As the old adage goes - "If it's not back in 6 weeks, just wait longer."

It was taking 7 weeks back in 2013. A decade on and just as efficient as ever.

18-Nov Completed the online application process including providing scans of docs, photo etc
18-Dec Face to face ID check completed
Early January, I called to ask where it was. Told that the Background check was still outstanding (Auscheck) and that they had seen a larger delay than normal
16-Jan Email received saying the ASIC had been approved and is in the mail
22-Jan ASIC received
Let's call it 2 months

I'm an ASIC agent, your delay may be due to how long it takes for the issuing body to put it into the system, print the card, let you know it is ready etc, add more delays if there are third parties involved such as Australia Post. There is no point in contacting Auscheck as all they do is the actual background check part. Not a great idea to contact them and have a go at them.

We are turning them around in about a week with a very few exceptions, that's from initial in person document check to handing over the card, because apart from Auscheck we do everything in-house.

So if you are not happy, go to another issuing body but make the most of it because when the Govt abolish the independant issuing bodies and start doing it all themselves as a Single Issuing Body, then you will encounter a whole new level of "delay" and "incompetent public servant"

Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) Issuing Bodies (auscheck.gov.au)

Many of the chronic delays these days are caused by checks to see if applicants have any associations with ‘outlaw bikie gangs’ – i.e. illicit drug importers. ASICs were handed out like confetti by some issuing bodies when there was a huge increase in the number of newbie baggage handlers (I wonder why there were so many newbie baggage handlers…) and some of the recipients had ‘clean’ criminal records but ‘unsavoury’ friends. The potential security gaps (and the obvious conflict of interest of some issuing bodies) is what precipitated the push for all ASIC issuing to be done ‘in house’.

Now that Admiral General Comptroller Supremo Pezzulo has been punted as head of Home Affairs, and therefore the ongoing building of his own defence force and broader empire has been curtailed, it may be that the plan for all issuing to be done ‘in house’ will be abandoned. Let’s hope so, especially given that the ASIC system is an expensive façade that won’t stop any terrorist with half a brain or stop the tsunami of illegal drugs that continues to swamp Australia (due to a thing called ‘demand’).

The issuing body verifies the documents. Staff are required to undertake training in verifying that documents are genuine and be aware of other clues that could arouse suspicion.

The document details (numbers, not the actual documents) are put into the Auscheck system.

Once the application is cleared by Auscheck the issuing body prints and delivers the card to the applicant.

Not sure where you get the idea that an issuing body does the background checks or has any say over who is approved. That is simply not true.

So why do some renewals take more than 8 weeks?

The issuing body is supposed to verify the documents.

Being trained to do something does not mean the something gets done properly.

Putting document details into a system is not a guarantee that the documents are about the person who presented them to the issuing body.

But that said, what's your explanation for the move to bring the whole process 'in house', Clare? Maybe it is just plain ol' empire building.

It depends how many third parties it has to go through partly.

That's a pretty serious allegation you are making. I hope you have some good evidence to back it up.

What “allegation” am I making about whom? I merely made statements of plain fact. And you didn’t answer my question.

You are implying that issuing bodies and agents are committing fraud. My role is to ensure that all documents are genuine before they go into the Auscheck system and to try and make it all as uncomplicated as possible. That's all.

I have no idea why the Morrison government decided to go to a single issuing body, I'm not privy to that information. You can read about it here, there's an email address at the bottom that you can contact for more information. Changes to the ASIC & MSIC schemes (auscheck.gov.au)

I’m not “implying” anything. What I asserted, outright, does not apply to all issuing bodies and all agents.

My understanding is that your commercial success does not depend on a constantly churning casual workforce that has to be ASIC ‘cleared’ and card-wearing before they’re of any use to you. My understanding is that you are not associated with any organisation that imports and distributes illegal drugs. If my understandings are correct, you can rest assured that I’m not “implying” or “alleging” or otherwise casting any aspersions about you.

If you've held an ASIC for 10 years and are doing your 5th renewal, why does the length of processing time depend on how many people handle the application? I can get a passport quicker.

ASIC renewals for long standing holders should be easy and quick. Same day and half the price. I wasn't a terrorist last time and I'm still not!

The process is now not just about trying to find out whether you've changed careers to terrorist. It's also about trying to find out things like whether you have any associations with people and organisations in the business of importing and distributing illegal drugs.

I wish. Then I would be rich enough to cease this flying malarky! 🤣

And that's precisely one of the Dept of Home Affairs' concerns. The prospect of getting rich, quick, sometimes motivates people to do things they shouldn't do, whether they're pilots, baggage handlers, ASIC issuing body personnel or whomever.

Why do we even need an ASIC?

I have been asked once for mine (at an airport that did not require one!) since they came out.
I am sure that any person that wanted 1 for non genuine use could get a pretty good 1 for $10 some place.
Other countries do not need them.

At small uncontrolled airports, you don't - and you don't need one to fly a plane either. ...but at larger airports it's for Security. Airport Security.

You can't just allow any Joe Public wander around a busy tarmac unsupervised (props and turbines are expensive to fix after someone walks into one) so the implication is that someone who holds an ASIC has at least some amount of knowledge to know where they can and can't go - for their own safety and the safety of other people's aircraft.

Sure.. and I wonder how many ground incidents they have compared to Oz? I get airport security asking to see mine daily (granted, that's every time I try to go airside) and for that reason I doubt you could get a counterfeit one programmed to let you go anywhere you please at any major airport in this country.

In the years in which the ASIC requirements have been in force, I can count on the fingers of one finger the number of times I've been asked for my ASIC on arrival at Canberra. And I've arrived in Canberra many, many times.

There's a very easy way to get into a security controlled aerodrome without an ASIC: Fly there.

ATC doesn't know whether the pilot of an aircraft inbound to e.g. Canberra holds a current ASIC. ATC doesn't know whether the pilot of an aircraft inbound to e.g. Canberra holds a pilot licence. ATC doesn't know who or what is on board an aircraft inbound to e.g. Canberra. And someone with malignant intent isn't about to land at e.g. Canberra then twiddle their thumbs waiting for security to turn up and ask to see an ASIC.

The front door is wide open and even includes a welcome in the form of an inbound clearance.