterion 4021 in Schedule 4\n\nFor the purposes of subparagraph 4021(a)(iii) in Schedule 4 to the Regulations, the following classes of passport are specified:\n\n(a) travel documents with certain characteristics specified in Schedule 1 to this instrument; and\n\n(b) specified travel documents in Schedule 2 to this instrument.\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 1 – Travel documents with certain characteristics\n\n1.            Group passports (eg. a passport issued to a sporting team) other than a family; or\n2.            Travel document or passport which has been damaged, accidentally or otherwise, in such a way that the name, the photograph, the personal details or other important information have been obscured or pages are missing or where it is not possible to confirm conclusively the holder’s identity because of such damage; or\n3.            In the case of permanent visas, travel document or passport endorsed by the issuing authority to the effect that it is not valid for migration; or\n4.            In the case of temporary visas, travel document or passport which is not endorsed, or is not accompanied by separate evidence of, a right of re-entry to the issuing country or another country; or\n5.            Travel document or passport where endorsement of the document would indicate recognition of the issuing authority contrary to Australian Government foreign policy; or\n6.            Travel document or passport issued by an entity which is not recognised by the Australian Government as empowered to issue travel documents.\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 2 – Travel documents specified for Public Interest Criterion 4021 in Schedule 4 to the Regulations\n\n \n\n| Item | Travel Document |\n| --- | --- |\n| 1 | Indigenous/Aboriginal Nation passport |\n| 2 | Abkhazia and South Ossetia passport and travel documents |\n| 3 | Royal Albanian passport (issued by the Royal Albanian Government in exile) |\n| 4 | British Dependent Territories Citizen’ passport titled ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’ without reference to the European Union (EU) (except where the passport contains a certificate or wet stamp stating that the bearer has indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom or the passport is endorsed with a right of re-entry to the country of issue or another country) |\n| 5 | British Overseas Citizen’ passport titled ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’ without reference to the European Union (EU) (except where the passport contains a certificate or wet stamp stating that the bearer has indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom or the passport is endorsed with a right of re-entry to the country of issue or another country) |\n| 6 | Kingdom of Cambodia normal series passport with concertina pages purporting to be additions and extensions |\n| 7 | Principality of Castellania passport |\n| 8 | Cook Islands Certificate of Identity |\n| 9 | Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly known as Zaire) 36 page Passport with soft/supple dark green cover in smooth cardboard \"carton\" bearing the words \"Republique du Zaire\" with a passport number starting Z |\n\n\n\n\n\n| 10 | Democratic Republic of the Congo diplomatic and service 32 page Passport with soft/supple dark green cover in smooth cardboard ‘carton’ bearing the words \"Republique du Zaire\" with a passport number starting Z |\n| --- | --- |\n| 11 | German Democratic Republic (GDR) passport and travel documents |\n| 12 | Hong Kong Certificate of Residence |\n| 13 | Hutt River Province passport (issued by Leonard Casley, a.k.a. Prince Leonard) |\n| 14 | International Parliament for Safety and Peace Identity Card (incorporated in the United States) |\n| 15 | Indonesian Travel Document in Lieu of a Passport [Surat Perjalana Laksana Paspor] with a red cover |\n| 16 | Indonesian Passport for Aliens [Paspor Untuk Orang Asing] |\n| 17 | International Red Cross Travel Certificate |\n| 18 | Knights of Malta passport |\n| 19 | Portuguese Alien's Passport issued by the former Portuguese administration in Macau |\n| 20 | Maori Kingdom of Tetiti travel documents |\n| 21 | Nagorny-Karabakh travel documents |\n| 22 | Planetary Passport issued by the World Association of World Federalists |\n| 23 | Principality of Seborga passport |\n| 24 | Principality of Sealand passport |\n| 25 | Somali passport and travel documents |\n| 26 | Expired Syrian passports extended in validity via a label or other endorsement by the Syrian National Coalition |\n| 27 | Taiwan Official/Diplomatic travel documents |\n| 28 | Taiwanese “compatriot” documents (except where the passport holder has evidence of a separate right of re-entry into the issuing country or another country) |\n| 29 | Tongan National Passports (except where the bearer has satisfactory evidence of Tongan nationality) |\n| 30 | Tongan Protected Persons Passport |\n| 31 | Turkish-Cypriot travel documents and passports issued by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. |\n| 32 | ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’ passport without reference to the European Union (EU) containing, usually on page 5, the notation \"the holder is