How to change the name on an Australian passport: documents and steps

Whether you've married, divorced, or legally changed your name, you'll need a passport that reflects your current legal identity for future travel. The Australian passport name-change application process varies depending on the reason for the name change and the documents you can provide.

In this guide, you'll learn how to change your last name on an Australian passport, which documents are accepted, and what fees apply.

Table of contents

• Can you change the name on an Australian passport?
• Changing your passport name after different situations
• How to apply for a name change on an Australian passport
• Documents required for an Australian passport name change
• Get your passport photo online!
• How much does it cost to change your name on a passport in Australia?
• FAQ

Can you change the name on an Australian passport?

Yes, provided you submit official documents that support the updates. In most cases, you must show evidence linking your previous name to your new one, such as a marriage certificate, a registered name change certificate, or other accepted documents issued by the relevant Australian authority.

The application process and required documents depend on why your name changed. For example, changing your surname after marriage follows different document requirements from changing your name after divorce, gender transition, or personal preference. In some situations, you may also qualify for a replacement passport with a waived application fee, such as certain marital status changes.

Can you change your name on a passport renewal? No. The Australian passport renewal process cannot be used to update your name or gender. If either has changed since your last passport was issued, you must complete a full passport application.

While many Australians can start their passport application online, some applicants must lodge their application in person. This commonly applies when applying for a new passport in a different name, particularly if identity or name-change documents need to be verified. Always check the Australian Passport Office requirements before submitting your application.

Changing your passport name after different situations

The steps for updating the name on your Australian passport depend on why your legal name changed. While every applicant must submit a new passport application and provide documents linking their previous and current names, the supporting evidence differs for each situation. Read on to learn how to change your name on an Australian passport after marriage, divorce, or due to personal preferences.

How to change an Australian passport to a married name

If you adopted your spouse's surname or combined family names after marriage, you can apply for a passport in your new name. In most cases, you'll need an Australian marriage certificate issued by a Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM), or another accepted document linking your previous and current names. If you were born, live, and married overseas, the Australian Passport Office may also accept a legalised foreign marriage certificate with a certified English translation, provided you became an Australian citizen before the marriage. Ceremonial marriage certificates are not accepted.

If your family name changed because of your marital status and your current passport has more than two years of validity remaining, you may qualify for a replacement passport with the application fee waived.

After divorce

You do not have to change your name on your Australian passport after a divorce. You can continue using your passport in your married name until it expires. If you decide to return to a previous surname, you'll need to submit documents showing your current legal name and the link to your former name. Depending on your circumstances, this may include a divorce order or certificate together with other supporting records, or an Australian RBDM name change certificate.

Applicants who change their family name because of divorce may also be eligible for a fee-waived replacement passport if they meet the Passport Office's requirements, including having more than two years of validity remaining on their current passport.

After a legal name change

If you changed your name for reasons other than marriage or divorce, such as personal preference, you must provide an official name change certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If your new name already appears on a reissued Australian birth certificate or citizenship certificate, a separate name change certificate may not be required.

For Australians born and living overseas who cannot register a name change with an Australian RBDM, the Passport Office may accept a legalised foreign name change certificate. Documents issued in another language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

How to apply for a name change on an Australian passport

Rather than a renewal, an Australian passport name change requires a new passport application. While the overall process is similar in Australia and overseas, the application form and where you lodge it depend on your location.

Step 1. Complete the application form

If you're applying in Australia:

• Complete the online passport application form through the Australian Passport Office portal, or
• Collect and complete a paper application form from a participating Australia Post outlet.

If you're applying overseas:

• Complete the PC8 Application for an Australian Passport Overseas, either online or by using a paper form available from an Australian embassy or consulate.

If you fill out the application online, print every page clearly and check that the barcode is fully visible. Print single-sided pages to avoid scanning issues.

Step 2. Prepare your documents

Take all required original documents to your appointment. The Passport Office does not accept photocopies for identity or name change evidence. You'll find the full list of required documents later in this guide.

Step 3. Submit your application

In Australia:

• If you completed the application online or qualify for a fee-waived replacement passport, lodge your application for a name change at a participating Australia Post outlet.
• If you cannot apply online and need to pay the application fee, submit it at an Australian Passport Office. To make an appointment, call 131 232 Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., for each Australian time zone.

Outside Australia:

• Book an appointment with your nearest Australian embassy or consulate and submit your application there.

After lodging your application, you can track its progress using your application number. If you apply in Australia while your current passport is still valid, it will usually be cancelled when you lodge the application, so you can no longer use it for travel or identification.

Step 4. Receive your new passport

Allow at least 6 weeks for your new passport to be issued. In Australia, completed passports are normally sent by Registered Post. You'll receive an email confirmation and an SMS with tracking details after dispatch. If you need it sooner, you may be able to collect it from your chosen passport office.

Always check the latest processing times before applying, especially if you have upcoming travel plans.

If your current passport remains valid while your application is being processed, you can continue using it until your new passport is issued. It is usually cancelled about 30 days after the replacement passport is issued.

Documents required for an Australian passport name change

To receive an Australian passport in a new legal name, you must submit a full passport application. You'll need original documents that prove your Australian citizenship, confirm your identity, and show how your previous name changed to your current one. The Passport Office accepts original documents unless it specifically states that a certified copy is allowed.

