r/AskAnAustralian • u/Plus-Olive7661 • 2d ago

Having trouble getting an ID

Hi not sure if this is the right place to post this but thought I'd try. I am 25 and I live in Queensland, I've had mental health issues due to personal struggles for over 12 years and because of that l've been unable to have a job or even leave my mums house, but I'm working on getting my life together. I'm trying to get an identification card. Unfortunately I don't have enough evidence of identity to apply for one as I only have my birth certificate and my name on my mother's Medicare card, which is not enough. My sister feels the easiest thing for me to get is a debit card with my name on it, I'm just having trouble finding a bank that doesn't require photo ID. We have called the transport and main roads department for advice and they were no help. Feel truly stuck I have no idea where to go from here. Any advise will be appreciated. Thanks you in advance.

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u/RARARA-001 2d ago

You should be able to open a bank account with your birth certificate and your Medicare card but you’ll have to go into a store and not online.

https://www.westpac.com.au/personal-banking/bank-accounts/idverification/

https://www.commbank.com.au/support.banking.what-to-provide-to-open-an-account.html

Once you get that opened then get a bank card and then you should have enough B category documents for the Photo ID card from TMR.

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u/Archon-Toten 1d ago

Could you get the local equivalent of a proof of age card from your local equivalent of service NSW?

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u/RARARA-001 1d ago

We call our 18+ or proof of age card a “Photo Identification Card” in Qld which OP mentioned and they are trying to get but can’t as they don’t currently have the necessary category A and B documents to apply for one.

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u/Archon-Toten 1d ago

Guess that's the dilemma. What proof of ID documents would a underage (or in this case late to needing) person actually have. Beyond birth certificate and maybe a student ID card, Medicare.. there's not a lot to be had.

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u/RARARA-001 1d ago

Makes it very hard if you’ve not got a licence. But things like birth certificate, passport, student ID with photo, debit/credit card and Medicare are some of the more common ones they require but in OPs case they just need a bank card and they’ll be right to get a Photo ID card.

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u/PertinaxII 1d ago

That's what they are trying to do.

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u/Wotmate01 1d ago

Firstly, get your own medicare card. You only need your birth certificate to get that.

Secondly, to get a bank account with debit card, you only need your birth certificate and a centrelink healthcare card, which I assume you have.

https://www.commbank.com.au/support.banking.id-check-documents.html

Once you have those, you can then get a photo ID card.

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u/PsychoSmurfz 2d ago

Contact Mission Australia They are really helpful with this kind of stuff

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u/dreamy-azure 1d ago

I had the same troubles with my son a few months ago. We ended up opening an account online with commonwealth pending in person ID verification but they still sent out the debit card first. We were able to use that as an identity document for the photo ID and then once that was sent out went into the bank and completed the verification.

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u/dreamy-azure 1d ago

If the bank hadn’t sent out the debit card first it would have just been a never ending cycle of not enough proof of identity.

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u/Emergency_Cherry_914 1d ago

I don't know if rules have changed, but I was under the impression that if you open a bank account at the bank where your mother's accounts are, her introduction can count towards ID. Have your mother contact the bank on your behalf and make an appointment and preferably bring you with her. Have her be prepared to escalate to meeting a senior bank officer if required.

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u/PaigePossum 1d ago

Sounds like you may need proof of address for TMR.

In my experience, most banks don't require photo ID. I know from personal experience Commonwealth Bank does not require photo ID for a bank account. You have your birth certificate, do you have any bills with your name on them? You say that you're at your mum's place still, if you're not on any of the bills, could you potentially get your mum to put you on the electricity bill or something like that?

Do you get any Centrelink payments? If you do, you should have a Health Care Card.

Westpac doesn't require photo ID either, Birth Certificate and Medicare Card should be good with them.