How to Renew the Australian Passports?

As the curtain of the pandemic drops and the borders of many countries reopen to the world, people are planning to travel around. There is no exception for Australia. For Australian people, one of the necessary documents they need to carry when traveling abroad is the passport. So if you’re planning to travel overseas soon, you’ll need to make sure your Australian passport is still valid. If the passport is going to expire soon, you’d better renew it before traveling. In this passage, we will deep into the topic of how to renew an Australian passport. 

When do you need to renew the passport?

When you need to renew your passport depends on the passport’s condition and validity. If the passport has expired, you need to renew it. It may also need to be renewed or replaced depending on the requirements of the country you are traveling to. For example, some countries may require 6 months validity left on your passport before they will issue a visa and others will refuse entry if your passport is damaged or ripped. Therefore, according to the different requirements of the countries you travel to and the passport’s condition, you may need to renew it from time to time.

What requirements should be met to renew your passport?

However, renewing the passport is not available to everyone. So before starting the renewal process, we should learn about the requirements to renew the passport. You can renew your passport if you meet the following requirements:

1. You are over 18 years old.
2. Your passport was issued when you were aged 16 or older
3. Your passport was issued less than 15 years ago.
4. When it was issued, it should have at least two years of validity (for example, issued on 1 January 2010 and expired on or after 1 January 2012)
5. Your passport still has your current name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender.
6. Your passport has not been reported lost, stolen, or canceled.

How to renew your Australian passport?

After figuring out the basic requirements for renewing the passport, we sorted out the procedure to finish the renewal.

1. You should fill in the online passport form. First, you need to create an account on this website. For standard renewal, you need to fill in the online form and then print it or get a blank paper form from a participating Australia Post outlet. For a streamlined renewal, you can complete the form online and print it or ask the Australian Passport Office who will inform you whether you are qualified and then send you a prefilled form by email or post.
2. Then you need to prepare a standardized passport photo.
3. After that, you can lodge your passport renewal application at a participating Post Office. However, if your travel is urgent, you can call 131 232. The Passport Office will inform you if you’re eligible and choose a time for you to lodge your renewal.
4. You also need to pay the fee for renewal. The price for the renewal is dependent on the type of passport. If the validity of the passport is 10 years for people aged 16 and over, you need to pay 301 dollars; if the passport’s validity (citizens aged under 16) is 5 years, you need to pay 152 dollars.

How to renew a Child’s Australian passport?

However, if you are trying to get a new passport for a child, you need to apply for a new one instead of renewing the previous passport. There are five steps to apply for a child’s passport. 

Step 1: Prepare the necessary documents and two passport photos.

1. Full birth certificate
2. Evidence that proves the child is an Australian citizen
3. Documents that prove any change of name
4. Any court orders and additional passport forms we require to establish who has parental responsibility for the child
5. Two passport-sized photos that comply with the photo guidelines.

Step 2: Confirm who will be your child’s guarantor.

Ask someone to be the child’s guarantor who must sign section 11 of the application form and endorse the back of a passport photo by writing ‘This is a true photo of [the child’s full name]’ and signing in black pen. To be the child’s guarantor, this person has to be an adult Australian citizen who has known the child for more than one year (or since the child was born if they are younger than one year old). However, the guarantor can not be related to you or your child and can certify the legitimacy of the passport application.

Step 3: Fill in the application form.

Fill in the application form online. The application form will tell you which documents you must bring when you lodge your printed application form. If you can’t fill in the form online, you can try to collect a blank application form at a participating Australia Post outlet.

Step 4: Submit the form and pay the fee.

Submit your application at the participating Post Office and pay the fee. The child must come with you when you lodge the application. There are three ways to pay the fee, if you lodge your application at Australia Post, you can pay with EFTPOS, MasterCard, Visa, AMEX or cash; if you are at a passport office, you can pay with EFTPOS, MasterCard or Visa only(no cash); and if you are overseas, you’ll usually have to pay an equivalent amount in local currency. Fees are usually taken by EFTPOS or credit card. 

Step 5: Wait for the new passport.

The passport office will inform you when the passport is ready. It will send you notice by email or SMS, depending on the contact details you provided. There are two ways to get a passport. One way is to receive it by post. If so, it will arrive within three weeks of the email. The other way is to collect it in person at the Passport Office.

How to Renew Your Passport Outside Australia

However, if you are not in Australia, how can you renew your passport overseas? If you’re overseas, you can still renew your passport by visiting your local Australian diplomatic or consular mission. You should follow the steps below:

1. Collect your original documents and passport photos.
2. Complete the application form.
3. For standard renewals, you can either complete the form online and print it out, or obtain a blank paper copy from an Australian diplomatic or consular mission; To simplify your renewal, you can either complete the form online and then print it out, or contact the Australian Diplomatic or Consular Mission who will confirm your eligibility and send you the prefilled form by email or post.
4. Go to an Australian diplomatic or consular mission to submit a passport renewal form and pay the fee. It is advised to make an appointment before heading to the Australian diplomatic or consular mission.

The whole renewal process may last at least six weeks. Therefore, it is advised not to book your travel until you receive your passport, as incomplete applications could take even longer.

What is the difference between a passport renewal and a new passport application?

As we have mentioned above, if you meet the renewal requirements, you can renew the passport instead of applying for a new one. However, if you run into one of the following situations, you have no choice but to apply for a new passport. These situations mainly include:

1. This is your first time to get a passport. You’ve never had a passport before.
2. Your previous passport is lost or damaged.
3. Your first passport was issued when you were younger than 16 years old.
4. Your passport was issued more than 15 years ago.
5. You have changed your name but you don’t have the necessary supporting documents to prove that.
6. You are applying for a passport for a child younger than 16.

Conclusion 

In summary, if you want to renew your passport, you’d better make sure that you have met the corresponding requirements. If not, you have to apply for a new passport instead. Based on different situations, you can refer to the different procedures we have listed above to get the passport.