Ali and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs (Citizenship)

This matter concerned an application for Australian citizenship by conferral by Mr Ali, who was seeking to overcome the prohibition in subsection 24(3) of the *Australian Citizenship Act 2007* (Cth). The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs opposed the application. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal was required to determine whether it was satisfied of Mr Ali's identity.

The Tribunal was tasked with assessing Mr Ali's identity based on the "three pillars of identity": biometrics, documents, and life story. Specifically, the Tribunal had to consider whether Mr Ali had provided credible documentary evidence to substantiate his claimed identity prior to his arrival in Australia, and whether any inconsistencies in his evidence regarding his period of employment in Iran adversely affected the assessment of his identity.

The Tribunal found that while inconsistencies regarding the length of Mr Ali's employment in Iran did not necessarily undermine his claimed identity, his failure to produce legitimate documentary evidence from Pakistan or Afghanistan was critical. The only identity document produced by Mr Ali was a Taskera which he accepted contained incorrect information and was not genuine. Mr Ali's explanations for not possessing other identity documents were found to be confused and inconsistent, particularly when contrasted with the production of Taskeras for his mother and siblings, and a notarised mortgage agreement referring to his brother's Afghan Card. Consequently, the Tribunal was not satisfied of Mr Ali's identity.

The Tribunal affirmed the decision under review, finding that the prohibition in subsection 24(3) of the *Australian Citizenship Act 2007* applied to Mr Ali.