Ruqayyah Snyder
Applying for a child passport in Australia involves a few key steps. Firstly, you'll need to fill out an 'Application for an Australian Passport - Child' form, which can be done online or by collecting a blank form from an Australia Post outlet. Consent from everyone with parental responsibility is required, and this must be signed in front of a witness. If the child is 16 or 17 years old, they must be present when lodging the application, and their current passport will be cancelled during the assessment process. You'll also need to provide supporting documents, such as birth certificates, name change documentation, and passport photos. Once the application is lodged, you'll need to pay the passport fee, and you can expect to receive the passport within 6 weeks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Application form | 'Application for an Australian Passport - Child' form. The form is purple. |
| Consent | Required for a child passport. Everyone who's giving consent must sign section 15 of the form in front of a witness. |
| Child's presence | Children aged 16 or 17 have to be present when lodging the application. Children aged 15 and under don't need to be present. |
| Application lodgement | Can be done at a participating Australia Post outlet or online. |
| Application fee | Payable at a participating Australia Post outlet. |
| Passport photos | Two compliant photos are required, one endorsed by the guarantor, less than six months old. |
| Payment methods | Cash, MasterCard, Visa, AMEX, or EFTPOS. |
| Processing time | Minimum of 6 weeks to receive the child's passport after lodging the application. |
| Passport validity | Not mentioned. |
| Supporting documents | Birth certificate, name change documentation, marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order, citizenship certificate, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Who can lodge the application
A child passport application in Australia is generally lodged by a person with parental responsibility for the child. This can be either of the child's parents or someone with parental responsibility. If the child is aged 16 or 17, they must accompany the lodging adult to the Post Office. If the child lives independently, they can lodge the application themselves.
If the person lodging the application does not have parental responsibility but does have caring responsibilities, they can still lodge the application if no one with parental responsibility consents to the child having a passport, or if no one has parental responsibility for the child. In this case, the parent must provide written authorisation for the other adult to lodge the application on their behalf.
When lodging the application, the adult must present valid government-issued photo ID and proof of their address. They must also bring the completed application form, the child's passport photos, and the original documents requested on the form. This may include the child's birth certificate, the parent's Australian passport (if it was valid at the time of the child's birth), an Australian citizenship certificate for the child, and any relevant court orders or name change documentation.
It is important to note that everyone giving consent must sign the relevant sections of the form in front of a witness who is not related to the family. If the child is 10 years or older and is applying in Australia, they must also sign the form. The processing time for a child passport application is a minimum of 6 weeks, and the applicant will be notified via email or SMS when it is ready.
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Required documents
To apply for a child passport in Australia, you will need to provide a range of documents to support your application. Here is a detailed list of the required documents:
Application Form:
You will need to complete the 'Application for an Australian Passport - Child' form. This form is purple and can be obtained online or from a participating Australia Post outlet. The form requires various sections to be completed and signed by the relevant parties.
Consent and Parental Responsibility:
Everyone giving consent must sign Section 15 of the form in front of a witness who is not related to the family. If the parents are separated or divorced, both parents' signatures are typically required. If one parent cannot be reached or refuses to consent, you may need to provide additional documentation or information. Children aged 10 and over must sign Section 16 if applying in Australia.
Identification and Name Change Documentation:
One parent must provide a valid Australian passport that was valid at the time of the child's birth or an Australian citizenship certificate for the child. If the parent's name has changed since the child's birth, provide a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order to explain the name change. If the child's name is changing, provide an approved name change document.
Passport Photos:
You will need to provide two compliant passport photos that meet the required standards and are less than six months old. One photo should be endorsed by the guarantor, who must write on the back, "This is a true photo of [child's full name]," and sign it.
Proof of Address and ID for Lodging Parent:
The lodging parent, who has parental responsibility, must provide proof of their address, preferably a US address unless they are passing through as a tourist. They must also present one piece of valid government-issued photo ID.
Payment:
You will need to pay the passport application fee, which can be made via cash, MasterCard, Visa, AMEX, or EFTPOS at a participating Australia Post outlet. Some offices also accept Visa or MasterCard.
