Australia Publishes Requirements Applicants Must Meet to Get its Passport

• The Australian Passport Office published the full requirements for obtaining an Australian passport, covering identity, citizenship, and document submission
• Applicants must lodge applications in person and present original cardinal documents, including birth certificates or citizenship certificates
• The Australian government sets strict identity verification standards that must be met before any passport or travel document is issued

The Australian Passport Office (APO), which operates under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has outlined the requirements that must be met before an Australian passport can be issued in 2026.

The full policy covers everything from how to submit an application to what documents are needed to confirm identity and citizenship.

How to apply for an Australian passport

The APO requires all passport applications to be submitted in an approved form and lodged in person. Below are the key steps and requirements for applying:

1. Applications must be completed in the approved form and accompanied by the applicable fee.

2. Eligible applicants can fill out their application online and print it for in-person submission at a participating Australia Post outlet or at an Australian diplomatic mission or consulate overseas.

3. Hardcopy application forms are available on request from accredited Australia Post outlets in Australia, or from an overseas post.

4. Each Australian state and territory capital city has a Passport Office where urgent applications can be lodged in compelling or compassionate circumstances, by appointment only.

Australian passport: Documents needed to support an application

Applicants must present a range of original documents to confirm their identity and citizenship. The requirements are as follows:

1. A first-time applicant must present their original cardinal document, which is the first official record of their identity, issued by a Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or the Department of Home Affairs.

2. Original copies of any other documents needed to confirm current personal details, including full name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender, must be submitted.

3. Adult applicants applying for the first time must also provide evidence of their identity in the community, through Personal Identity Documents such as a driver's licence or bank card.

4. A referee who has known the applicant for at least 12 months must be provided to confirm the applicant's identity; for child applications, the lodging parent's Personal Identity Documents are required instead.

5. All applicants aged 16 and above must attend lodgement in person, where a lodgement officer will compare their face to their submitted photo.

6. To confirm citizenship, applicants must present original evidence that they are an Australian citizen, since the APO does not determine citizenship itself; this is handled by the Department of Home Affairs.

7. For child applications, written consent from all persons with parental responsibility, or an Australian court order permitting international travel, must be included.

Australia's passport is considered one of the most secure travel documents in the world, a standing the APO attributes to its strict identity verification standards, which meet the highest level of assurance under the Australian Government's National Identity Proofing Guidelines.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Australia published 13 unacceptable names and signatures for its passports.

Those eligible for Australian emergency passports

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia named one category of people eligible for its emergency passport.

According to the official passports website, only Australian citizens who are already outside Australia can apply.

The emergency passport exists specifically for people who face urgent travel needs and cannot wait for a standard passport to be issued through normal processing timelines.