Helping you access records of interest

Before you lodge an inquiry

Have you checked that the National Archives holds the sorts of records you're seeking? See the scope of our collection.

There are several ways of contacting the National Archives reference service, including in person. See Fact Sheet 1 – Addresses and hours of opening.

Have you already identified a record of interest?

To read the original – lodge an advance request to view records
To obtain a copy – place an order through RecordSearch

Please note that under the Archives Act 1983 we can provide access only to records more than 30 years old.

Contents

Defence service records
Immigration records
Passenger records
Family history records
Other records in our collection
Ordering records to view in a reading room
Response time
Your comments on the reference service
Cost

Defence service records

Defence service records document service in the Australian armed forces.

Our collection database, RecordSearch, individually lists the records of those who served during World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII), as well as some other campaigns. For more information on service records, and how to access them, see:

defence service records

Immigration records

To ask about records documenting assisted migration to Australia and grant of citizenship (naturalisation) during the 20th century, use the:

immigration records inquiry form

If the person you are researching did not come to Australia as an assisted migrant, or was not naturalised, please use the family history form below.

Passenger records

To ask about records documenting the arrival and departure of people in Australia by air or sea during the 20th century, use the:

passenger records inquiry form

Family history records

To ask about other records relevant to your family history, use the:

family history inquiry form

Other records in our collection

To ask about other records in our collection, use the:

general reference inquiry form

Ordering records to view in a reading room

If you want to view records in a reading room, you can request the records in advance. Use the:

advance request to view records form

Response time

We will acknowledge receipt of your completed form and we aim to respond within 30 days. See our Service charter for more information on our standards of service.

Your comments on the reference service

We are keen to hear your comments, criticisms and suggestions to help us improve the National Archives reference service. Please complete the:

Reference service survey

Cost

The National Archives provides basic reference assistance free of charge, but we are unable to undertake in-depth research on your behalf.

Charges apply to digisation and copying services. A quote can be provided on request. See Fact Sheet 51 – Copying charges for more information.

Reference inquiries online