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Consent and signatures
Consent is required from everyone who has parental responsibility for the child. If consent is not obtained from all parties, you may need to provide supplementary information. If you are unable to obtain consent from anyone with parental responsibility, a person with caring responsibilities can lodge the application.
The child's parent or someone with parental responsibility can lodge the application. If the child is aged 16 or 17, they must come to the Post Office too. If the child is located a long distance away and cannot come to lodge the application, you can provide written authorisation for another adult to lodge the application on your behalf.
The application form for a child passport in Australia is purple. Everyone giving consent must sign Section 15 of the form in front of a witness. If they are in different parts of the world, follow the instructions provided by the Australian Passport Office. If the child is aged 10 or over, they must sign Section 16 of the form if applying in Australia.
The guarantor must sign one of the passport photos, writing on the back, "This is a true photo of [the child's full name]". The guarantor must not be related to the family by birth or marriage.
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Passport photos
The Australian Passport Office recommends getting your child's passport photo taken by a professional passport photo provider, such as a post office, pharmacy, or camera store. These providers can ensure that the photos meet the required specifications and can attach them to the form when you lodge it.
The photos must be two identical, good-quality colour prints, less than six months old, and produced using dye sublimation, not from an inkjet printer. No retouching of any kind is allowed, including the removal of backgrounds, moles, wrinkles, or scars. The lighting should be uniform, with no shadows or reflections, and the brightness and contrast should be appropriate to show the child's natural skin tone. The face should be centred and looking straight at the camera, not tilted in any direction.
The photos should be 35mm to 40mm wide and 45mm to 50mm high. The size of the face from chin to crown can be a maximum of 36mm and a minimum of 32mm. If your child usually covers their head for religious reasons, they can wear the covering in the photo, as long as it is plain and does not cover any part of their face, except the area from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead. Jewellery should not obscure any part of the face, especially the eyes, mouth, and nose, and there should be no reflections from rings or studs.
Glasses are not allowed in passport photos. If your child cannot remove their glasses for medical reasons, the frames must not obscure their eyes, and there should be no reflection from the lenses. Note that vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason to wear glasses in a passport photo.
One of the photos must be endorsed by the guarantor, who must write "This is a true photo of [the child's full name]" and sign the back of the photo in black pen. The guarantor must be an adult Australian citizen who has known the child for at least one year (or since birth if the child is under one year old). They cannot be related to the child or the child's family by birth or marriage and must not live at the same address as the child.
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Processing time
The Australian Passport Office advises that you should allow a minimum of 6 weeks to receive your child's passport after lodging the application. If you need your passport quicker, you can pay an additional fee for one of the faster processing services to ensure your passport is ready on time.
If you lodge your application and pay the additional faster processing fee at a selected Australia Post Passport RAPID location, you will receive your documents even quicker. Applications lodged at one of these locations before 12:00 pm on any business day will be received for processing on the same day. If you lodge your application after 12:00 pm or on a weekend, they will receive it the next business day.
The Priority (2-day processing) service costs $300 in addition to the standard passport fee. They will process your application within 2 business days from when they receive a completed application, including all required supporting documentation. You can also choose to collect your passport from your nearest passport office instead of waiting for postage.
If you are applying from overseas, you will be contacted once your application has been received at the High Commission. You can either collect your new passport in person directly from the office or organise a courier pick-up service.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need to fill out an "Application for an Australian Passport - Child" form, which can be found online or at a participating Australia Post outlet. The form is purple. You will also need consent from everyone with parental responsibility, which must be signed in front of a witness. If the child is 16 or 17, they must come with you to lodge the application. You will also need to provide the child's passport photos and the original documents requested on the application form.
The guarantor must be eligible and not related to the applicant or their family by birth or marriage. They must write on the back of one photo, "This is a true photo of [child's full name]", and sign underneath. The guarantor's date must be in Australian date format (DD/MM/YYYY) and within six months of the interview date.
It takes a minimum of six weeks to receive a child's passport after lodging the application. You will be notified by email or SMS when the passport is ready.
