Child Passport Renewal in Australia

The Government of Australia has foreseen the option of online passport renewal for citizens whose travel documents have expired. The renewal procedure takes less time to process than a first-time passport application and can be completed entirely online. However, the renewal option is only available to adult applicants aged 18+. 

What to do if you want to obtain a new passport for a minor? Have a look at our guide and find out how to apply for a new passport for your child.

Renewal of child’s passport in Australia: the process

The passport renewal option is available only to adult applicants. Under Australian law, an adult is any person aged 18 (eighteen) or older. For this reason, if you wish to renew your child’s passport, you have to apply for a new passport, using the first-time application procedure. 

Below you can find a list of 5 (five) steps to apply for a minor’s passport.

Step 1: collect necessary documents and passport photos

The first step is to gather the essential documents for the child’s passport. If you have already applied for a child passport in the past, you will be required to lodge the same documents as during the first-time application. The documents must be in the child’s name.

Documents needed for a child passport application:

• birth certificate;
• certificate of citizenship (previous passport, citizenship certificate);
• if applicable: name change certificate;
• supplementary forms to establish parental custody, e.g., a child born overseas, a child born through surrogacy;
• 2 (two) kids passport photo (35-40mm x 45-50mm).

Step 2: appoint a guarantor

Once you have the essential documents gathered, you need to find a guarantor—a person who is not related to you or your child and can certify the legitimacy of the passport application. 

The person appointed to be a guarantor must be an Australian citizen and must have known the child for at least 1 (one) year prior to the application. If you’re applying for a baby that is younger than 1 (one) year old, you can select an individual who has known the child from their birth. 

The guarantor is obliged to certify the authenticity of your child’s passport photos (by signing the reverse side) and sign section 11 (eleven) of the passport application form.

Step 3: complete the passport application form

You can obtain the passport application form (“Application for an Australian Passport – Child”) in 2 (two) ways:

1. Online, logging into the AusPassport system (using your account). Once you complete the form, you must then print it out.
2. Offline, collecting blank application papers from a participating Australia Post facility. 

You must fill in the passport application form in your child’s name. 

What is more, the application must include consent from everyone who has parental custody over the child. If signatures from both parents are not possible, e.g., due to death, then supporting documents, such as a death certificate, must be included. 

Children aged 10 (ten) or older must submit their signature within section 16 (sixteen). For babies aged younger than 10 (ten), the signature is optional. 

Passport nearing its expiry date? Get ahead of the game and up to speed by reading:

Step 4: submit the passport application papers

Whether you acquired the application form online or offline, you must submit the passport application papers to an Australian Post outlet that participates in the governmental passport program. 

Locate your nearest Australia Post facility using this search tool.

Walk-ins are allowed, but you can also make an appointment beforehand by contacting the Australian Post outlet you wish to lodge the passport application in. 

What you need to bring with you to submit your child’s passport application papers successfully:

• filled in and printed application form;
• all essential documents and 2 (two) passport photos;
• your photo ID, e.g., driver’s licence.

If your child is aged 16 (sixteen) or 17 (seventeen), they must be present with you at the time of submitting the passport application papers. 

You can pay the corresponding fees when submitting your child’s passport application at the Australian Post office.

Child’s passport renewal in Australia: cost

The cost of a new Australian passport for a minor depends on the validity of the passport. The Australian government has foreseen 2 (two) passport categories for children:

1. If your child is aged 16 (sixteen) or older: a 10 (ten) year validity; $308 passport fee.
2. If your child is aged under 16 (sixteen): a 5 (five) year validity; $155 passport fee.

All passport fees are in Australian dollars.

Passport renewal for a child in Australia: processing times

The standard processing time for a child’s passport is approximately 6 (six) weeks, but the waiting time can get extended due to various circumstances, such as a high number of applicants, national emergencies, etc. 

If you need your child’s passport faster than 6 (six) weeks, you can apply through the expedited procedure. For an extra fee ($225), the processing time will be shortened to 2 (two) business days, counting from the moment when all the documents arrive from Australia Post. If you are in an extra hurry and want to make sure the application papers arrive as quickly as possible, you can ask for a RAPID service at the Australia Post.

The expedited procedure for a minor’s passport is only available for applications with full parental consent.

Australian baby passport photo at home

A key requirement for an Australian passport is a set of 2 (two) properly taken passport photos. Some people decide to visit a photo studio, but it may be a bit of a hassle to take a good-looking photograph of a child there. The unknown environment, surrounding lamps, and the necessity to pose in an unnatural position may be stressful for your child.

Passport Photo Online is an AI-backed online passport photo generator that transforms your homemade images into impeccable passport photos.

The procedure is as simple as ABC, and you can do it from your own home, as it only requires you to upload a photograph showing your baby’s face into the program. Passport Photo Online then scans the image to replace the background with a plain white one, crops the picture to an adequate size, and checks its validity with Australian passport photo standards—all of that in just 3 (three) seconds. 

The app can also remove minor imperfections, such as hairpins, shadows or toys visible within the frame. Passport Photo Online makes taking a baby passport photo a walk in the park—quite literally, as you just have to snap a photo of your child’s face, even during a walk in the park. 

LEARN MORE:

• See what to do about (and prevent) rejected infant passport photo

Child’s passport renewal in Australia: FAQ

Below you can find answers to frequently asked questions about passport renewal for minors in Australia.

Passport renewal for a child in Australia: closing thoughts

The typical passport renewal procedure, which can be completed online, is not available for minor applicants. For this reason, if you wish to apply for a new passport for your child, you must do so using a first-time passport application form. 

For a new child’s passport, you must collect the necessary documents, 2 (two) passport size photographs, appoint a guarantor, and fill in the correct application form. Then, you must submit those documents to your local participating Australia Post facility.

Between all the things you need to take care of while preparing for a passport application, consider using Passport Photo Online to save yourself time and effort on taking passport photos—get a set of passport pictures in less than a minute with just 1 (one) camera click.  

Sources

• [1] https://www.passports.gov.au/getting-passport-how-it-works/
• [2] https://www.passports.gov.au/getting-passport-how-it-works/

Adam Grucela

Adam is an SEO & Digital PR writer with a child’s curiosity about the surrounding world. His superpower to dig out juicy facts got him citations in Forbes, Social Media Today, and 90+ other news outlets. Adam enjoys snapping pictures and won the national Huawei Next Image Award.