Proof of Australian citizenship

You must provide one of the following:

• your current or most recent Australian passport (excluding an emergency passport);
• an Australian birth certificate;
• or an Australian citizenship certificate.

If you're applying overseas and do not hold an Australian passport, the Passport Office may also ask for evidence of one of your parents' Australian citizenship, such as an Australian birth certificate.

Identity documents

You'll need identity documents showing your current legal name. These typically include:

• a valid Australian driver's licence, proof of age card, or another government-issued photo ID;
• additional documents, such as a Medicare card, bank card, utility bill, or employee ID, to help confirm your identity.

Prepare also two identical Australian passport photos that meet the official requirements. One photo must be signed by your guarantor.

Documents proving your name change

You must also provide documents that connect the name on your existing passport, birth certificate, or citizenship certificate to your current legal name. The required evidence depends on how your name changed:

• Marriage in Australia: to change your Australian passport to your married name, you must provide an official marriage certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM).
• Marriage overseas: in most cases, you'll need an Australian RBDM name change certificate, as a foreign marriage certificate alone is generally not accepted for changing the name on an Australian passport.
• Divorce in Australia: documents supporting your current legal name, which may include an Australian divorce order together with other evidence, depending on your circumstances.
• Divorce overseas: you will usually need an Australian RBDM name change certificate if you have formally changed your name.
• Gender transition: an Australian RBDM name change certificate, unless your updated name already appears on a reissued Australian birth or citizenship certificate.
• Other legal name changes: an official name change certificate issued by an Australian RBDM.

Different requirements for applicants born in Australia and overseas

• If you were born in Australia, your name change is usually supported by documents issued by the Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you're married overseas, you'll generally need to register your name change with the relevant Australian RBDM before applying for a passport in your new name.
• If you were born overseas, you'll normally use your Australian citizenship certificate to prove your citizenship. If you cannot register your name change with an Australian RBDM, for example, because you live overseas, you may be able to use a legalised foreign name change certificate with a certified English translation, where required.

For the exact document list required for your situation, check the “Change of Name or Gender” page on passports.gov.au.

Get your passport photo online!

A compliant passport photo is required when applying for an Australian passport. With Visafoto, you can create one from home in just a few minutes – no studio visit needed. Read on to learn how to take a passport photo that the authorities will accept. Follow these two steps:

1. Upload a photo taken in good natural light to the Visafoto tool below.
2. Select the country and document type (for example, Australia, passport).

Visafoto automatically formats your photo to meet Australian passport requirements, including the correct background, dimensions, and head position. You'll receive both a digital photo for online applications and a print-ready template.

If needed, Visafoto also improves image quality. It can correct lighting, increase sharpness and resolution, and adjust framing if the original photo was taken too close. You can even photograph an existing printed passport photo with your phone, and Visafoto will optimise the image for reuse. If your photo already meets the official standards, Visafoto leaves it unchanged except for the required formatting.

Original photo:

Edited by Visafoto:

Visafoto has processed document photos since 2013 and delivers a 99.7% acceptance rate, with more than 1,000,000 approved photos. If your photo is rejected, you'll receive a full refund. Customer support is available 24/7.

How much does it cost to change your name on a passport in Australia?

The fee for changing the name on an Australian passport depends on the reason for the change, the remaining validity of your current passport, and whether you apply in Australia or overseas. Below is a breakdown of the costs for 2026.

When is it free?

You can receive a replacement passport at no application cost if:

• your family name changed because of marriage, divorce, or entering or ending a de facto relationship;
• and if your current passport has more than two years of validity remaining.

The replacement passport keeps the same expiry date as your current passport.

Standard replacement fee

If you do not qualify for a free replacement, for example, because your name changed for another legal reason, you'll generally pay:

• AUD 265 when applying in Australia.

The replacement passport will remain valid until your current passport's original expiry date.

New 10-year passport

If your current passport has less than two years of validity remaining, you cannot receive a replacement passport. Instead, you'll need to apply for a new 10-year adult passport:

• 10-year adult passport fee: AUD 422

Applying from overseas

Applications lodged outside Australia are subject to an additional overseas processing surcharge:

• Overseas passport for adults: extra AUD 189

For example, a replacement passport for a name change that is not eligible for a fee waiver costs AUD 454 overseas, which is AUD 265 + AUD 189.

FAQ

Do I need a new passport after changing my name legally in Australia?

Yes. If you want your passport to show your new legal name, you must apply for a new passport. Australia does not update the name in an existing passport. You'll need to submit documents that confirm your legal name change and connect your previous and current names.

Do I have to change my name on my passport after a divorce?

No. You can continue using your passport in your married name after a divorce if you choose. If you resume using a previous legal name and your current passport has more than two years of validity remaining, you may qualify for a free replacement passport.

Will a foreign marriage certificate be accepted for an Australian passport name change?

Usually not. If you were born in Australia or live in Australia, you generally need an Australian marriage certificate issued by a Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM). A foreign marriage certificate is accepted only in limited circumstances specified by the Australian Passport Office.

Can I travel with my old passport after changing my name?

Yes. You can keep using your current passport in your previous name until it expires, provided your travel bookings match the name shown in the passport. Once your replacement passport is issued, your old passport is cancelled and returned with a corner removed to show it is no longer valid. Keep in mind that replacement passport applications can take at least six weeks to process.