Hi. For over week now I'm trying to pick up my tfn. l am Australian i worked in Australia so i have this number. Unfortunately, I live abroad, but it shouldn't be a problem. I downloaded mygovid, which was supposed to help me with identification. I have my citizenship document. I have a passport. It turned out that mygovid does not fully function either with ATO app or does not give absolutely any help. I have all government applications on my phone, but in fact it comes to the point that in order to get this number I have to show it first(!)...I called yesterday ATO switchboar and there, after more than twenty minutes of checking my documents, the man said that he can't give me this number over the phone! I asked if he couldn't tell me that at the beginning of our conversation, he said he had too few documents. Even though he doesn't ask for anything else, even for a passport. He said I can fill out the form.. That's true, but this form doesn't include the option I want to do. I just need mine, because as a private person I want to sell my art on eBay. eBay doesn't hire me, I won't start a new company. They need this number for billing and legalization... What should I do? I kindly ask someone who knows for help!
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3 replies
Hi @Easyman
Sorry to hear we could not help when you contacted us.
It can be difficult to establish identity when you're overseas.
Other options to locate your TFN can be, if applicable to you, a superannuation account statement or any previously issued payment summaries.
If the above is not possible or does not apply then your next step is the form mentioned to you to Apply for a TFN,
When we process the application, we will recognise you already have a TFN and issue you a letter letting you know what your TFN is.
All replies
Hi @Easyman
Sorry to hear we could not help when you contacted us.
It can be difficult to establish identity when you're overseas.
Other options to locate your TFN can be, if applicable to you, a superannuation account statement or any previously issued payment summaries.
If the above is not possible or does not apply then your next step is the form mentioned to you to Apply for a TFN,
When we process the application, we will recognise you already have a TFN and issue you a letter letting you know what your TFN is.
Hi@AlliATO !
Thank you very much for your answer. I was afraid that I would be left alone with this unsolvable problem. Unfortunately, the MyGOVID application does not seem to be compatible with ATO. Ato asks me to connect to the application, sends the number you have to enter, but there is no place to enter it in this application (!) Because to log in to it you need to use your login and not these numbers ... Interestingly, I wrote about it in the application feedback, and there this very issue is already listed as one of the options to choose from, so I'm not the only one or original. I tried to link to ATO from myGOV account but again there in the third column I need TFN which I can't pick up from any of these institutions... it all looks like catch22. Can't I do it over the phone with the mygovid app? Should this app help in such situations? My passport, my Australian citizenship and facial recognition have been checked, isn't that enough?
Hi @Easyman,
I completely understand your frustrations with this.
When it comes to using your myGovID to apply for a TFN, if it was the first time you were applying it would not be a problem. However, you already have a TFN. If you apply online, the system may not realise you already have one and issue another instead. This would create a few problems.
To ensure this does not happen. It may be worth considering applying via paper as these require us to check for existing records. I know this is not ideal, but as soon as we process the new application if you allow some time. You can try again over the phone to get your TFN. Your details would then be updated and make it easier for you to access.