Identification requirements

All applicants for medical registration with the Medical Board of Australia will be required to satisfy the Proof of Identity Requirements of the Medical Board of Australian to obtain medical registration.

The AMC has developed its own proof of identity requirements for doctors applying from overseas international medical graduates (IMGs) for assessment through the AMC, because it recognises that some applicants cannot meet some of the Board’s identification requirements.

Photograph requirements

Part of the AMC process requires you to upload a current photograph of your face and shoulders. The AMC will use this photograph for identity confirmation and examination purposes. This photograph will appear on your AMC account.

All passport-sized photos must be:

  • full colour
  • 35-40 mm wide and 45-50 mm long
  • good quality – high resolution
  • sharply focused (not blurred)
  • not too dark and not too light
  • not scanned or homemade
  • current – no more than 6 months old
  • unmarked (no ink or marks on the edge)
  • in front of a plain light coloured background
  • full-front view of head and shoulders with eyes open and clearly visible
  • one of the following file formats, JPEG or PNG)
  • less than the maximum file size of 5 megabytes

All photos submitted to the AMC must be updated every TWO years.

Holiday photos/selfies are inappropriate and will be rejected.

 

If you are required to undertake the AMC examination process as required by the Medical Board of Australia, the AMC Certificate (once passed both AMC examinations) will include the photo you submit. Therefore, it should represent a true likeness and be of good quality.

If you have applied for EPIC verification, you can use the same photograph as added to your EPIC account application provided it complies with the requirements listed above.

For photograph examples please refer to EPIC’s advice on confirming your identity.

Passport requirements

Part of the AMC process requires a scanned copy of your current/valid passport. The AMC will amend your names in your AMC account according to the passport details.

The scan of your passport must:

  • Include the signature page
  • Include name
  • Include nationality
  • Include date of birth (dd/mm/yyyy)
  • Include gender
  • Include place and country of birth
  • Include photograph
  • Include passport number
  • Include signature
  • Include the passport expiration date
  • Show your passport at actual size
  • Be clear and legible
  • You can scan both the personal details/demographic AND signature pages (if on separate pages) as 1 image (i.e. 2 pages in 1 image etc)
  • If no signature available on your passport, scan a copy of your secondary ID (drivers licence or statutory declaration) with the passport image and scan as 1 image (i.e. 2 pages in 1 image etc)

Please note that you need to use one of the following file formats: JPEG or PNG), the maximum file size is 5 megabytes.

For passport examples please refer to EPIC’s advice on confirming your identity.

Acceptable documents if no signature on passport

You must provide a copy of personal details and signature pages of your passport on your AMC portfolio, If your passport does not have a signature, you are required to submit one of the following current/valid documents as secondary identification with your passport:

  • a copy of your driver’s license (must be signed); OR
  • a statutory declaration to confirm all variances of your signature (see below).

Name/Signature Variance

If the name on your qualification/s is different from the name on your passport, you are required to submit evidence of your change of name/name variance if:

  • you have ever been formally known by another name(s), OR
  • any of the documents you provide in support of your application is in another name(s).

Evidence could include:

AND/OR

If the signature uploaded is different to the signature on your passport (or other acceptable document if no signature on passport), you are required to provide evidence of your signature variance.

You are required to submit one of the following current/valid documents as secondary identification with your passport:

  • a copy of your driver’s licence (must be signed); OR
  • a Statutory Declaration to confirm all variances of your signature (see below).

You must submit a Statutory Declaration setting out the reasons for any of the following:

  • your passport or drivers licence has no signature
  • the signature on your passport or drivers licence is different from the signature on your application form (explain all of your signature variations and declare your preferred signature for use on AMC records)
  • any of your documents show a previous name (explain all name variations).

A Commonwealth of Australia Statutory Declaration may only be used to explain the reason for a name variation, not for change of a legal name. You will be required to include one of the evidence documents as listed above.

If the name/signature variance document is in a non-English language, an English translation is also required to be uploaded together

Please note that you need to use one of the following file formats: JPEG or PNG, the maximum file size is 5 megabytes.

Statutory declaration

A statutory declaration is a written statement declared to be true in the presence of an authorised eligible witness. A statutory declaration form is available on the AMC website here.

You are required to submit a statutory declaration for any of the following reasons:

  • your passport or drivers license does not contain a signature
  • the signature on your passport or driver’s license is not the same as the signature on your application form
  • a document contains a previously used name
  • the name on your passport is different from the name on your qualification(s).

A Commonwealth of Australia Statutory Declaration may only be used to explain the reason for a name variation, not for change of a legal name. You will be required to include one of the evidence documents as listed in Name Variance above.

The statutory declaration must be witnessed by an eligible witness.

Eligible witnesses in Australia

The AMC accepts the following persons as eligible witnesses in Australia:

  • chief magistrate
  • police magistrate
  • resident magistrate
  • special magistrate
  • justice of the peace
  • person appointed under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959, as amended, or under a state Act to be a Commissioner for Declarations
  • notary public
  • person appointed a Commissioner for Declarations under the Statutory Declarations Act 1911, or under that Act as amended, and holding office immediately before the commencement of the Statutory Declarations Act 1959.

Eligible witnesses in countries other than Australia

The AMC accepts the following persons as eligible witnesses in countries other than Australia:

  • Foreign Notary Public
  • Commissioner of Oaths (South Africa, Sudan and Canada only)
  • An Australian Consular or Diplomatic Officer or authorised officer in accordance with Section 3 of the Consular Fees Act 1955*
  • Foreign documents that bear an Apostille† issued by a Foreign Government may be submitted without further certification.

*You are required to contact the Australian Embassy or Consular to arrange for an appointment before travelling to ensure that the necessary staff are available. The list is available here.

†On legal advice, the AMC accepts an apostille as an eligible witness able to certify documents as part of the primary source verification requirements.

An Australian Diplomatic Officer means a person appointed to hold or act in any of the following offices of the Commonwealth in a country or place outside Australia:

  • Ambassador
  • High Commissioner
  • Minister
  • Head of a Mission
  • Commissioner
  • Chargé d’Affaires
  • Counsellor, Secretary or Attaché at an Embassy, High Commissioner’s office, Legation or other post.
  • Locally engaged staff who have been authorised by the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to also perform the function.

Fees may be prescribed for consular acts. The regulations may provide for the imposition of fees, to be collected on behalf of the Commonwealth, for the performance, whether in Australia or elsewhere, of consular acts by:

  • an Australian Diplomatic Officer or an Australian Consular Officer; or
  • the person holding or acting in the office of Secretary of the Department or an officer of the Department acting with the authority of the Secretary; or
  • an employee of the Commonwealth authorised, in writing, by the Secretary of the Department; or
  • an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised, in writing, by the Secretary of the Department.