Before you phone us
Before you phone us, you should:
- search Foreign investment in Australia and the Foreign InvestmentExternal Link website to check if what you need to know is already available online
- use Online services for foreign investors to check
- the progress of a foreign investment application
- vacancy fee lodgment status.
Establishing your identity
You can speak with ATO staff for help with your Australian investment obligations. Before we can discuss your details or update your records, we must establish your identity. We'll ask you questions based on information from our records. Have this information ready when you phone us.
These identity questions may include:
- your Australian tax file number (TFN) or Australian business number (ABN) if you have one
- your ATO reference number (ARN) if you have received an ARN notification letter from us
- details from letters or notices we have issued to you
- information you have provided in a tax return or asset registration
- details from accounts you hold with us, such as payment or refund amounts or Australian bank account details
- information related to your interactions with us, such as
- the date you lodged your last vacancy fee return or other Australian property transaction
- the amount you paid for a vacancy fee liability or application fee
- details of investments you hold, such as the date you purchased an asset (for example, the settlement date for your Australian property).
We may also ask you to confirm details of your identity documents, such as passport and visa details. These details are as they appear on your foreign investment application.
Phoning from overseas
If you are phoning from overseas, you can phone us between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) or Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), Monday to Friday on +61 2 6216 1111. Ask to be transferred to the relevant number on this page for your query.
Our Australia contact centres are closed on Australian national public holidaysExternal Link.
Foreign investment enquiries
Check if the information you need is available online before you phone us.
Phone 1800 050 377 between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm (AEST or AEDT), Monday to Friday, for questions about:
- foreign investment in Australia
- registering your interest in Australian assets
- foreign investment approval
- your obligations, including vacancy fee return
- compliance
- Online services for foreign investors.
Translating and interpreting service (TIS National)
If you would like to speak in a language other than English, phone TIS National between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm (AEST or AEDT), Monday to Friday. Request to be connected to the relevant phone number on this page for your query, in the language you want to speak in.
Phone TIS National:
- in Australia – 13 14 50
- outside Australia – +61 3 9268 8332.
Online services for foreign investors
Note: When you contact us for a linking or authorisation code you must tell us it is for Online services for foreign investors. This will help our staff with your query.
If you're contacting us about Online services for foreign investors and your question is about:
- a linking code to link your record as an individual without an ABN – phone 13 28 61 and select option 1 and tell us it is for Online services for foreign investors
- an authorisation code to add a business without an ABN – phone 13 28 66 and select option 1 and tell us it is for Online services for foreign investors
- myGovID – phone 1300 287 539 and select option 2. See myGovID helpExternal Link
- linking a business with an ABN, see Access to Online services for foreign investors for entities with an ABN
- updates to your name or date of birth – phone 13 28 61. All other updates can be done using Online services for foreign investors
- system availability – go to System maintenance to see when online services are unavailable
- issues with the service – go to Troubleshooting for known issues and actions to take.
Reporting a breach of the rules
If you know or suspect someone is deliberately breaking our foreign investment rules, you can report a breach. You can also self-disclose if you have broken the rules.
For details of how to report, see Report a breach of the foreign investment rules.
Other queries
If you have questions about other Australian tax and superannuation topics, check how you can contact us.
Current SMS and email activities
We may contact you electronically by SMS and email.
If you're trying to access Online services for foreign investors or are authorising someone to act on your behalf, we may email:
- a linking code
- an authorisation code.
If you aren't sure if an SMS or email is from the ATO, check:
- our current SMS and email activities
- foreign investment correspondence we have sent you.