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bartbob(Newbie)Newbie
28 Apr 2026

I've tried submitting my DASP form multiple times and I keep getting the following message:


"A fatal system error has occurred. Details of this error have been forwarded to the ATO system administrators and will be investigated as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience. Please try again later. When contacting ATO please quote Reference Number: ####"


From here I took the following steps:


  • I emailed DASPmail@ato.gov.au (28 days ago and got no response).
  • I contacted my super fund to check if there were any issues with my account (they confirmed everything was fine).
  • I called the ATO with the reference number that was given to me and they said they couldn't find it in their system. Confirmed all details and all is in line including confirmation that my visa is expired.
  • I tried to resubmit the application whilst on the phone with the agent to see if the new reference number would appear in the system (but it didn't).

The agent is now laying that never received any email do DASPmail, ATO does not want to sort their system out.


23 views
2 replies
23 views
2 replies

All replies

RachelATO(Community Moderator)Community Moderator
5 May 2026

Hi @bartbob,


We’ve got an update for you.


Our tech team have let us know the fatal system error you’re seeing can be encountered for several reasons. Most commonly occurring when you've entered an invalid character into the DASP application, preventing the form from being viewed.


Your first step is to check for any invalid characters. If you keep getting the fatal system error and your super is held by us, you can complete a paper DASP application. In this situation, no supporting documentation is required (for example, a Certificate of Immigration is not needed).


If your super is held by a super fund, you can email the DASP mailbox. There is a large backlog of emails awaiting processing, so you need to allow additional time. Alternatively, you can complete a paper application to claim super held by the super fund. In this case, supporting documentation will most likely be required. If you need a Certificate of Immigration from the Department of Home Affairs, this usually incurs a fee ($55).

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Fatal error message when submitting DASP form | ATO Community