Apply for a tax file number (TFN)

Australian Taxation Office (ATO)Verified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

A tax file number (TFN) is your personal reference number in Australia's tax and superannuation (super) systems. It is usually 9 digits and stays the same for life. You need it to work, open a bank account and claim government payments in Australia, and applying is free. If you hold a foreign passport, are already in Australia and have a valid visa with work rights, you can apply online on the ATO website and usually receive your TFN by post within 28 days.

Key facts

Application fee: Free. You do not need to post any documents when you apply online.¹
How long it takes: Within 28 days of the ATO receiving your complete application, the ATO posts a TFN notification letter to the Australian postal address you gave in the application.¹
Time to complete the online application: About 20 minutes. You must already be in Australia.³
What a TFN looks like: Usually 9 digits. It stays the same for life: it does not change if you change jobs, change your name, move to another state or leave Australia.²
Who can apply online (IAR): You are in Australia and hold a valid visa with work rights that is linked to your passport. You cannot use the IAR if your visa has condition 8101, 8103 or 8116 (NO WORK).¹
If you do not have a TFN: Your employer or financial institution must withhold more tax from money paid to you. You cannot claim government payments such as JobSeeker, lodge your tax return online or apply for an ABN.²
Do not apply twice: Do not submit another application while yours is being processed (within 28 days); it slows things down. If 28 days pass and nothing arrives, contact the ATO with your ATO receipt ID.¹
Phone line for individuals: 13 28 61, Monday to Friday 8:00 am–6:00 pm, for questions about TFNs, myTax and tax returns.⁶
If your TFN is stolen or misused: Call the ATO Client Identity Support Centre on 1800 467 033, Monday to Friday 8:00 am–6:00 pm.⁴
Check whether a call or message is really from the ATO: 1800 008 540. The ATO never sends unsolicited messages with links or QR codes, and never asks for your TFN, bank details or myGov sign-in details by email or SMS.⁵
Report a scam pretending to be the ATO: Forward the original email to ReportScams@ato.gov.au, or use the Report a scam form on the ATO website.⁵
Who you can give your TFN to: The ATO, your employer (when you start a job), your bank or financial institution, government agencies when you claim payments, your super fund and your university.²

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

Anyone who earns income in Australia (from a job or other work) needs a TFN. You can apply at any age, and it is free.
Online application (Individual Auto-Registration, IAR): for permanent migrants and temporary visa holders who are already in Australia and hold a valid visa with work rights linked to their passport, for example Working Holiday visas (subclass 417 and 462) or the Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408). New Zealand citizens automatically get a visa with work rights on arrival. You can check your visa conditions with VEVO.
If your visa has condition 8101 NO WORK, 8103 NO WORK or 8116 NO WORK/APD ACTIVITY, you cannot apply online with the IAR.
If your visa has no work rights: permanent migrants use the ATO's Australian residents – TFN application; temporary visitors use the paper form for People living outside Australia, even if they are already in Australia.
If you are still overseas: the IAR requires you to be in Australia. Apply through the ATO's People living outside Australia – TFN application process instead.
If you already have a TFN but have forgotten it, or want a copy of your TFN notification letter, you can complete the IAR online application again.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Check whether you can apply online
If you are already in Australia and your visa has work rights, you can use the IAR. Check your visa conditions with VEVO first: you cannot use it if your visa has condition 8101, 8103 or 8116 NO WORK.
Get your details ready and set your device to Australian time
You need your passport or travel document number, the country that issued it (this must match the nationality on your visa), your name and date of birth exactly as in your passport, your Australian postal address and residential address, a phone number and an email address. If you have them, you also need any existing TFN, ABN or Centrelink CRN, and your spouse's details. The ATO advises setting the time zone on your computer or phone to Australia first, or the application may fail when you submit it.
Submit the IAR online on the ATO website
On the ATO's Permanent migrants and temporary visitors – TFN application page, select Apply online for a TFN using the IAR. Complete each screen in turn: Identification (your documents and personal details) → Tax file number (whether you have applied for a TFN or ABN or lodged a tax return before) → Address → Contact → Summary. Tick the declaration and select Submit. It takes about 20 minutes, is free, and you do not post any documents.
Write down your ATO receipt ID
After you submit, the screen shows an ATO receipt ID. Write it down. You need it to check progress or to contact the ATO if your TFN is late.
Wait for the letter
Within 28 days of receiving your complete application, the ATO posts your TFN notification letter to the Australian postal address you gave. Do not submit another application during this time. If 28 days pass and nothing arrives, call 13 28 61 and give your receipt ID.
Use your TFN safely once it arrives
Give your employer a Tax file number declaration when you start work, and give your TFN to your bank and your super fund. It is a good idea to create a myGov account and link it to the ATO, so you can find your TFN any time in ATO online services or the ATO app.

