FED Retroactive Validation of Face Images for Citizenship and Migration Applications

Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Bill 2025

27 Nov 2025: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

House of Representatives

Senate

Assent

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Topics

biometric data citizenship facial recognition immigration migration residency requirements

Introduced by: The Hon Tony Burke MP (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

People are now treated as having provided a 'face and shoulders' photo if they provided an image of their face and neck; this applies retroactively.
Government actions are valid even if they were based on photos that did not show the person's shoulders.
The definition of a 'face image' now includes photos showing the neck or part of the shoulders.
People are treated as having provided a cropped image if they provided an original photo from which the Department could crop a face image.
The Home Affairs Minister can revoke citizenship if a person is not ordinarily resident in Australia for two years after becoming a citizen under subsection 22A(1A).

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Andrew Wallace LNP

“The ability to list certain organisations as terrorist organisations, as provided for by division 102 of the Criminal Code, provides the Australian government with a valuable tool for publicly condemning those organisations as well as putting the public on notice that certain dealings with those organisations are criminal offences.”

Official source →

Ms McKENZIE

“Let me begin by saying that the coalition will support the passage of the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Bill 2025. That is because, fundamentally, the content of the bill is aimed at doing two worthwhile things.”

Official source →

David Shoebridge GRN

“I rise on behalf of the Greens to indicate our opposition to the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025.”

Official source →

Carol Berry ALP

“The Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025 amends four acts administered by the education portfolio in order to strengthen the quality, integrity and sustainability of the delivery of education in Australia and improve equity and access in higher education, particularly for First Nations peoples.”

Official source →

Claire Clutterham ALP

“I rise today to speak on the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Bill 2025. There are two key purposes to this bill.”

Official source →