subject to control under the Immigrant Act 1971\" (except where the passport contains a certificate or wet stamp stating that the bearer has indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom or the passport is endorsed with a right of re-entry to the country of issue or another country) |\n| 33 | World Service Authority Passport |\n| 34 | World Passport (Provincial World Government document issued by the United World Service Authority 270 Park Avenue, New York) |\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\nSchedule 3 — Repeals\n\nIMMI 14/073 (F2014L01319): Class of Passports Instrument 2014\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\nIMMI 14/094: Direction (Section 71B)\n\n2  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument repeals the earlier Class of Passports instrument and direction (Schedule 3) and replaces the specified classes of passports (see s6, Schedules 1–2). That repeal-and-replace structure indicates an update to the set of documents and characteristics treated under PIC 4021, altering which travel documents trigger additional scrutiny or adverse migration outcomes."},"complexity_factors":["Dependence on cross‑reference to Public Interest Criterion 4021 in Schedule 4 to the Migration Regulations (Authority: s3; operative effect: s6) creates reliance on external regulatory text.","Multiple modes of specification: both characteristic‑based rules (Schedule 1, items 1–6) and an enumerated list of named documents (Schedule 2, 34 items) increase parsing and application complexity.","Conditional exceptions and evidential qualifications (eg. right of re‑entry or indefinite leave endorsements carve out exceptions in Schedule 1(4) and Schedule 2 items 4,5,32), requiring factual verification by decision makers.","Operational verification burden: assessing damage, endorsements, recognition of issuing authorities and authenticity of diverse foreign and non‑state documents imposes administrative work and evidentiary judgments on officers.","Ministerial specification: instrument is made by the Minister and repeals earlier instruments (Schedule 3), concentrating rule‑making choice in the executive and requiring practitioners to track amending instruments and repeals.","Potential overlap with foreign policy/recognition questions (Schedule 1(5)–(6)), which may import diplomatic determinations into migration assessments."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument specifies which passports and travel documents are treated as unacceptable under Public Interest Criterion 4021 for migration decisions. It does this by naming particular documents and by setting out categories of problematic characteristics (for example: group passports, damaged documents, lack of re‑entry endorsement, documents from unrecognised issuers).  \n\nIt affects visa applicants who present listed or character‑flagged documents: applicants bear the cost of replacing documents or producing extra evidence; the Minister (under s3) sets the classes and migration decision‑makers apply them when deciding visas."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument maintains the same scope as its predecessor (IMMI 14/073). It updates the list of non-compliant passports and repeals the 2014 version, but does not expand beyond the original purpose of specifying unacceptable travel documents for visa purposes."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument (approximately 4 pages of substantive content)","Only 1 defined term ('Regulations') in the interpretation section","Simple structure: preliminary provisions, two schedules listing excluded documents, repeal schedule","No nested conditional logic or cross-referencing beyond basic references to the Migration Regulations 1994","Schedule 2 contains specific descriptive criteria for some entries (e.g., 'except where...' clauses) but these are straightforward exceptions rather than complex legal conditions","No delegation provisions, review mechanisms, or penalty clauses"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument lists passports and travel documents that do not satisfy the Migration Regulations’ requirement for a valid passport when applying for an Australian visa. It creates two schedules: one for passports with defects or other issues, and a second blacklist of specific documents (including passports from unrecognised states, novelty/fantasy passports, obsolete regimes, and certain restricted diplomatic or national passports).\n\nIt affects anyone using those documents for an Australian visa—applications may be refused or require an alternate travel document."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/migration-immi-18-001-class-of-passports-instrument-2018","history":"/api/acts/migration-immi-18-001-class-of-passports-instrument-2018/history","analysis":"/api/acts/migration-immi-18-001-class-of-passports-instrument-2018/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/migration-immi-18-001-class-of-passports-instrument-2018/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/migration-immi-18-001-class-of-passports-instrument-2018/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/migration-immi-18-001-class-of-passports-instrument-2018/documents"}}