Documents
A new passport while you are living in Australia
A passport that has expired, been damaged or gone missing stops more than travel. It can hold up a visa application, a licence renewal, a bank account or a job offer. I prepare the consular paperwork, check the supporting documents against the reason for the replacement, and lodge the application with the Vietnamese consular authorities in Australia so you are not working it out from the forms alone.
Expired, damaged or lost
The paperwork changes with the reason, which is also why the fee sits in a band rather than at one figure.
- Expired, or close to it. The most straightforward case. Bring the old passport, current identity documents and evidence of your residence in Australia. Start early if a visa application, a trip or a document renewal is coming up, because you cannot use the old passport once the new one is issued.
- Damaged. Water, a torn page, a detached cover or a machine-readable strip that no longer scans. The damaged passport is still part of the application, so keep it rather than discarding it, and expect questions about how the damage happened.
- Lost or stolen. This one carries an extra step: the loss has to be reported before the replacement can proceed, and a police report helps where the passport was stolen. If the passport held a valid Australian visa, tell me early, because the visa record and the new passport number need to be connected afterwards.
What you will need
The list depends on your situation, and I confirm it for your case before anything is lodged. Most files draw on the same material.
- The current or most recent passport, including a damaged one
- Photographs that meet the consular specification, which is not the same as the Australian passport specification
- Evidence of your identity and of your residence in Australia
- Your Australian visa details, so the new passport can be linked to the visa record
- A report of the loss, and a police report where the passport was stolen
- Supporting documents where a name, date of birth or other detail has changed since the old passport was issued
Where a document is in English and the consular authority needs Vietnamese, or the reverse, I can arrange the translation at the same time rather than sending you elsewhere for it.
What it costs and how long it takes
$350 to $550
The service fee depends on why the passport needs replacing. A straightforward renewal sits at the lower end; a lost or stolen passport, or a file that needs a name change or other supporting evidence, sits higher because of the extra steps. I confirm the figure for your situation, and what it does and does not cover, before any work starts.
Express handling is available where you need the passport sooner. Whether it is worth the additional cost depends on your deadline, so tell me the date you are working towards and I will tell you honestly whether the standard route reaches it.
Processing is carried out by the consular authorities, not by me, so the time it takes is theirs to set. I will give you the current expectation when we start and tell you if it moves.
What to do once the new passport is issued
A new passport number does not travel across to your visa on its own. If you hold an Australian visa, the Department needs the new passport details so the visa is read against the right document at the border and by employers checking VEVO. I can attend to that update with the passport application so the two do not sit out of step.
The same applies to anything else keyed to the old number: travel bookings already made, a driver licence or identity record that recorded the passport, and any application currently with a government department.
How I help
- Working out which route applies to your situation and what it will require
- Preparing the consular forms and checking the supporting documents before lodgement
- Arranging photographs and translations that meet the specification
- Lodging the application and following the file through to issue
- Updating your Australian visa record with the new passport details
- Express handling where the timing calls for it
Frequently asked questions
Can I travel while the application is being processed?
Generally not on the old passport once a replacement is in progress, and not at all if it has been lost or reported. Tell me your travel dates at the start so the timing can be planned around them rather than discovered late.
My passport was lost with a valid Australian visa in it. Is the visa gone?
No. An Australian visa is held electronically against your identity, not printed in the passport. The new passport number does need to be given to the Department so the visa is matched to the current document, and I can do that as part of the same job.
Discuss your circumstances with a registered migration agent
Book a consultation to discuss the requirements that may apply to you, any concerns about your case and what needs to be prepared. You are welcome to speak in Vietnamese or English.
Next step
Have a visa question or need help getting started?
A 30-minute consultation gives us time to discuss your circumstances, consider initial options and identify the documents that need checking. Some matters require a further review of the records before I can give a complete assessment.