Australian passport requirements

Message to Australians in Mexico, Central America, Cuba and the Dominican Republic regarding Australian Passport services during COVID-19

In response to the Corona Virus (COVID-19), including measures put in place by local authorities, changes have been made to our services.  These changes are intended to protect you (our clients), our staff and the wider community.  At this time we are not offering in-person passport interviews and will only take applications via courier.

If you require a passport, please read the information on this page carefully and contact the Embassy on [email protected] to discuss your situation and for further advice.  For emergency assistance, please contact DFAT’s Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305 or SMS on +61 421 269 080

At this time:

• Contact us via email ([email protected]) to discuss your circumstances and the requirements specific to your passport application.  If you do not plan to travel and/or do not need a passport right now, you should consider waiting.
• Depending on your personal circumstance, you may be issued a passport with limited validity or an emergency passport.  The maximum period a passport will be issued for without a face to face interview is 12 months.
• We will only accept passport applications for renewals, replacements and new applications by courier mail. In your 'pack', you must provide:

• A signed and completed passport application form (you will need to create an account on passports.gov.au to complete the form, please print the completed form in "letter" (A4) size).
• Two passport photos. You can take your own photo, but please note our photos requirements.
•  A photocopy of your last passport - DO NOT MAIL US YOUR PASSPORT as you may require this for residential or urgent travel purposes.
•  A B11 general declaration form explaining why you need a passport at this time and acknowledgement that you are recieivng a 12 month limited validity passport.
• Depending on your application, you may also need to provide evidence of Australian citizenship, a birth certificate, and meet child consent requirements.
• A completed credit card authorisation form - see our fees below.  At this time, no Overseas Surcharge Fee will be applied as in person interviews are not being conducted. 

Incomplete applications may delay the issue of your passport

• The situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve.  Please regularly monitor this website and smartraveller for details.

Frequently asked passport questions during COVID-19 

Do I need to apply if I'm not planning to travel?

• No.  If you do not plan to travel and/or do not need a passport right now, you should consider waiting until the COVID-19 situation stabilises before applying for your passport. 

What happens if my passport expires during this time?

• There is no penalty for letting your passport expire but you should consider the requirements to maintain legal residency in your location.  Renewing a passport is a personal choice, but you will not be able to leave your current location without a valid passport.  If you do plan to travel or need a passport for another reason, we encourage you to to apply now.

What if I need to travel unexpectedly due to an emergency?

• Please get in contact with us ([email protected]) to discuss your situation.

Will I lose Australian citizenship if my passport expires?

• No.  The status of your passport has no effect on your Australian citizenship.

Will I have to complete a longer application form if my passport expires?

• It depends.  Adults may have to complete a longer form if they wait longer than 3 years to renew their passport after it expires.  See passports.gov.au for more information

Do I need six months validity on my passport to travel?

• It depends. You should consult local authorities to understand the entry/exit requirements or review the relevant country travel advice on smartraveller.gov.au.

Can I apply for a full 5 or 10 year passport by mail?

• No.

Passports application Process

1. Fill out your application online at passports.gov.au. (You will need to create an account on passports.gov.au to complete the form, please print the completed form in "letter" (A4) size).
2. Sign and date your form as per the instructions.
3. Obtain two passport photos. You can take your own photo, but please note our photo requirements.
4. Gather your documentation and prepare for your interview.  Depending on your application, you may also need to provide translations of foreign documents, obtain a guarantor, and meet child consent requirements.
5. Lodge your application in person at the Embassy or Honorary Consulate.
6. Allow up to 3 weeks to receive your new passport.  Priority processing is not available.

Personal Interview Requirement

From 1 July 2015, all Australian overseas passport applications require a personal interview at an Australian overseas mission. The Passports office at the Embassy of Australia in Mexico City does not book appointments you are welcome to come in Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, and 2:30 to 4:30 pm.

The Australian Honorary Consulates in the region work on an appointment basis. Please contact them by email to arrange an appointment. 

Applicants in Cuba and Dominican Republic, where Australia has no mission, will be required to present for interview at their nearest or most convenient Australian mission. Minors under 16 years of age are not required to present at the interview, one person with paternal responsibility for the child must however present for an interview.

Overseas Surcharge

From 1 July 2015, passport applications lodged overseas will incur an additional fee (overseas surcharge). The fee will not apply to emergency passport applications.

Translations

All supporting documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a sworn translation.  This includes documents such as foreign birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, name change certificates and court orders.  Please note that both the original foreign language document and the original translation must be submitted with your passport application.

The Embassy can provide you with a list of recognised translators on request, please email [email protected] or phone +5255 1101 2256.

Referee/Guarantor 

A Referee/Guarantor is required for first time applicants only. If you do not know an Australian who can meet the requirements as your Referee/Guarantor at section 11 of the application, you may use a Referee/Guarantor who does not hold an Australian passport as long as he or she is currently employed in one of the approved professional or occupation groups listed below, and:

• is not related to you by birth or marriage,
• is not in a de facto relationship with you,
• does not live at the same address,
• is over 18 years of age,
• has known you for at least 12 months, and
• is readily available to discuss your application during normal business hours.

Approved professional or occupation groups

• Accountants who are members of either the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants, National Institute of Accountants or Association of Taxation and Management Accountants.. Specify which membership status applies.
• Bailiffs
• Barristers, Solicitors and Patent Attorneys Bank Managers except managers of bank travel centres
• Chartered Professional Engineers
• Clerk of Courts
• Clerk of Petty Sessions
• Dentists
• Elected Representatives of Federal Parliaments, State Parliaments, Territory Parliaments, Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island and Municipal or Shire Councils
• Holders of Statutory Offices for which an annual salary is payable
• Judges
• Marriage Celebrants
• Members currently serving in the regular Australian Defence Force with at least five years continuous service
• Members of the Governance Institute of Australia (formerly Chartered Institute of Company Secretaries)
• Pharmacists
• Police Officers with at least 5 years continuous service
• Postal Managers
• Public Servants who are current full-time employees of Commonwealth, State, territory or local Governments or Statutory Authorities and who have been employed continuously for at least 5 years by their current employer
• Registered Chiropractors
• Registered Medical Practitioners
• Registered Nurses
• Registered Optometrists
• Registered Physiotherapists
• Registered Psychologists
• Registered Tax Agents
• Registered Veterinary Surgeons
• Sheriffs
• Stipendiary Magistrates
• Teachers who are full time and who have been teaching for more than five years at schools or tertiary institutions

Fee schedule as at September 2020

The Australian Embassy does not accept cash payments. We can only accept payment via Visa or MasterCard credit card.  Payments will be charged in Mexican Pesos.  Fees are revised monthly based on exchange rates.

For payments outside Mexico, please use the Credit Card Authorisation Form.

Passports are valid for 10 years (adults) or 5 years (children and adults aged 75 years and over).

Children born of surrogacy

We strongly advise Australians who are considering international commercial surrogacy arrangement to obtain information on the legal and other risks involved, and to seek independent legal advice regarding Australian and foreign laws.  For more information, see our Surrogacy Bulletin on smartraveller. 

Before to apply for an Australian passport you would need to obtain Australian Citizenship, for children born overseas, see international Surrogacy Arrangements on the website of the Department of Home Affairs.

For general information on children's passport applications and supporting documentation, visit the Australians Passports website.