Sighting, recording and returning original documents 106-07060010

Rural Financial Counsellor (RFC)

RFC can photocopy identity documents, certify by stamping as ‘original sighted’ and return when seeing customers as part of their financial counselling work. See Eligibility and payability for Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

The customer then sends them to the agency.

Any follow-up action required is between the Service Officer and the customer, not RFC.

Lease agreements

Do not need to be copied or scanned for:

• claims
• change of address
• program reviews, or
• Rent Assistance (RA) profile reviews

For accommodation updates, see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA).

Passports

When copying passports, copy the first page and all other pages with entry, exit and visa details.

Family Assistance

A separate procedure applies for the Receipt of claims, forms and documentation for family assistance.

Proof of age

Check the document details match other documentation and the customer record.

Any discrepancies must be addressed, corrected and documented prior to coding. See Aliases and other names (legal, preferred, sex and gender diverse customers, etc.) and/or Incorrect date of birth recorded.

Identity

These documents must be coded onto the customer record using the Identity Confirmation Dashboard unless the:

• customer’s identity is already confirmed, see Identity Confirmation, or
• document is a certified copy, go to Step 4

If a service officer identifies or suspects fraud, see Report Suspected Fraud and Corruption.

Check that the documents are:

• originals
• not altered, and
• the details and signature on each matches the claim form and other documents (except when using RFCs)

Note: if the Service Officer suspects the documents have been altered or are fraudulent, see Report Suspected Fraud and Corruption.

• If the documents are not for identity confirmation, change of address or program reviews, go to Step 3
• If not able to record documents directly, go to Step 3
• If the documents are copies and certified by a third party, go to Step 4
• If the documents arrive by post, go to Step 5

Some documents may need copying and certifying, for example:

• Originals to support claims
• When there is no access to code documents. For example in remote locations
• Claims handled by another department
• If a customer requires a document certified by a Service Officer for use elsewhere
• Documents needs translation
• Document serves a dual purpose (e.g. Passport for residency)
• Service Officer believes the document is suspicious. Record a report of suspected fraud
• Customer is claiming a Foreign Pension
• Documents are part of Payment Accuracy Reviews (PAR)

Note: there are some scannable document exceptions, see Upload documents service.

The Service Officer must:

• make sure the copy is legible:
• if not legible or fixable in the copying process, write the details on the copy, and
• certify the copy by:
• using the specific stamp, or
• noting on the copy that the original has been sighted and returned, and
• sign the copy, and
• print their name or logon ID, and
• print the date and service centre location/name

The following officials can certify original documents:

• a Commonwealth, State or Local Government Official
• a Commissioner for Declarations or a Justice of the Peace

This person must certify the documents with the following so their credentials can be checked if necessary:

• their name
• signature, and
• their authority to certify

If the certified documents are identity related, do not code them on the customer record. These documents are used in Alternative Identity assessment only.

Service Officers must code and return documents to the customer by Registered Mail.

Note: for identity documents, see Coding identity documents.

If unable to code documents directly to the system, take copies to certify. The Service Officer must:

• make sure the scanned image or copy is legible:
• if not legible or fixable in the copying process, write details on the copy, and
• certify the copy by:
• using the specific stamp, or
• noting on the copy that the original has been sighted and returned, and
• sign the copy, and
• print your name or logon ID, and
• print the date and service centre location/name