The realisation that you’ve left this vital travel document somewhere unknown is a pretty sickening one that will no doubt have you feeling stressed and panicked.

Try to remain calm! There are steps you can take if you do lose your passport in Australia to get it replaced and get you back on track to smooth travels.

There are steps you can take if you do lose your passport in Australia to get it replaced and get you back on track to smooth travels.

First things first: Notify the Australian government as soon as possible

As soon as that dreaded realisation that your passport is nowhere to be seen kicks in, let the government know. The Australian Passport Information Service is available 7 days per week. Their operators will help you arrange an appointment to lodge an application for a new passport at an Australian passport office.

Think your passport was stolen? Make sure you report it to the police immediately.

Think your passport was stolen? Make sure you report it to the police immediately.

Cancel your passport with your home country’s passport office

It’s important to cancel a lost or stolen passport straight away to reduce the risk of someone else using it. The cancellation process varies depending on your home country, but you should be able to get more information online about how to go about this.

Contact your local embassy to report the missing document. They can tell you which steps to take next and may be the ones to help you arrange an appointment with your closest embassy in Australia. 

Make an appointment with the embassy

Take the next available appointment at your local embassy. If you’re not in any rush to leave Australia and plan to live and work here for a while, you can apply for a standard passport. 

Emergency passports are available for last-minute travelling, when you need to get home fast. You can apply for an emergency, temporary travel document which will usually be retained at the airport once you arrive at your home country.

Prepare for your appointment

There are a few things you might have to bring to your appointment, but your contact at the embassy will brief you in fully before you go. Generally, you’ll need to bring:

  • Your travel itinerary, including dates of travel and proof of flights or stopovers in other countries
  • A passport-sized photograph
  • The police report if your passport was stolen

Once your application has been approved, you’ll usually be notified when your passport is ready to be collected at the embassy. Though fees will apply, arranging a replacement passport isn’t as stressful as it may first seem!

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