News

If you’ve recently applied for a passport, you’ll be getting the new R Series passport.

This new passport is a little different to previous Australian passports. When you first open your passport, you will now see a polycarbonate photo page. This is a tough, high-security, layered plastic.

Be careful to not bend the passport too far back or you could damage the stitching that holds the passport together.

As you flip through the pages, you’ll notice the visa pages feature iconic Australian landmarks. Under ultraviolet light, the sky in each image becomes a unique nightscape, and a local species of native fauna appears.

There are many features of the R Series passport you can read online. You can also watch a video to learn more.  

There have been some recent news stories reporting Australians will soon be able to lodge their passport applications online with myGov.

The myGov user Audit report highlighted using myGov for a broader range of online services, including processing Australian passport applications.

However, the approach and timeframe for a future move to online passport renewals hasn’t been determined yet. There is currently no option to lodge passport applications via myGov.

So, if you need to renew your passport soon, the best way to do this is to start your application online via our AusPassport portal. Then print off your ‘Passport application checklist’ and lodge it at your nearest participating Australia Post outlet, together with two passport photos and any other supporting documents.

Since 1 July 2022, over 2.7 million Australians have gotten passports.

That’s already an all-time record, with still just under two months yet to go this financial year!

This figure outstrips our previous financial year record of 2.1 million passports, set in 2018-19.

It reflects the strong passport demand we have seen in recent months, which is expected to continue for the remainder of 2023.

The good news is passport processing times are back to what they were before COVID-19, despite the high ongoing demand.  

But processing times are expected to fluctuate during the year, particularly in the lead up to peak travel times.   

That’s why you should plan well ahead and allow at least six weeks to apply for or renew your passport if you’re looking to travel this year.

For more advice, or to start your application online, go to: www.passports.gov.au.

You may have heard some people are getting their new passports quickly. Some within just a few days of lodging their application.

So, if wait times have dropped, why should you still allow at least six weeks?

There are a few good reasons.

First, demand for passports is at an all-time high. Last year, 2.6 million Australians got a passport. That’s nearly half a million more than our previous record.

There's also still over two million Australians who’ve put off getting a new passport since COVID. These people are likely to apply in future, on top of normal demand.

This means passport application numbers and wait times may fluctuate a lot this year, particularly ahead of peak travel times.

Second, while most passport applications are currently processed well within six weeks, some do take longer. This includes first-time adult and child passports.

So, our advice is to give yourself at least six weeks to get a passport.

Smartraveller, the government’s official travel and cultural advice service for Australian travellers, today released its latest advertising campaign.

With more than 1 million monthly departures from Australia, the Smartraveller campaign aims to help all Australians travelling overseas to be as prepared as possible by visiting the website and subscribing to updates.

From passports, visas and travel insurance, through to detailed travel and cultural advice on over 175 destinations, Smartraveller has the information Australians need to plan their overseas trip and make informed choices throughout their journey. Even if you’ve travelled before or travel overseas regularly, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest information.

Travel and cultural advice is also available in seven languages, including Indonesian, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Thai and Vietnamese.

The message is simple – if you’re planning to travel, make Smartraveller your first destination.

Go to Smartraveller.gov.au, read and act on the travel advice, subscribe for updates, and follow Smartraveller on social media.

Safe travels!