By Navpreet Aulakh, MARN 2619467 | Updated 22 September 2026 | Checked against Australian Passport Office and Department of Home Affairs guidance on 22 September 2026
Australian passport renewal starts with checking whether your existing passport qualifies for the renewal process. You then complete the appropriate form, organise photographs and lodge through the approved channel for your location.
If you are arranging a passport for a newborn, the process is different: your baby needs their first child passport. You must establish Australian citizenship, provide the required identity documents and address parental consent.
This guide covers renewing an Australian passport at home or overseas, current fees, processing times and newborn applications. Start early, particularly when citizenship evidence, overseas documents or family arrangements need attention before you can lodge.
Which passport application do you need?
Choose the correct application before collecting documents or paying for photographs.
| Your situation | Starting point |
|---|---|
| You hold an eligible Australian passport | Adult passport renewal |
| Your previous passport does not meet renewal criteria | New adult passport application |
| Your baby has never held an Australian passport | First child passport application |
| Your child's passport is expiring | New child passport application |
| You need urgent travel documents while overseas | Contact the local Australian embassy or consulate |
The Australian Passport Office issues passports through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Passport applications use the Passport Office application portal, rather than ImmiAccount. Home Affairs handles citizenship applications and evidence of citizenship.
Who is eligible for Australian passport renewal?
Under the adult renewal requirements, your previous passport must:
- Have been issued when you were at least 16.
- Have been issued on or after 1 January 2006.
- Have originally been valid for at least two years.
- Show your current name, birth details and gender.
- Not have been reported lost, stolen or cancelled.
- Be available for presentation as required when lodging.
An expired passport can qualify. If yours does not meet the criteria, follow the new adult application process. A straightforward renewal does not require a referee or guarantor.
Do not assume that replacing a lost passport, changing your name and renewing an expiring passport all use the same form.
How to renew your Australian passport in Australia
1. Complete the renewal form
Start through the official Passport Office website. Complete the form, check your answers and print it according to the instructions. If you cannot use the online process, contact the Passport Office for a pre-filled paper renewal form. Renewal forms are not available over the counter at post offices.
2. Organise your photographs and documents
You need two compliant passport photographs, your completed form, the passport being renewed and any additional documents requested. Check your printed application for signatures and other requirements before leaving home.
3. Lodge and pay
Lodge at a participating Australia Post outlet. Australia Post currently advises that passport applications, renewals and photo services do not require an appointment. Check the location's services and opening hours before attending.
Keep your application number and receipt. Completing a form online does not finish the standard lodgement process.
4. Track your application
Use the official application status tracker. In Australia, passports are normally delivered by Registered Post. If you prefer collection from a passport office, request it when lodging and check the collection requirements. You cannot collect the new passport from a post office.
How to renew an Australian passport overseas
You can apply while outside Australia. Begin with the overseas application guidance, then read the passport instructions published by the Australian embassy, high commission or consulate serving your location.
Local instructions determine appointments, postal eligibility, payment methods and delivery arrangements. Do not assume the procedure used by a friend in another country applies to you.
For example, the Australian High Commission in the United Kingdom provides a postal route for eligible adult renewals. Its instructions say not to send the old passport with that application. Follow that country's complete checklist rather than combining it with an Australian in-person checklist.
If you need your current passport for travel or identification while the application is processed, ask the relevant post before lodging. The Passport Office's general guidance says current passports are normally cancelled when renewal is lodged, but country-specific arrangements can differ.
Check how your new passport will reach you before booking onward travel or moving address.
Australian passport renewal fees in 2026
The following government charges are listed by the Australian Passport Office as effective from 1 January 2026. All amounts are Australian dollars.
| Passport or additional service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard 10-year passport, age 16 and over | $422 |
| Standard 5-year passport, child under 16 | $213 |
| Optional 5-year passport, age 75 and over | $213 |
| Adult overseas application surcharge | $189 |
| Child overseas application surcharge | $92 |
| Priority processing, where eligible | $308 extra |
| Fast Track processing, where eligible | $107 extra |
For an adult aged 18 or over, a standard overseas renewal therefore totals $611 before any other applicable costs. A newborn's standard overseas passport application totals $305.
Photographs, translations, delivery arrangements and citizenship applications can add costs. Overseas posts generally collect fees in local currency; confirm their current payment instructions. Recheck fees when you apply, especially if using this guide after 2026.
How long does Australian passport renewal take?
The Passport Office says to allow at least six weeks from lodgement to receiving your passport. Its processing guidance explains that complex cases, including some child applications, can take longer.
Build your plan around the full sequence: gathering documents, obtaining an appointment where necessary, lodging, assessment and delivery. Time spent obtaining a birth certificate or citizenship evidence comes before passport processing.
An overseas application also depends on local handling and delivery. A quoted processing period is not a guarantee that your passport will arrive before a particular flight.
Can you pay for a faster passport?
Eligible applications lodged in Australia can use Priority or Fast Track processing. Priority provides two-business-day processing and Fast Track provides five-business-day processing after the Passport Office receives a complete application and supporting documents.
These periods exclude postage and delivery. Overseas applications are not eligible for these services. Child applications without full parental consent are also excluded from faster processing.
If urgent travel arises overseas, contact the local Australian post about an emergency passport. These have limited validity and no passport chip, so check acceptance in every destination and transit country.
