Free interpreters (TIS National 131 450), free document translation and free English classes

Department of Home Affairs — Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National)Verified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

If your English is limited, you can call 131 450 for a TIS National telephone interpreter, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Calls to government agencies through TIS are usually free. At the GP or the pharmacy you can also ask for a free interpreter on the spot. New migrants can also use the Free Translating Service: within 2 years of your visa being granted, up to 10 personal documents can be translated into English for free. Permanent residents aged 18 or over with little English can join free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).

Key facts

TIS National phone number: 131 450. Immediate telephone interpreting is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Within Australia the call is charged at the local call rate (calls from mobiles and from overseas may cost more).¹
Does interpreting cost anything: Most TIS National interpreting services are free for non-English speakers. The cost is usually paid by the agency you are contacting.¹
How to call: Call 131 450. A recorded message asks which language you need: say your language. The operator confirms the language, then finds an interpreter. Tell the interpreter your name, the name and phone number of the organisation you want to contact (and any reference number the organisation asks for). The operator then connects you, the interpreter and the organisation.¹
Which organisations you can reach through TIS: Registered clients: state and federal government departments (including the Department of Home Affairs), electricity, gas and water companies, telecommunications companies, emergency services, legal services, settlement and community services and others. You are connected only during the organisation's business hours; Monday to Friday 9am–5pm (AEST) is safest. Hospitals and some insurance and utility companies can be reached outside business hours.²
Who can use the Free Interpreting Service (FIS): People in Australia with limited English who are eligible for Medicare, including Australian citizens, permanent residents and some temporary visa holders. FIS enquiries: 1300 575 847.³
Which services FIS covers: Private medical practitioners (GPs, specialists, nurse practitioners, midwives), pharmacies, real estate agencies, local councils, eligible NGOs and charities, registered trade unions, eligible allied health professionals and Members of Parliament. Ask the staff at these services for an interpreter; there is no charge to you.²
Free Translating Service (FTS) allowance: Permanent residents and eligible visa holders can have up to 10 personal documents translated into English for free. Since 1 July 2025 the service has been delivered by TIS National on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs.⁵
FTS visa requirements: Your visa must have been granted within the past 2 years and still be valid, you must be in Australia, and you must not have used all 10 documents. Eligible subclasses include 100, 101, 103, 143, 186, 189, 190, 300, 309, 482, 491, 494, 801, 820 and 866, among others (the official list applies and may change without notice). Visitor visas, Working Holiday visas and Australian citizens are not eligible.⁴
Which documents FTS translates: Personal documents issued by an official body, about you, that help with employment, education and community participation: academic transcripts and qualifications, birth, marriage, divorce and death records, change-of-name records, driver licences, identity cards, family registers, employment references, trade or professional qualifications, vaccination records, medical records, police clearance certificates and similar. Translations for visa or citizenship applications, privately issued documents and sworn translations for court are not accepted.⁴
FTS format and timeframes: Most translations are extract summaries of no more than 100 words, which is usually enough for official purposes in Australia. Once approved, you can download the translation from the portal within 30 days. Your account stays open for up to 2 years. If you find an error, you can request a free correction within 30 days of receiving the translation.⁵
Who can join AMEP free English classes: People aged 18 or over with little or no English who are permanent residents, hold an eligible temporary visa, or are citizens who previously held an eligible visa. People aged 15–17 may also be eligible: ask an AMEP provider. Free childcare is available for pre-school children during classes. There are about 300 class locations across Australia, and you can also study by distance learning or on your own through AMEPOnline.⁶
AMEP time limits: If your eligible visa started after 1 October 2020: register with an AMEP provider within 6 months, start classes within 12 months and finish within 5 years. If your visa started on or before 1 October 2020 there is no time limit, and you can study up to vocational English level. In special circumstances late registration or an extension may be allowed: ask your provider.⁶

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

Calling 131 450 for a telephone interpreter: anyone in Australia can use it, whatever your visa type. The cost is usually paid by the organisation you contact.
Free Interpreting Service: people eligible for Medicare (citizens, permanent residents and some temporary visa holders), at eligible services such as private GPs, pharmacies, real estate agencies and local councils.
Free Translating Service: you hold a visa on the official list, it was granted no more than 2 years ago and is still valid, you are in Australia and you have not used all 10 documents. Visitor visa holders, Working Holiday visa holders and people who have become citizens cannot use it.
AMEP: aged 18 or over with little or no English, and a permanent resident, an eligible temporary visa holder, or a citizen who previously held an eligible visa.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Calling a government agency: call 131 450 first
Check the agency's business hours on its website first. Call 131 450 and say your language when the recorded message asks. When the operator has found an interpreter, tell the interpreter your name and the name and phone number of the agency; the operator connects all three of you. If the agency has its own interpreter line that is not 131 450, call that number first.
At the GP or pharmacy: ask for an interpreter on the spot
Tell the receptionist 'I need an interpreter'. They arrange a telephone or on-site interpreter through the Free Interpreting Service at no cost to you. When you phone a clinic, you can also ask TIS to connect an FIS interpreter. You can ask for a male or female interpreter, and ask for a different interpreter if you know the person.
Apply for free document translation
First check in VEVO that your visa subclass and grant date are eligible. Then create an account on the Free Translating Service page of the TIS National website and upload colour images of the original documents in the portal (certified copies are not accepted). Each person applies separately; family members cannot share the allowance. Once approved, download the translation within 30 days.
Enrol in AMEP English classes
Find your nearest provider on the Department of Home Affairs AMEP page (about 300 locations) or use AMEPOnline. If your visa started after 1 October 2020, remember to register within 6 months and start classes within 12 months. If you receive a Centrelink payment, AMEP classes can count towards your mutual obligation points.
For anything the free services do not cover, use a NAATI-certified translator
Documents for visa or citizenship applications, more than 10 documents, or documents not on the list must be translated at your own cost by a NAATI-certified translator (TIS suggests searching the NAATI directory). Ask the receiving organisation first whether it needs an extract summary or a full translation.

