Client Service Charter
This Charter sets out the standard of service you can expect from the staff of the Australian Passport Office within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and our partners, Australia Post and the Australian Passport Information Service. The Charter explains how and where you can get more information if you need it and what you can do if our service to you does not meet the standards outlined in the Charter.
The Charter
This charter was written in consultation with clients, staff and other stakeholders.
The department will regularly check and report on how well the Australian Passport Office and its agents implement the charter. The department will review the charter every three years. Clients, staff and other stakeholders will be invited to contribute to these reviews. We welcome your feedback.
Our Aim
The department and its agents are committed to providing a secure and efficient passport service to Australians.
Our Role
The Australian Passport Office issues passports to Australian citizens, both in Australia and overseas, under the Australian Passports Act 2005 and related laws. In some cases we may issue other types of travel documents.
Our Working Arrangements
The Australian Passport Office has offices in all state and territory capital cities and Newcastle. Applications may be lodged at these offices if travel is imminent, for unforeseen, compassionate reasons or requires the issue of a travel document other than an Australian Passport. You can arrange an appointment by calling 13 12 32.
A range of online services are available from this website. These services include accessing passport application forms and tracking the progress of your application.
Outside Australia, Australian diplomatic or consular missions look after passport services.
The Role of Australia Post
Many Australia Post outlets will accept passport application forms, conduct passport interviews and collect fees. Australia Post provides a high quality, nationwide, passport interview service. As a general rule, applications should be lodged through Australia Post. At Australia Post outlets where you are required to make an appointment for a passport interview, it will be arranged within three working days of your call. To find the nearest Australia Post outlet that will accept a passport application, call Australia Post on 13 13 18 or visit www.auspost.com.au
The role of the Australian Passport Information Service (APIS)
The Australian Passport Information Service (APIS) provides a telephone information service for passport clients seven days a week. The APIS standard of service includes; access for the cost of a local call from anywhere in Australia, telephone calls answered within 90 seconds and provision of clear and accurate information.
When you telephone APIS, trained and experienced staff will answer your questions politely and quickly. You can contact APIS on 13 12 32. Hours of operation are (EST and EDST) 8am to 8pm weekdays and 8:30am to 5pm weekends and most public holidays. APIS is closed on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday.
Interpreting services are available in several languages.
Issuing Passports
Our commitment is to issue a passport within 10 working days of a complete application being received by a passport office, whether in Australia or overseas. Incomplete applications will require additional time.
In Australia, if the application is lodged at an Australia Post outlet, this time frame excludes the time taken to forward the application from the Australia Post outlet to the nearest passport office and for the passport to be sent to you by registered post.
If you are overseas a passport will be available for collection or despatch from the Australian diplomatic or consular mission at which you applied within 10 working days from the date of receiving a complete application.
Wherever you apply, the time taken to issue a passport depends on you providing all the original documentation and information we require at interview. We cannot start processing your passport until you do this.
We will tell you quickly if your application is incomplete or if we need more information. If the law says we cannot issue you with a passport, we will explain the reasons in writing and will inform you about your rights to have the decision reviewed.
In all cases we will handle your application as quickly as we can.
Priority Processing Service
If you are eligible for an Australian travel document and choose the Priority Processing Service, we guarantee that your travel document will be ready for collection or despatch within two working days of all required information being received at a passport office. If we do not reach this service standard you may apply for a refund of the Priority Processing Fee.
Again, the two-day processing period does not include the time taken for the Australia Post outlet to forward your application to the nearest passport office and for the passport to be sent to you by registered mail. It also depends on you providing all the original documentation and information we require.
Outside Australia, the Priority Processing Service is only available in London and Washington.
Our Service Standards
The department aims to serve its clients in a highly professional and business-like way. Our service is judged on the following standards:
- providing a secure and efficient travel document service;
- being helpful and polite at all times;
- making sure that there are appropriate passport services for Australians living in rural, remote and regional areas and for people with disabilities;
- displaying instructions and information about application fees in all passport offices;
- being consistent in the way we apply rules and policies;
- protecting information you give us in accordance with the Australian Passports Act 2005 and privacy laws;
- serving you promptly;
- providing clear and accurate information; and
- understanding what our clients need.
What We Ask of You
We ask that, wherever possible, you apply for your passport well before your proposed travel. We will need you to complete the passport application form and bring original documents that prove who you are and that you are an Australian citizen.
If you have lost your passport or had it stolen in the previous five years, you will be asked to pay a lost or stolen fee in addition to your application fee. When you apply for a new passport, we will ask you to confirm the number of passports you have lost or had stolen in the previous five years. You can verify this on this website or by calling APIS on 131 232 in Australia. The passport interviewer cannot provide this information.
We ask that you provide full and accurate information to enable us to issue your passport within 10 working days. (Note that there are penalties under the Australian Passports Act 2005 for making false or misleading statements.)
Inquiries
Inquires can be directed to APIS on 131 232 or in writing to the address shown below. If you write to the department, we will reply within 14 days of receiving your inquiry. If we cannot answer your question quickly, we will let you know about our progress in finding the answer.
We Value Your Feedback
We work hard to improve our service to you and, where appropriate, to use your ideas and comments to make our service better.
If you have a complaint or comment about our service, telephone APIS on 131 232. Your customer service operator will record your comments and ensure you receive a prompt response.
You can also comment from this website, or by writing to:
The Director
Passport Operations Section
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
R.G. Casey Building
John McEwen Crescent
BARTON ACT 0221
Facsimile: (02) 6261 1038
E-mail: passports.australia@dfat.gov.au
(Download Client Service Charter (pdf 860 Kbytes))