Applying for an Australian passport for a newborn
A newborn requires a separate child passport application. Do not use the adult renewal form or assume the baby's documents can be added to a parent's passport application.
Confirm your baby's citizenship first
Being born in Australia does not always establish Australian citizenship. Home Affairs explains that a child born in Australia is generally an Australian citizen by birth if either parent was an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time. See its guidance on Australian citizenship by birth, and see our Australian citizenship application guide for the fuller picture.
The passport application must also contain acceptable evidence. The Passport Office citizenship guidance explains when a full Australian birth certificate can be combined with a parent's citizenship records and when evidence from Home Affairs is needed.
Check the parent's status on the baby's birth date. A parent's later citizenship or permanent residence grant does not, by itself, prove the baby acquired citizenship at birth.
Prepare the child passport documents
For a standard newborn application, the child passport checklist includes:
- The baby's full original birth certificate showing parent details.
- Evidence of Australian citizenship.
- Two compliant photographs.
- Documents linking any relevant name changes.
- Relevant court orders and additional forms, where required.
- The completed child application and consent sections.
The lodging parent or guardian also needs appropriate identification. Use the official checklist for your circumstances; a hospital birth record does not replace the required civil birth certificate.
Arrange a suitable guarantor
For a child under one, the person confirming identity must have known the child since birth. They must meet the other eligibility requirements and cannot be a parent, close relative or someone excluded by the rules.
Check the guarantor and witness guidance before asking someone to sign. Overseas guarantor options can differ. Follow the specific child form for the signatures required on the form and photograph.
Complete parental consent correctly
The usual route involves consent from everyone with parental responsibility, with signatures properly witnessed. Separation does not automatically remove the other parent's responsibility.
If full consent cannot be obtained, certain court orders or assessment under special circumstances may provide another route. Approval is not automatic and processing can take longer. Read the parental consent guidance and seek appropriate advice where orders, safety concerns or disagreements are involved.
What if your baby was born overseas?
An overseas-born child with an Australian citizen parent may be eligible for Australian citizenship by descent. Eligibility and approval must be addressed before treating the child as an Australian citizen for passport purposes.
Allow time for the citizenship by descent application, citizenship evidence and the subsequent passport application. These are separate processes with separate requirements and fees.
The foreign birth certificate may need an approved English translation. Check that names and parent details are consistent across records. If the child's status is uncertain, resolve that question before choosing an Australian passport or visa pathway.
Passport photographs for adults and babies
Use the Australian photo specifications, even when photographs are taken overseas. Photos must be less than six months old, correctly sized, clear and unretouched, with suitable lighting and a plain background.
Babies have some flexibility in expression: children under three may have their mouth open. No other person may appear in the photograph. Ask an experienced provider about positioning your baby without a parent's hands or face being visible.
Avoid filters, beauty edits and AI alterations. Check the actual prints before lodging; paying a photographer does not guarantee acceptance.
Frequently asked questions
Can I renew an expired Australian passport?
Yes, if it meets the renewal criteria. Expiry alone does not prevent renewal. Check the issue date, your age when issued, original validity and other requirements.
Can I renew my passport completely online?
The standard Australian process involves completing the form online, printing it and lodging at a participating post office. Overseas applicants should follow their local Australian post's current instructions.
Can I renew my child's passport?
Children use a new child application rather than the simplified adult renewal process. Some overseas posts describe eligible subsequent child applications as "renewals" for postal lodgement purposes; follow their specific requirements.
Does my newborn need to attend lodgement?
For applications lodged at Australia Post, children under 16 do not need to attend, according to its lodgement guidance. The parent or guardian lodges with the required documents. Check local arrangements separately when applying overseas.
Do both parents have to attend the post office?
Attendance and consent are different requirements. One parent or guardian can generally lodge, but the application must address everyone's parental responsibility and obtain the required consent or establish an applicable alternative.
Does a child passport last for ten years?
Children under 16 generally receive a five-year passport. Those aged 16 or 17 may receive a ten-year passport, while still being subject to child application and consent requirements.
Can I travel using my old passport during renewal?
Do not assume it remains usable. Cancellation timing depends on the applicable process. Confirm with the Passport Office or overseas post before travelling, even if the printed expiry date has not passed.
What if my name has changed?
Check the name-change requirements before applying. Supporting documents must link the relevant names. Book travel in the name on the passport you will actually use.
Does renewing my passport change its number?
Yes. Update travel bookings and relevant visa or travel-authorisation records with the new details. Check the issuing authority's instructions before assuming an existing permission transfers automatically.
Can Nanak Migration help with my baby's citizenship?
Contact Nanak Migration to discuss citizenship eligibility, evidence requirements or related visa questions. The Australian Passport Office and overseas posts remain responsible for passport assessment and issue.
Get help with citizenship and family migration questions
For families, the difficult question is sometimes citizenship status or the correct evidence rather than the passport form itself. Clarifying those matters early helps you organise the next steps and plan travel realistically.
Book a consultation with Nanak Migration to discuss your circumstances with a registered migration agent. Have your child's birth details, parents' citizenship or visa records and any relevant correspondence available.
General information only, current at 22 September 2026. Fees, requirements and processing arrangements can change. Obtain advice tailored to your circumstances where needed.