Breaking · Visas & Entry

Nearly 2 million Quest Apartment guests are being told to replace their passport, here’s what actually happened

A breach at Quest Apartment Hotels exposed passport, licence and card data for 1.99 million guests; some passport numbers should be reissued.

By Laxman Rawal · Sep 23, 2026

Quest Apartment Hotels has told customers swept up in an August data breach to consider replacing their passport, and in some cases their driver's licence, after the company confirmed the exposure was far larger than first disclosed. A forensic review now…

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What was actually exposed

Quest says it identified unauthorised access to a database system on 17 August 2026, traced to a vulnerability in a third-party technology provider used across its apartment-hotel network. The company first disclosed the breach publicly on 19 August, but the…

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Is your passport still safe to use

Yes, for travel, but you may still want it reissued. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says a compromised passport number "cannot be used to obtain a new passport" and remains valid for international travel on its own. The real risk is…

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What you should actually do right now

Check whether Quest has emailed you directly, the company says it is contacting everyone whose passport, licence or card details were exposed. If your passport number was included, contact the Australian Passport Office, or the passport authority of your own…

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What this means if you are about to travel

It is also a reminder that any operator holding your passport number, a hotel chain, an airline, a trekking company arranging a Nepal permit, carries a version of this same risk. Ask how long they keep your documents, and choose ones who actually apply their…

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