News

This Reconciliation Week we’d like to shine a spotlight on the Indigenous artwork in our passport’s design.

Indigenous art has featured in Australia’s passport since 2009. 

Our latest passport features elements from two renowned Aboriginal artworks. 

The watermark security feature is based on Uta Uta Tjangala’s painting, Yumari (1981). 

Motifs from Michael Nelson Jagamara’s painting, Possum and Wallaby Dreaming (1985), appear throughout the passport.

You can find out more about the Indigenous artworks in Australia’s passport on our website.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is aware of a cyber incident impacting Firstmac. 

Firstmac’s investigation into the cyber incident has found the personal details of a number of their clients were compromised, including Australian passport numbers.    

Firstmac is contacting impacted individuals directly and continues to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the cyber-attack.    

Affected Australian passports are still safe to use for international travel. Your passport number cannot be used to obtain a new passport. Robust controls are used to protect passports from identity takeover, including sophisticated facial-recognition technology.  

See our page on protecting against scams and identity theft for more advice on how to safeguard your personal information.  

You can also seek help from IDCARE, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to Australians on how to respond to identity theft.     

More advice on what you can do to protect yourself and your family from cyber security incidents is available on the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) webpage at: www.cyber.gov.au.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is aware of a cyber incident impacting the Australian energy and internet provider, Sumo.  

Sumo’s investigation into the cyber incident has found the personal details of approximately 40,000 customers were compromised, including approximately 3,000 Australian passport numbers.     

Sumo is contacting impacted individuals directly and continues to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the cyber-attack.    

Affected passports are still safe to use for international travel. Your passport number cannot be used to obtain a new passport. Robust controls are used to protect passports from identity takeover, including sophisticated facial-recognition technology.   

See our page on protecting against scams and identity theft for more advice on how to safeguard your personal information.   

You can also seek help from IDCARE, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to Australians on how to respond to identity theft.     

More advice on what you can do to protect yourself and your family from cyber security incidents is available on the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) webpage at: www.cyber.gov.au.  

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is aware of a cyber incident impacting Aussizz Group. 

Aussizz Group’s investigation into the cyber incident has found the personal details of a number of their clients were compromised, including copies of Australian and foreign passports.    

Aussizz Group is contacting impacted individuals directly and continues to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the cyber-attack.    

Affected Australian passports are still safe to use for international travel. Your passport number cannot be used to obtain a new passport. Robust controls are used to protect passports from identity takeover, including sophisticated facial-recognition technology.  

See our page on protecting against scams and identity theft for more advice on how to safeguard your personal information.  

You can also seek help from IDCARE, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to Australians on how to respond to identity theft.     

More advice on what you can do to protect yourself and your family from cyber security incidents is available on the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) webpage at: www.cyber.gov.au.  

If you’re a foreign passport holder whose personal details have been compromised, you should contact the government that issued your passport for further advice what to do.  Please refer to DFAT’s list of foreign government representatives based in Australia.  

As announced in the Federal Budget last night (14 May), eligible Australian-based customers will have access to a new expedited passport service called ‘Fast Track (5-day processing)’ from 1 July 2024. 

The service will guarantee your passport application is processed within 5 business days of a complete passport application being received by us. It will cost an extra $100 on top of the regular passport application fee.  

This service will be offered alongside our existing ‘Priority (2-day processing)’ service, which guarantees passport processing within 2 business days.  

People should continue to allow at least 6 weeks to get their passport. If you need a passport quicker, you will have more options for expedited service from 1 July 2024.