Working with children check (Blue Card) for offshore international students

You will need a Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) customer reference number (CRN) in order to prove your identity to Blue Card Services. The easiest and quickest way to get a CRN is to follow the process outlined on this page and visit a TMR customer service centre in Queensland where TMR will take your photo and give you a CRN while you wait.  However, if you are offshore and unable to get to Brisbane with enough time to visit TMR before you start your placement, you can apply for a CRN using the ‘Remote Pack' .

All the TMR forms mentioned below can be found online at https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Find-a-form

Document Witnessing

Many of your documents will need to be signed in the presence of an approved witness. An approved witness is a:

• police officer
• medical practitioner
• consular or ambassadorial officer
• solicitor, barrister or judge
• Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner for Declarations
• Notary Public or a person authorised by law to witness and sign declarations.

It is important that you take note of the approved witness requirements outlined in the following steps.

Step 1: New Customer Application

Complete the New Customer/Photo and Signature Remote Application (for agency card)

Approved witness requirement: complete and sign the authorising person’s declaration section on this form.

Tip: In Section 4 of the form, your evidence relating to your residential address (for example: driver licence, photo ID, lease/rental agreement, or a utility bill) needs to be witnessed by an approved person. 

Tip: In Section 5 of the form, please enter Blue Card Services as the agency:

Step 2: Evidence of Identity (EOI)

Approved witness requirement: the witness must include the printed statement ‘I have sighted the original documents and certify this to be a true copy of the original’, along with the witness’s full name, position title or designation, and contact details (can be provided via an office stamp).

2.1 Gather three original EOI documents and photocopy them.

Your EOI documents might comprise:

• foreign passport + temporary visa + student identity document.

See page 1 of Evidence of Identity Requirements for Individuals (F4362) for full details of the documents you can use.

Step 3: Photographs

Approved witness requirement: these photographs must be endorsed on the back with ‘I certify this is a true photograph of (the applicant’s name) in my presence.

3.1 Provide two identical current colour photographs that are:

• passport quality (automatic machine photographs are not acceptable e.g. photo booth)
• 35 mm wide × 45 mm long, not more than 6 months old
• taken against a plain, light-coloured background (e.g. white, cream or pale blue)
• printed on high quality paper and using high resolution (preferably 600 dpi or higher)
• not manipulated, e.g. by applying filters, removing spots, softening lines or removing ‘red eye’
• Both photographs must be signed on the back by an approved witness. One photograph must be signed and endorsed on the reverse side by an Approved Witness with the words: “I certify this is a true photograph of (the applicant) in my presence”.

3.2 The photographs must show:

• natural skin tones with appropriate brightness and contrast (no flash reflections)
• your face front on—with all aspects of the face visible
• you looking straight at the camera—your head not tilted, turned or looking over one shoulder
• a neutral expression—the mouth must be closed—no laughing, frowning or smiling
• your eyes opened and clearly visible—no hair covering the eyes
• no glasses or sunglasses—they must be removed even if you normally wear them for driving
• no hats or other head covering unless it is for religious or cultural reasons in which case, your facial features from the bottom of your chin to the top of your forehead and both edges of your face must be clearly shown.

If your photographs do not meet the above criteria, your CRN application will be delayed until you submit suitable photos.

Step 4:

Take all your documents to be signed in the presence of an approved witness.

Step 5:

5.1 Check you have the following documents:

• completed New Customer/Photo and Signature Remote Application form signed by an approved/authorising person.
• two photographs of the applicant, signed on the reverse side by an approved witness
• witnessed photocopies of three EOI documents (plus a witnessed change of name document if applicable)
• witnessed document which shows evidence of your residential address (For example: driver licence, photo ID, lease/rental agreement, or a utility bill).

5.2 Mail all your documents to TMR:

The Manager

Department of Transport and Main Roads

Dalby Customer Service Centre

PO Box 767

Dalby QLD 4405

What happens next?

TMR will process your application and send your CRN to the address you supplied on the New Customer/Photo and Signature Remote Application form.

Once you have received your CRN, you can then apply for a blue card as per the steps below.