Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Approvals 2025

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au F2025N00273 Not in force Notifiable Instrument

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Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Approvals 2025

I, Paul Miszalski, Acting Assistant Secretary, Practice and Systems Branch, Foreign Investment Division, Department of the Treasury, delegate of the Secretary to the Treasury, approve the following manners for giving notices or making applications under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975.

Dated  26 March 2025

 

Paul Miszalski

Acting Assistant Secretary

Practice and Systems Branch

Foreign Investment Division

Department of the Treasury

 

 

 

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary

1 Name

2 Commencement

3 Authority

4 Schedules

Schedule 1—Amendments

Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Approvals 2025

 

 

Part 1—Preliminary

1  Name

  This instrument is the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Approvals 2025.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Provisions

Commencement

Date/Details

1.  The whole of the instrument

The later of:

(a) 31 March 2025; and

(b) the day after this instrument is registered.

 

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975.

4  Schedules

  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Approvals 2025

1  Section 5 (definition of ATO foreign investment email address)

Omit “FIPResidential@ato.gov.au”, substitute “FIPresidentialapplication@ato.gov.au”.

2  Section 5 (after the definition of Foreign Investment Portal)

Insert:

Foreign Investment Portal trial means a pilot or trial of the giving of the notice or making of the application through the Foreign Investment Portal.

3  Section 5 (definition of Treasury Application Portal)

Omit “by way”, substitute “accessed by way”.

4  Section 6 (table items 1 and 2)

Repeal the items, substitute:

 

1

Notices given in relation to any of the following:

(a) notifiable actions (other than notifiable actions which relate only to interests in residential land);

(b) significant actions (other than significant actions which relate only to interests in residential land);

(c) notifiable national security actions;

(d) reviewable national security actions.

One of the following manners:

(a) if the Treasury Application Portal is onlinethrough the Treasury Application Portal;

(b) if the Treasury Application Portal is offlineby completing the form ‘Application Form – Proposal’ (available at www.foreigninvestment.gov.au) and sending the completed form by electronic mail to the Treasury application email address;

(c) if the person giving the notice is participating in the Foreign Investment Portal trialthrough the Foreign Investment Portal.

2

Applications made for variations to no objection notifications given in relation to any of the following:

(a) actions described in paragraph 75(1)(b) of the Act (other than actions which only relate to interests in residential land);

(b) significant actions (other than significant actions which only relate to interests in residential land);

(c) notifiable national security actions;

(d) reviewable national security actions.

One of the following manners:

(a) if the Treasury Application Portal is onlinethrough the Treasury Application Portal;

(b) if the Treasury Application Portal is offlineby completing the form ‘Application Form – Variation’ (available at www.foreigninvestment.gov.au) and sending the completed form by electronic mail to the Treasury application email address;

(c) if the person making the application, is participating in the Foreign Investment Portal trialthrough the Foreign Investment Portal.

 

5  Section 6 (table item 4)

Repeal the item, substitute:

 

4

Applications made for variations to exemption certificates made under any of the following provisions:

(a) section 58 of the Act

(b) sections 42, 43, 43BA and 43BB of the Regulation.

One of the following manners:

(a) if the Treasury Application Portal is onlinethrough the Treasury Application Portal;

(b) if the Treasury Application Portal is offlineby completing the form ‘Application Form – Variation’ (available at www.foreigninvestment.gov.au) and sending the completed form by electronic mail to the Treasury application email address;

(c) if the person making the application, is participating in the Foreign Investment Portal trialthrough the Foreign Investment Portal.

 

6  Section 6 (table item 6, column headed “Approved manner for giving of the notice or making of the application”)

Omit “Proposal”, substitute “Variation”.

7  Section 6 (table item 10)

Repeal the item, substitute:

 

10

Notices required under a condition included in any of the following:

(a) an exemption certificate made under any of the following provisions:

(i) section 57 and 59 of the Act;

(ii) sections 43A and 43B of the Regulation;

(b) a no objection notification which relates only to interests in residential land;

(c) another notice imposing conditions which relates only to interests in residential land.

If the exemption certificate, no objection notification or notice imposing conditions was given or issued by the Treasurer or a delegate under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Treasury) Delegations 2020—through the Foreign Investment Portal.

