News

Due to a technical issue, yesterday (Wednesday 21 February) some customers received duplicate copies of email and SMS notifications from the Australian Passport Office.

While this appears to be an isolated issue, we’re investigating to ensure it doesn’t occur again.

We apologise for any confusion this may have caused.

It’s not always easy to spot a scam. Scams are becoming more sophisticated, and scammers are constantly finding new ways to trick people.

Your passport has personal information that makes it a target for scams and identity theft. You can protect your passport by:

• keeping it in a safe and secure place
• not sharing your passport details online
• only disclosing your passport information to trusted organisations with a legitimate need for it.

The best way to avoid a scam is:

• Stop – don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure.
• Think – ask yourself if the message or call may be fake
• Protect – act quickly if something feels wrong.

Find out more about protecting against scams and identity theft on our website.

You might think we’re a little fussy when it comes to passport photos. That’s because we want you to enjoy your holiday!

Passport photos need to meet strict international standards. If we ask you to provide new photos, it’s because the ones you gave us don’t meet these standards. You may have trouble crossing borders if your passport is issued with a sub-standard photo.

Find out more about the photo requirements on our website.

Did you know that the R series passport is packed with iconic Australian landmarks, Indigenous art and native fauna?

Flick through the visa pages to go on a visual journey around Australia. These images of 17 beloved Australian landscapes double as a security feature. Under ultraviolet (UV) light, each image turns into a nightscape and a hidden species of native fauna appears.

Flip open to the middle page to see how Indigenous culture is represented in the passport’s design. The charcoal, ochre and white colours of the centre stitching are drawn from Indigenous artwork. The thread changes colour under UV light to the red, yellow and black of the Aboriginal flag.

Next time you go overseas, you’ll be taking a pocket-sized piece of Australian culture with you!

To find out more about other design and security features, see Australia’s passport.

Your passport is your most important identity document. Treat it with care and keep it free from damage. You can do this by:

• knowing where it is at all times
• storing it in a dry and secure place
• not altering it in any way
• handling it with care (don’t bend the cover back or you could damage the stitching).

Even minor damage or alterations can void your passport and stop you from travelling. It’s important that there’s no:

• altered or missing pages
• tears or cuts
• marks, stains or discolouration
• souvenir stamps, written marks or lines.

Find out more about using and protecting your passport and damaged and faulty passports on our website.