Apply for a TFN: choose the correct ATO application route
A Tax File Number is your personal tax identifier. Apply free through the ATO, using the route that matches your circumstances. This guide covers a first application; our separate follow-up guide handles waiting, payroll and recovery.
In this guide
Before applying: have you had a TFN before?
Your TFN normally stays with you when you change jobs, move overseas or change visa. If you already have one, retrieve it rather than applying again. A TFN is not a work permit and is not a universal legal prerequisite for opening a bank account. Banks can ask for it for tax reporting; not quoting one may affect withholding on interest.
Never post your TFN in comments, a CV or a rental enquiry. We do not need it to explain the process.
Choose your official application route
| Situation | ATO route / limit |
|---|---|
| Permanent migrant or temporary visitor currently in Australia with an eligible visa linked to a passport/travel document | Check the foreign-passport Individual Auto Registration (IAR) route. ATO lists permanent-resident, work-rights, overseas-student and indefinite-stay visas; its work-rights and identity requirements must be met. |
| Australian citizen | Use the ATO Australian-citizen/resident application options. Citizens cannot use the migrant IAR route. |
| Permanent migrant who cannot use IAR | ATO directs you to the Australian-residents TFN application route. |
| Temporary visitor who needs a TFN but cannot use IAR | ATO directs you to the paper application for people living outside Australia, even if you are currently in Australia. |
| Outside Australia | Use the ATO overseas route if you have an Australian tax reason to apply; do not use IAR before arrival. |
Being unable to use the migrant online form does not mean you can never obtain a TFN. Equally, holding any valid visa does not automatically qualify you for that form. Follow the live ATO selector and identity-document instructions; do not assume a telephone call or a walk-in office is an application method.
Prepare details without sending them to unofficial sites
- Have the passport or travel document linked to your visa available, plus accurate names, date of birth and contact details.
- Use the address fields as labelled: residential and postal details serve different purposes. Choose a postal address where you can reliably receive confidential mail.
- Follow the ATO identity instructions for your chosen method. Do not invent a name spelling or upload documents to an unrelated service if verification fails.
- Check whether you already have an application reference. Avoid duplicate applications.
Complete and record the application
- Open the official ATO application selector and select the route above.
- For eligible migrants, read the IAR conditions before following its application link.
- Review names, document and delivery details carefully, then submit on the ATO site. The direct ATO application is free.
- Save the receipt/reference and the date securely. Keep a note of the delivery address and any identity steps still required.
- The ATO says to allow up to 28 days for processing. This is not a promised day-by-day dispatch or delivery timetable. Follow up through official contact details if that period passes.
Example: two arrivals, different routes
Applicant A is in Australia on an eligible work-rights visa with the linked foreign passport and no prior TFN: check the IAR route. Applicant B is a temporary visitor who needs a TFN for an Australian tax purpose but cannot meet IAR conditions: check the ATO paper overseas application instructions. Neither should alter their answers to fit the easier form. These are route examples, not eligibility decisions for every visa.
After applying
If you start work, give payroll an accurate TFN declaration and tell them if you have applied or made an enquiry. The 28-day concession is conditional, not an automatic no-tax period. Our TFN waiting, payroll and recovery guide explains how to avoid a missed payroll update. After issue, linking ATO to myGov is a separate identity check; it does not automatically link Medicare or Centrelink.
Common questions
Can I apply before arrival?
Not through the migrant IAR route, which requires you to be in Australia. Other ATO routes exist for people outside Australia with an Australian tax reason.
Is applying by phone the standard alternative?
No. Use the ATO application selector and its identity requirements. A call can help resolve an enquiry, but is not a universal new-application method.
Should I pay a website to obtain a TFN?
The ATO application itself is free. Start at ato.gov.au and avoid giving identity details to an unverified intermediary.
Sources and scope
Checked 30 September 2026. This is general information, not an individual tax, financial, employment or migration assessment. Follow the linked official instructions for your circumstances.