Otherwise—by electronic mail to FIRBcompliance@ato.gov.au.

 

8  Section 6 (table item 12)

Repeal the item, substitute:

 

12

A notification made for the purposes of paragraph 101(1)(b) of the Act which relates only to interests in residential land.

In relation to a buildtorent development, any of the following manners:

(a) by electronic mail to the Treasury compliance email address;

(b) by electronic mail to the Treasury application email address;

(c) through the Foreign Investment Portal;

(d) by electronic mail to the Treasury enquiries email address;

(e) by electronic mail to the Treasury notification email address;

(f) by electronic mail to the Treasury audit email address.

Otherwise, any of the following manners:

(a) by completing the ‘Disclosure and Tipoff’ form available at www.ato.gov.au;

(b) by electronic mail to FIRBcompliance@ato.gov.au;

(c) by electronic mail to the ATO foreign investment email address.

 

9  Section 6 (table item 14)

Repeal the item, substitute:

 

14

Types of notices and applications not mentioned in any other item of this table.

One of the following manners:

(a) if the Treasury Application Portal is online and accepts the kind of noticethrough the Treasury Application Portal;

(b) if the Treasury Application Portal is offline or cannot accept the kind of noticeby electronic mail to the Treasury application email address;

(c) if the person giving the notice or making the application, is participating in the Foreign Investment Portal trialthrough the Foreign Investment Portal.

 

Overview

The Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Approvals 2025, enacted under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975, addresses the evolving needs of the foreign investment notification and application processes in Australia. This instrument, approved by Paul Miszalski, the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Practice and Systems Branch within the Foreign Investment Division of the Department of the Treasury, introduces updated methods for submitting notifications and applications related to foreign acquisitions and takeovers. Effective from 31 March 2025, the approvals facilitate streamlined processes by incorporating digital submissions through the Treasury Application Portal and the Foreign Investment Portal trial, while maintaining alternative methods such as email submissions where necessary. This legislative update aims to enhance efficiency and responsiveness in handling foreign investment notifications and applications, ensuring they keep pace with technological advancements and operational requirements.

Scope and Application

The Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Approvals 2025 applies to the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975, modifying the manner in which notifications and applications must be made under this Act. The changes specify how notices and applications related to foreign acquisitions and takeovers should be submitted, including through the Treasury Application Portal, by email, or via the Foreign Investment Portal trial. This amendment specifies the approved methods for giving notices or making applications related to notifiable actions, significant actions, notifiable national security actions, and reviewable national security actions, among others, and outlines the circumstances under which each method is applicable. The changes are effective from the later of 31 March 2025 and the day after this instrument is registered. The Act applies to all entities and individuals involved in foreign acquisitions and takeovers within Australia, subject to the provisions of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975. The amendment does not introduce new exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds but updates the existing methods for notification and application to streamline the process and incorporate technological advancements. The application of this Act is limited to the Commonwealth of Australia and does not extend to state or territory jurisdictions.

Key Provisions

The Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 2) Approvals 2025I outlines the updated methods for giving notices and making applications under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975. This includes changes to the manner of notification for various types of actions, such as notifiable actions, significant actions, and notifiable and reviewable national security actions (sections 5 and 6). These notices can now be made through the Treasury Application Portal, by email, or through the Foreign Investment Portal if the person is participating in the trial. Additionally, the approval modifies the definition of the ATO foreign investment email address, the definition of the Foreign Investment Portal trial, and the manner of accessing the Treasury Application Portal. Under this legislation, parties subject to the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 must comply with the new notification methods. This includes ensuring that notices for notifiable actions, significant actions, and national security actions are submitted through the approved methods. For actions that do not fit into the specified categories, parties must use the Treasury Application Portal if available, or send the notification by email to the specified address if the portal is offline or does not support the type of notice. The updated methods also apply to variations to no objection notifications and exemption certificates, as well as to other miscellaneous notices. Failure to comply with the new notification requirements can result in civil or criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed in this approval instrument, under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975, penalties for non-compliance can include fines and, in severe cases, imprisonment. The exact penalties depend on the nature and severity of the breach and are determined by the courts. Additionally, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) may impose administrative penalties for incorrect or incomplete notifications, which can include fines and other administrative actions.

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Foreign Investment Law
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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.