# Authorising disclosure of identifying information to foreign countries etc. > act-s336F — as in force on 2026-06-04 — C2026C00232 · Compilation No. 171 — https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2026C00232/latest/text 336F Authorising disclosure of identifying information to foreign countries etc. (1) The Secretary or Australian Border Force Commissioner may, in writing, authorise a specified officer, or any officer included in a specified class of officers, to disclose identifying information of the kind specified in the authorisation to one or more of the following: (a) one or more specified foreign countries; (b) one or more specified bodies each of which is: (i) a police force or police service of a foreign country; or (ii) a law enforcement body of a foreign country (including a war crimes tribunal); or (iii) a border control body of a foreign country; (c) one or more specified international organisations, or specified organisations of foreign countries, that are responsible for the registration of people as part of refugee or humanitarian programs; (d) one or more prescribed bodies of a foreign country, of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory; (e) one or more prescribed international organisations. (2) The Secretary or Australian Border Force Commissioner must specify in the authorisation, as the purpose or purposes for which disclosure is authorised, one or more of the purposes set out in subsection 5A(3). (3) A disclosure is taken not to be authorised under this section if: (a) the person to whom the identifying information relates is: (i) an applicant for a protection visa; or (ii) an unauthorised maritime arrival who makes a claim for protection as a refugee; or (iii) an unauthorised maritime arrival who makes a claim for protection on the basis that the person will suffer significant harm; and (b) the disclosure is to a foreign country in respect of which the application or claim is made, or a body of such a country. (4) A disclosure is taken not to be authorised under this section if: (a) the person to whom the identifying information relates is: (i) an applicant for a protection visa; or (ii) an unauthorised maritime arrival who makes a claim for protection as a refugee; or (iii) an unauthorised maritime arrival who makes a claim for protection on the basis that the person will suffer significant harm; and (b) the officer making the disclosure is not reasonably satisfied that the country or body to which the disclosure is made will not disclose the identifying information to a foreign country in respect of which the application or claim is made, or a body of such a country. (5) However, if: (a) the person to whom the identifying information relates has requested or agreed to return to the foreign country in respect of which the application or claim is made; or (b) the person is an applicant for a protection visa, and the application has been refused and finally determined; or (c) the person is an unauthorised maritime arrival: (i) who makes a claim for protection as a refugee; and (ii) who, following assessment of his or her claim, is found not to be a person in respect of whom Australia has protection obligations; or (ca) the person is an unauthorised maritime arrival: (i) who makes a claim for protection on the basis that the person will suffer significant harm; and (ii) who, following assessment of his or her claim, is found not to be a person for whom there is a real risk of suffering significant harm; or (cb) the person is an unauthorised maritime arrival: (i) who makes a claim for protection on the basis that the person will suffer significant harm; and (ii) who, following assessment of his or her claim, is found to be a person in respect of whom there are serious reasons for considering that he or she has committed a crime against peace, a war crime or a crime against humanity (as defined by international instruments prescribed by the regulations) or a serious non-political crime before entering Australia, or that he or she has been guilty of acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations; or (cc) the person is an unauthorised maritime arrival: (i) who makes a claim for protection on the basis that the person will suffer significant harm; and (ii) who, following assessment of his or her claim, is found to be a person in respect of whom there are reasonable grounds for considering that he or she is a danger to Australia’s security or is a person who, having been convicted by a final judgment of a particularly serious crime (including a crime that consists of the commission of a serious Australian offence or serious foreign offence), is a danger to the Australian community; then: (d) subsection (3) does not apply to a disclosure to that country or to a body of that country; and (e) subsection (4) does not apply to a disclosure to a body or country that may disclose the identifying information to that foreign country or to a body of that country. Note: See section 11A for when an application is finally determined.