Children's Passport in Australia

An Australian citizen under 18 years of age who has never married is regarded as a child. A passport application for a child must be lodged by a parent or other person with a caring responsibility for the child. Children cannot be included in an adult's passport. Each child, including a newborn infant, must be issued with their own passport.

A renewal form cannot be used to apply for a child's passport. A new application must be lodged on each occasion. If you are lodging an application for a child overseas, you should complete the Overseas application form. Children's passports are normally valid for 5 years.

• Consent

  Before a passport may be issued to a child the written consent of all persons with a caring reponsibility for the child is needed. In most cases these are the child's natural parents. In addition, however, the Passports Act 1938, Section 7A permits a passport to be issued to a child in certain circumstances where full consent has not been obtained. See Parental Consent or download the brochure Children's Passports - the Need for Consent (pdf).

  If you wish to make an application to the Approved Senior Officer for a waiver of consent you will be required to complete a statement declaring that special circumstances exist and provide particulars of those circumstances. In most cases the form B9/B10 must be completed. However, in cases where the father is not named on the child's birth certificate, the form B8 has to be completed. (Download Form B9/B10 and Form B8).

• Documentation

  The following basic documents must be provided at the interview. Additional documentation may be required.

  1. An application form completed in black ink.

  2. The child's full original Australian (or foreign) birth certificate showing the names of the child's parents and the child's full name at birth. Birth extracts and commemorative certificates are not acceptable.

  3. For children born after 20 August 1986, one of the following documents which confirms the child's Australian citizenship. The document must have been issued after 20 August 1986, before the child was born, and be valid for 2 years. This document confirms that one parent was either an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia at the time of the child's birth:
     • one parent's Australian birth certificate
     • one parent's Australian passport (issued after 20 August 1986 and valid for two years)
     • one parent's Australian citizenship certificate
     • one parent's Australian permanent resident status

  4. The child's previous Australian passport (if any).

  5. The child's Australian citizenship certificate (if any)

  6. Documents that explain any changes of name from the name on the child's birth certificate. (eg change of name certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages.

  7. Evidence of death (eg Death Certificate) of any person who formerly had a caring responsibility for the child.

  8. Any court orders affecting parental responsibility for the child. Foreign court orders have no legal standing in Australia unless registered by the Family Law Court in Australia but they should be submitted as supporting documentation to clarify the circumstances.

  9. Two recent identical colour photographs, one endorsed on the back, in black ink, by the Guarantor who completed Section 12 of the application form.

  10. The passport fee.