What documents do I need?

Passport or travel document (number and issuing country; your name and date of birth must match it exactly)
An Australian postal address (your TFN letter is sent here) and your residential address (the residential address cannot be a PO box)
A phone number (mobile is fine) and an email address
If you have them: an existing TFN, ABN or Centrelink customer reference number (CRN), and your spouse's details
You do not need to upload or post copies of any documents for the online application

What should I watch out for?

Applying to the ATO for a TFN is free, and you can do it yourself on the ATO website. You do not need to pay an agent or anyone else to do it for you.
Without a TFN, your employer and your bank must withhold tax at a higher rate. Apply as soon as you can after you arrive.
Give your TFN only to those who genuinely need it: the ATO, your employer, your bank, your super fund, government agencies and your university. Rental agents and strangers on job websites do not need your TFN.
Genuine ATO calls show as No Caller ID. The ATO will never threaten you with arrest, say it will cancel your TFN, ask you to pay with gift cards or cryptocurrency, or charge a fee to give you a refund. If you are unsure, hang up and call 1800 008 540 to check.
Genuine ATO email addresses end in ato.gov.au. An SMS or email with a link asking you to sign in is almost always a scam. Do not click it.
Forgotten your TFN? Sign in to myGov (linked to the ATO) or the ATO app to see it. It is also on your notice of assessment, your employer's income statement and your super statements.
If you think your TFN has been stolen or misused, call 1800 467 033 straight away. The ATO can add extra security monitoring to your account.
This page is a plain-English summary of public information. Always check the ATO website for the official rules. This is not immigration, legal or tax advice.

Common questions

How do I apply for a tax file number after arriving in Australia?

If you are in Australia and your visa has work rights, apply online on the ATO website using the Individual Auto-Registration (IAR). It is free, takes about 20 minutes and you do not post any documents. Check with VEVO first that your visa does not have condition 8101, 8103 or 8116 NO WORK. Write down the ATO receipt ID after you submit.

Does a TFN cost anything, and how long does it take to get one?

No, applying to the ATO for a TFN is free, and the online application needs no posted documents. Within 28 days of receiving your complete application, the ATO posts your TFN notification letter to the Australian postal address you gave. Do not apply again during this time. If 28 days pass with no letter, call 13 28 61 and give your receipt ID.

Can I apply for an Australian TFN before I arrive?

Not with the online IAR, which requires you to already be in Australia. If you are still overseas, use the ATO's People living outside Australia – TFN application process instead.

I am on a Working Holiday visa. Where do I apply for a TFN?

On the ATO website. Working Holiday visas (subclass 417 and 462) have work rights, so once you are in Australia you can apply online with the IAR on the ATO's Permanent migrants and temporary visitors – TFN application page. It is free, takes about 20 minutes, and your TFN letter arrives within 28 days.

What happens if I start work without a TFN?

You can start work, but your employer must withhold tax from your pay at a higher rate, and so must your bank. Without a TFN you also cannot claim government payments such as JobSeeker, lodge your tax return online or apply for an ABN. Apply as soon as you can after arriving.

I have lost or forgotten my TFN. Where can I find it?

Sign in to myGov (linked to the ATO) or the ATO app to see your TFN. It is also on your notice of assessment, your employer's income statement and your super statements. If you want a copy of your TFN notification letter, you can complete the IAR online application again.

Who can I give my TFN to? Do my employer and bank need it?

Give it to the ATO, your employer (on a Tax file number declaration when you start), your bank or financial institution, government agencies when you claim payments, your super fund and your university. Rental agents and strangers on job websites do not need your TFN, so do not share it with them.

I got an SMS saying my TFN will be cancelled. Is it real?

Almost certainly a scam. The ATO never says it will cancel your TFN, never threatens arrest, and never asks for your TFN, bank details or myGov sign-in details by SMS or email. It does not send unsolicited messages with links or QR codes. If unsure, call 1800 008 540 to check, and forward scam emails to ReportScams@ato.gov.au.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

Permanent migrants and temporary visitors – TFN applicationAustralian Taxation Office · ato.gov.au
What is a tax file number?Australian Taxation Office · ato.gov.au
Online TFN registration – permanent migrants and temporary visitorsAustralian Taxation Office · ato.gov.au
Lost or stolen TFNAustralian Taxation Office · ato.gov.au
Verify or report an ATO scamAustralian Taxation Office · ato.gov.au
Contact usAustralian Taxation Office · ato.gov.au

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