Managing your Australian tax obligations from overseas or without a local mobile network can be incredibly frustrating. The standard myGov setup relies heavily on sending a security code via SMS to an active Australian phone number every time you log in.

If you are an expat, a working holiday maker who has left the country, or simply don’t have access to an Australian mobile network, you cannot receive these text codes. Fortunately, you can bypass the SMS requirement completely. Using alternative security frameworks like myID (formerly myGovID) or the myGov Code Generator app allows you to securely link the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to your myGov account from anywhere in the world.

1. The Core Alternative Authentication Pathways

To access ATO online services without a phone number, you must change how myGov verifies your identity during sign-in. You have two primary methods to achieve this:

Option A: The myID App Pathway (Highly Recommended)

Your myID acts as your official government digital identity. It is completely independent of your mobile phone number, relying instead on your smartphone’s internet connection and physical identity documents (like your passport).

• The Advantage: Once your myID is connected to myGov, it completely overrides the need for SMS codes. You log in simply by accepting a push notification inside the app on your phone.
• The Security Level: To link the ATO, the ATO online system requires your myID to be set up to a Standard or Strong identity strength.

Option B: The myGov Code Generator App Pathway

If you prefer not to create a full digital identity, you can download the official myGov Code Generator app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

• The Advantage: This app generates a unique, time-sensitive 6-digit security code directly on your screen every 30 seconds, operating exactly like Google Authenticator.
• The Offline Benefit: The app works entirely offline. It does not require a cellular phone network or an active internet connection to generate codes once it is configured.

2. Step-by-Step Blueprint: Linking the ATO Offline

Step 1: Update Your myGov Sign-In Settings

Before attempting to link the ATO, you must change your myGov account settings to stop asking for SMS text messages.

• Sign in to your myGov account using your current credentials.
• Navigate directly to Account Settings and select Sign-in settings.
• Change your 2-factor authentication option from “Get a code by SMS” to either “Use the myGov Code Generator app” or “Sign in with Digital ID (myID)”. Follow the on-screen pairing prompts to link the app to your profile.

Step 2: Navigate to Linked Services

Once your new phone-free login method is active, return to your main myGov dashboard.

• Select the Services tab or go to View and link services.
• Locate the Australian Taxation Office from the government agency marketplace list and click Link.

Step 3: Clear the Personal Details Verification Barrier

The system will ask you to confirm your baseline identity details. Fill out your 9-digit Tax File Number (TFN), full given name, family name, and date of birth exactly as they appear on your official tax records.

Step 4: Answer the Two Tax Record Verification Questions

To securely establish the link without calling an operator, the ATO requires you to answer exactly two questions based on your financial history from the last several financial years. You must provide specific data from two of the following categories:

• Notice of Assessment (NOA): The exact “Our Reference Number” printed on the top right corner of any recent tax return assessment.
• PAYG Payment Summary / Income Statement: Your gross income amount reported by an employer.
• Superannuation Account Details: Your member account number and your Super fund’s Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Dividend Statements: Financial figures from investments.
• Bank Account Details: The BSB and account number of the specific bank account where you previously received an ATO tax refund or made a direct payment.

3. Side-by-Side Troubleshooting: Overcoming Verification Errors

The Overseas Linking Code Strategy: If you cannot answer the two security questions because you lack old financial documents, you can call the ATO directly from overseas at +61 2 6216 1111. Let the operator know you are overseas and cannot link your account online. Once they verify your identity over the phone using your passport or TFN, they will read out a unique, single-use Linking Code. This code allows you to bypass the security questions entirely, but it expires exactly 24 hours from the moment it is generated.