How To Renew a U.S. Passport in Australia

Between 200,000 and 300,000 United States citizens call Australia their home. Many Americans also travel to Australia for both business and leisure every year. Whether you’re staying in Australia temporarily or permanently, you might find yourself in a situation that calls for a passport renewal, and may be wondering how to renew a U.S. passport in Australia. If so, don’t leave just yet and let us bring closer all the passport renewal steps for you.

Renewing a U.S. passport in Australia by mail

Not all embassies or consulates allow passport applicants to renew their passports via mail, but luckily Australia is one of those countries where you can send your passport renewal application form by post if you qualify. In order to qualify for a U.S. passport renewal via mail in Australia, you must be able to confirm that all of the following statements are true:

• you have your most recent passport to submit with the application form;
• your most recent passport was issued when you were at least 16 years old;
• your most recent passport was issued no more than 15 years ago.

If all of the above statements match your passport situation, you can complete Form DS-82 and mail it to the U.S. Consulate in Perth (more on this process below). Remember that you can also apply for a passport renewal for an expired passport, as long as it hasn’t been expired for more than 5 (five) years.

Damaged U.S. passport

In cases of damaged U.S.passports, the consulate may accept your application via mail, however, all of your personal details must still be legible on your old passport. If your passport is significantly damaged or your face in the picture is indiscernible, you will need to take other steps to replace your damaged passport. You will also be required to include a signed statement explaining why your passport is damaged.

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

Preparing form DS-82

The Application Form for a Passport Renewal, or Form DS-82, is the application you will be submitting to the Consulate General in Perth.

To get your new passport, make sure to carefully follow the steps below:

• fill in your DS-82 application form*
• prepare your most recent passport to submit with your passport application – you must also provide a photocopy of the biographic data page;
• provide 1 (one) 2 x 2 inch passport photo (it is not the same as an Australian passport photo);
• submit legal name change or other personal data change documentation (if applicable);
• pay the application fee and include the confirmation in your application package (more on that below).

*NOTE: Make sure you fill in the application form thoroughly, providing your Social Security number and all other detailed information, as incomplete passport applications won’t be reviewed and the entire process may be in vain.

Passport renewal fees

The current passport renewal application fees are as follows:

• passport book – 130 USD/182 AUD*
• passport card – 30 USD/42 AUD*

Fees for passport renewal applications can be paid:

• online via the U.S. government site (print out the payment confirmation sent to you via email to include it in the passport application package);
• by money order from Australia Post or bank check (no personal or business checks) payable to the U.S. Consulate General or the U.S. Department of State.

You can’t write any additional information on the face of the check, because your payment won’t be processed.

NOTE: All payments must be made in Australian currency.

Mailing your passport renewal application package

Passport renewal applications along with all the supporting documents must be sent via Australia Post (you can’t submit the application form online). You must also include a self-addressed prepaid satchel (Express Post) with your passport application so that your old and new passport can be returned to you. Make sure you provide an Express Post satchel from Australia Post because no other envelopes will be accepted by the passport office. It’s recommended to take a picture of the tracking number on the satchel to keep for your records.

The complete package must be mailed to:

U.S. Consulate General

American Citizens Services (ACS)

Shop 1, Ground Floor

16 St. Georges Terrace

Perth, WA  6000

Keep in mind that the U.S. Consulates in Melbourne or Sydney don’t provide passport services for renewals and all passport applications must be sent to the U.S. Consulate in Perth.

Renewing a U.S. passport in Australia – personal appearance at the Consulate General

In some cases, you may not qualify for a passport renewal and may have to submit a new passport application – the DS-11*, or the Application for a U.S. passport.

You will have to apply for a new passport if:

• your previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago;
• your previous passport was issued when you were under 16 years old;
• you are a first-time applicant;
• you are under the age of 16.

Again, you will be required to provide:

• proof of citizenship
• proof of identity
• a passport photo
• the application fee**
• a self-addressed envelope (Express Post)

All new passport applications are by appointment only; you can schedule your appointment online at one of the consulates in Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth.

*NOTE: You must sign the application in front of one of the U.S. Consulates General Consular Officers.

**Current new passport application fees are 165 USD/231 AUD for a passport book (16 and older); 135 USD/189 AUD for a passport book (under 16); 30 USD/42 AUD for a passport card (16 and older); 15 USD/21 AUD for a passport card (under 16).

Passport renewal processing times

In general, the processing time for passport books is 28 business days and 4 (four) to 6 (six) weeks for passport cards. Passport applications cannot be expedited with overseas passport services, but if you require emergency assistance and urgently need to travel overseas, you should check out how to apply for an emergency passport for further information.

Get your passport photos

Regardless of the passport application you submit, passport photos are a must, and getting them without leaving your house is a true convenience. 

Passport Photo Online comes as an iOS and Android application and a website that lets you take and verify document pictures without having to step out of your house. What distinguishes this photo app is the very thorough verification process – first by a built-in AI system, and then by a human expert to leave no room for errors. The application adjusts the photos to the government standards, and runs a verification check at the end to make sure your picture is suitable to be used in a passport application.

You can get a digital copy of your professional and verified image for $6.95 and digital copies plus printouts sent to your address for just $9.95 – that’s 30% cheaper when compared to most passport photo services. And Passport Photo Online offers its customers a double refund in case their pictures are not accepted by the passport office!

How to renew a U.S. passport in Australia: FAQ

Here you will find helpful answers related to the topic of renewing your U.S. passport in Australia

Final thoughts

With 163 U.S. Embassies and 93 U.S. Consulates across the world, the U.S. passport can be renewed almost anywhere you go. In Australia, U.S. passports can be renewed via mail, so if you gather all your documents and carefully fill in the application, you will be able to obtain your new passport without visiting the Consulate.

Sources

• [1] https://au.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/renewal/

Magdalena Ostropolska

Magda is an art & travel expert who is passionate about all things late-Victorian, history, languages, casa museos, Spain, and food illustration. She is a specialist in the field of biometric photography. Magda also loves reading, creative writing, and hanging out with her three cats.