Passports overseas

When you're overseas, Australian embassies and consulates are the key point of contact for Australian passport services. This includes services if your passport lost, stolen, damaged, faulty or expired.

Explore this page to learn

Your passport is an important document. It's the best evidence of who you are when overseas.

If you have a passport problem while you're away, you need to act quickly. Contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate, or phone the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305.

This page is for Australians travelling or living overseas. If you're in Australia, contact the Australian Passport Office.

What to do if you have passport problems overseas

If your passport is lost or stolen

If your passport is lost or stolen, you must tell the Australian Government as soon as possible.

  • Contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate, or phone the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305.
  • Report it to the local police. Always get a copy of the police report.
  • Tell your travel insurer. Your travel insurance policy may cover the costs of getting a replacement passport.

If you are overseas and can't wait for a replacement passport, you may be able to apply for an emergency passport.

If your passport is damaged

If you're overseas and your passport is damaged you'll need a new one promptly.

Local authorities may not recognise your damaged passport. You could be arrested or jailed for being in their country without travel documents.

Authorities at the border may not let you leave if your passport looks damaged. This could include rips, marks, bends or water damage.

If your passport is faulty

If your passport is faulty, it means the chip isn't working. You'll need to get a replacement while you're away.

Like with bank cards, a common cause is excessive heat. This can happen if you leave your passport in a pocket and accidentally put it through a washing machine. Another cause is physical damage to the chip, often from impact or accidentally bending it.

All Australian passports are ePassports and contain a chip. If the chip doesn't work, border agents can't use their devices to read your passport and identify you. SmartGates won't recognise your passport either.

How to get a replacement passport overseas

Application process

Before you travel, make copies or scan of the bio page of your passport. This will make the process to replace a passport easier.

To apply for a replacement passport, you must:

  • get the details of your old passport including the passport number and expiry date
  • complete an overseas passport application form and give details of the lost or stolen passport
  • contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate and make an appointment

Interview process

To complete the application process, you must visit the nearest Australian embassy or consulate.

You will need two identical photos that meet the passport photograph guidelines.

You may need to pay an application fee.

See the Australian embassy or consulate website for fees and how you can pay them.

If there is no Australian embassy or consulate in the country you are in, you will need to contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate for advice.

Timing for replacement passports

The time it takes to apply for and get a replacement passport delivered from Australia can vary.

You'll need to organise new visas if you are staying in that country or for any other countries you plan to visit.

Getting an emergency passport

You may be able to get an emergency passport. Contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate for advice.

Emergency passports:

  • are normally valid for 7 months
  • have 12 pages
  • don't have a chip (not an ePassport)
  • are normally produced within 2 business days

Some countries don't allow travellers to enter on emergency passports. Because emergency passports don’t have a chip, some countries that Australians can normally enter visa-free will require you to get a visa. An embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting may need to place the visa physically onto a visa page in your passport.

Ask the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting if they accept emergency passports and whether you need a visa.

Consular services and passports

Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

What we can't do

We can't give consular help to dual nationals who aren't travelling on an Australian passport in some countries. Consider which passport you travel on.

If you need an Australian passport, visit the Australian Passport Office.

What we can do

We can help you if your passport is lost or stolen while you're overseas.

We can issue a replacement passport or provisional travel documents to help you get back to Australia.

If you need help overseas, call your nearest Australian embassy or consulate, or call our 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre:

  • +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
  • +61 421 269 080 (SMS) from anywhere in the world

If you're an Australian living overseas, we can process passport renewal applications. Contact your nearest Australian embassy or consulate.

Read more

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