Passports & Citizenship
What if I may have lost my Australian citizenship?
All citizenship enquiries should be directed to the Department of Home Affairs, see: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/citi.
In Singapore you will need to contact the Australian Visa Application Centre (AVAC) on telephone +65 6224 1732 for all immigration and citizenship enquiries.
I have recently married a foreign national; how can I obtain an Australian passport for my spouse?
We can only issue an Australian passport to an Australian citizen. When you marry a citizen of another country, it does not entitle your spouse to hold an Australian passport until they also also hold Australian citizenship.
If you and your spouse would like further information, you should contact the Department of Home Affairs.
I have lost my Australian citizenship certificate. How do I get a replacement?
Please see the Department of Home Affairs website: www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/citi/curr/evidence-of-australian-citizenship for further information.
Do you accept notarized copies of documents?
No. You must provide the originals of all documents required. The original documents can be presented at any Australian passport office worldwide. They do not have to be presented at the same office where you are lodging a passport application. Just advise the overseas office where you intend to lodge the application, and that overseas office will send a copy to your lodging office.
My original documents (citizenship certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate) are in Australia and I am worried about having them posted to me in Singapore as they may get lost in the mail.
You could arrange for someone (friend or family member) in Australia to take them to a Passport Office in Australia. The staff there will sight the original documents and forward a copy of the original document via email or fax to the Singapore office.
If you are doing this, the documents need to be presented before you lodge your application in the Singapore office.
Passport offices are located in all State and Territory capital cities. Locations and opening hours can be obtained by phoning 131 232 toll free in Australia or at www.passports.gov.au
How do I get a replacement Australian birth certificate?
Please contact the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry in the state of your birth for information about replacement birth certificates.
How do I provide proof of my Australian citizenship?
For applicants applying for a passport using a PC8 application form you are required to provide proof of your Australian Citizenship. You can do this in the following ways:
- If you were born overseas – an Australian Citizenship certificate or extract from the Register of Citizenship by Descent.
- If you were born in Australia before 20 August 1986 – an Australian birth certificate.
- If you were born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986:
- an Australian birth certificate plus an Australian passport issued after 01/01/2000 and valid for at least two years; or
- an Australian birth certificate plus proof that one parent was an Australian Citizen or permanent resident at the time of the applicant’s birth (e.g. one parent’s Australian passport issued before the applicant’s birth, or a citizenship certificate issued before the applicant’s birth, or a full Australian birth certificate for one parent, or proof of their permanent resident status at the time of the applicant’s birth).
The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for citizenship matters - see their website for more information (www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/citi).