What documents do I need?

Free Translating Service: your visa subclass, visa grant number and grant date (on your visa grant letter), your passport or ImmiCard, and colour photos or scans of the original documents
Calling 131 450: the name and phone number of the organisation you want to contact, and any reference number it asks for (for example your Medicare or Centrelink reference number)

What should I watch out for?

Calls to government agencies through TIS are generally free. Some private organisations may not accept calls through TIS; you can call them directly and ask them to call you back with a telephone interpreter. If the organisation will not pay, you can open a personal TIS account and pay yourself.
Federal government departments must provide interpreters for clients with limited English (the Multicultural Access and Equity policy). You do not pay for interpreting when you call Centrelink, Medicare or the Department of Home Affairs.
The FTS allowance of 10 documents is per person and cannot be shared with family; each person applies separately. Only images of originals are accepted, not certified copies. Translations are extract summaries of no more than 100 words; if you need a full translation, provide evidence that the receiving organisation requires one (an email, a letter or a link to its website).
In NSW, if you need your overseas driver licence translated to convert it, you can use the Free Translating Service or Multicultural NSW Language Services. If you are not eligible for FTS, ask Service NSW.
The old address translating.homeaffairs.gov.au now redirects to tisnational.gov.au. Apply on the Free Translating Service page of the TIS National website.
Missing an AMEP deadline is not always the end: in special circumstances late registration or an extension may be allowed. Ask an AMEP provider directly.
This page is a plain-English summary of public information. Eligibility is decided by TIS National and the Department of Home Affairs. This is not immigration or legal advice.

What has changed recently?

2025-07-01
The Free Translating Service is now delivered by TIS National on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs; it was previously delivered by The Migration Translators. Applications are now made through the FTS portal on the TIS National website.Source: tisnational.gov.au ↗

Common questions

I do not speak English well. How do I call Centrelink or Medicare? Is there a free interpreter?

Yes. Call 131 450 for a TIS National telephone interpreter, available 24 hours a day, every day. Say your language when the recorded message asks, then tell the interpreter your name and the name and phone number of the agency, plus any reference number it asks for. The operator connects all three of you. Calls to Centrelink, Medicare and the Department of Home Affairs are free for you: the agency pays for the interpreter.

What is 131 450? How do I use it and does it cost anything?

131 450 is the TIS National telephone interpreting line run by the Department of Home Affairs, available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Say your language, wait for the operator to find an interpreter, then give your name and the organisation's name and phone number. Most interpreting is free for non-English speakers because the organisation you contact pays. Within Australia the call costs a local call; calls from mobiles or overseas may cost more.

Can I ask for a free interpreter at the GP or the pharmacy?

Yes. Private GPs, specialists and pharmacies are covered by the Free Interpreting Service. Tell the receptionist 'I need an interpreter' and they arrange a telephone or on-site interpreter at no cost to you. You must be eligible for Medicare (citizens, permanent residents and some temporary visa holders). You can ask for a male or female interpreter. For questions about FIS, call 1300 575 847.

Is there a free translation service for new migrants? How many documents can I translate?

Yes. The Free Translating Service translates up to 10 personal documents into English for free for permanent residents and eligible visa holders. Your visa must have been granted within the past 2 years and still be valid, and you must be in Australia. Check your subclass and grant date in VEVO, then create an account on the TIS National website and upload colour images of the originals. Each person applies separately.

Can I get my overseas driving licence, degree certificate or marriage certificate translated into English for free?

Yes, if you are eligible for the Free Translating Service. Driver licences, academic qualifications and transcripts, and marriage records are on the list of accepted personal documents, as long as they were issued by an official body and are about you. Most translations are extract summaries of no more than 100 words, usually enough for official use in Australia. If you need a full translation, provide evidence that the receiving organisation requires one.

Who can join the free AMEP English classes? Is there a time limit?

People aged 18 or over with little or no English who are permanent residents, hold an eligible temporary visa, or are citizens who previously held an eligible visa. People aged 15–17 may also be eligible; ask an AMEP provider. If your visa started after 1 October 2020, register within 6 months, start within 12 months and finish within 5 years. Visas that started on or before 1 October 2020 have no time limit.

Can I use the free translation service for my visa or citizenship application documents?

No. The Free Translating Service does not accept translations for visa or citizenship applications, privately issued documents or sworn translations for court. For these you must pay a NAATI-certified translator; TIS suggests searching the NAATI directory. Ask the receiving organisation first whether it needs an extract summary or a full translation.

Does TIS National have an interpreter for my language? What do I say when I call?

When you call 131 450, a recorded message asks which language you need: say your language, and the operator confirms it and finds an interpreter. At the GP or pharmacy, ask the staff for an interpreter and they arrange one through the Free Interpreting Service. You can ask for a male or female interpreter, and for a different interpreter if you know the person.

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

Where can I check the official information?

Interpreting services (for non-English speakers)Department of Home Affairs (TIS National) · tisnational.gov.au
Help using TIS NationalDepartment of Home Affairs (TIS National) · tisnational.gov.au
About the Free Interpreting Service (FIS)Department of Home Affairs (TIS National) · tisnational.gov.au
Free Translating Service – EligibilityDepartment of Home Affairs (TIS National) · tisnational.gov.au
About the Free Translating ServiceDepartment of Home Affairs (TIS National) · tisnational.gov.au
About the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)Department of Home Affairs · immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

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