Indian passport application in Australia — 2026 guide for NRIs

Indian citizens in Australia — whether renewing an expiring passport, replacing a damaged one, applying first-time as an adult, or registering a child born in Australia — apply through the VFS Global India Passport Services network which is the current authorised outsourcing partner. Applications start on the passportindia.gov.in portal; VFS handles the Australia-side intake, biometrics, fee collection and dispatch. This page covers the 2026 workflow, jurisdictions, fees and documents.

Who should apply from Australia

Indian citizens resident or travelling in Australia — renewal, re-issue, first-time adult passport, damaged / lost replacement.
Minors (children of Indian citizens) born in Australia or brought to Australia — first passport or renewal.
Indian citizens seeking a name change after marriage, court order, or gazette publication.
Indian citizens needing a DOB / particulars correction — re-issue with change in particulars. See change DOB on Indian passport.

Who should not apply through this route:

Australian citizens of Indian origin — file for OCI instead. See OCI card — complete guide.
Former Indian citizens who naturalised as Australian citizens — automatic loss of Indian citizenship under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act. File for a Surrender Certificate first, then OCI. See surrendering an old Indian passport.

The Indian missions in Australia — which one has jurisdiction

The Indian missions and their state jurisdictions:

High Commission of India, Canberra — Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales (shared with Sydney), and the Northern Territory (historically).
Consulate General of India, Sydney — New South Wales (primary), and sometimes parts adjacent to Canberra.
Consulate General of India, Melbourne — Victoria, Tasmania, and parts of South Australia.
Consulate General of India, Perth — Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory (by current mapping).

The specific postcode-to-mission mapping is published on the High Commission and consulate websites and on the VFS Global India Australia Passport Services page — confirm your jurisdiction before booking.

Where — the VFS Global network

VFS Global operates Indian Passport and Consular Application Centres across Australia:

Sydney — CBD.
Melbourne — CBD.
Perth — CBD.
Brisbane — serving Queensland.
Canberra — serving ACT.
Adelaide — serving South Australia.
Mail-in applications accepted for most renewal services.

Each centre handles biometrics (where required), document intake, fee collection, and dispatch via Australia Post or courier.

The services offered

Fresh passport (first-time adult or re-entry after surrender).
Re-issue — renewal, change in particulars (name, DOB, address, appearance).
Duplicate passport for lost or damaged (with police report, affidavit, penalty).
Child's first passport (born in Australia or brought to Australia).
Police Clearance Certificate.

The process — step by step

Step 1 — Apply online at passportindia.gov.in

Go to passportindia.gov.in.
Register / log in under the "Passport Seva Online Portal" for citizens abroad.
Select country Australia and the mission with jurisdiction.
Fill the application form online.
On submission the portal routes to the VFS Global India Australia Passport Services site for logistics.

Step 2 — Book VFS appointment / mail-in

Choose walk-in at a VFS centre or mail-in.
Walk-in is the default for first-time adult and for cases that need biometrics.
Mail-in is commonly used for straightforward renewals.

Step 3 — Gather documents

Core documents for a renewal:

Current Indian passport — original + copies of every page with any endorsement / visa / stamp.
Proof of Australian immigration status — permanent resident visa grant letter, subclass 482 / 186 / 189 / 190 / 500 / 600 / other visa class evidence from VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online). Status proof is mandatory.
Australian address proof — state driver's licence, utility bill, bank statement, lease agreement, ATO correspondence, Medicare card (if applicable).
Photograph — 2" × 2" (51 × 51 mm), white background, Indian-passport specification (different from Australian passport specs).
Self-attested photocopies of all documents.

Additional for specific categories:

First-time adult passport — school leaving / birth certificate, additional ID.
Lost / damaged — Australian local police report, affidavit of loss, copy of lost passport if available.
Name change — Australian marriage certificate, Deed Poll change-of-name, or court order; newspaper publication for Indian-law compliance where applicable.
Children's passport — see below.
Address update — new Australian address proof.

Step 4 — Attend the appointment or mail the package

Walk-in — biometrics captured on-site, documents scanned, fee collected (card / bank transfer).
Mail-in — complete package sent to the designated VFS address with tracked return envelope.

Step 5 — Processing

VFS forwards the application to the jurisdictional Indian mission.
Mission issues the new passport; VFS dispatches to the applicant by Australia Post Express or courier.
Old passport is cancelled with a "cancelled" stamp and returned with the new one — retain as a permanent reference.

Step 6 — Timelines (2026 typical)

Normal re-issue — 4 to 6 weeks.
First-time adult passport — 6 to 10 weeks; may require police verification in India.
Lost / damaged replacement — 6 to 10 weeks.
Child's passport (born in Australia) — 5 to 8 weeks once birth registration is complete.
Tatkaal (expedited) — 3 to 7 working days on premium fee, for genuine emergencies.

Current fees (2026 indicative)

Fees are set by the Indian mission in Australian Dollars and revised periodically. 2026 typical ranges:

36-page adult passport (re-issue / fresh) — approximately AUD 180–210.
60-page adult passport — approximately AUD 235–270.
36-page child passport (under 18) — approximately AUD 110–135.
Tatkaal premium — an additional ~AUD 165 over the normal fee.
Lost / damaged passport penalty — AUD 135+ on top of the standard fee.
VFS service charge — ~AUD 20–30 per application.
Return postage — Australia Post Express or courier charged separately.

Confirm exact fees on the VFS Global India Australia Passport Services page at the time of application.

Children born in Australia

The common family scenario — Indian-citizen parents in Australia; baby born in Australia.

The citizenship question

Australian citizenship by birth is not pure jus soli — the child is an Australian citizen by birth only if at least one parent is an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of birth. Where both parents are on temporary visas (student, 482 TSS, 500, 600), the baby is not Australian by birth. The baby is, however, eligible for Indian citizenship by descent under Section 4 of the Indian Citizenship Act, provided the parents register the birth with the Indian mission within one year.

Scenarios:

Both parents PR or Australian citizen — baby is Australian by birth and eligible for Indian citizenship by descent. Dual at birth in law, but India does not recognise dual; registration with Indian mission within one year keeps the Indian option open.
Both parents temporary-visa holders (student, TSS, visitor) — baby is not Australian; baby is Indian by descent and needs an Indian passport to exit Australia (or a different national passport if the child qualifies through another route).
One PR parent, one temporary — baby is Australian by birth under the PR parent's status.

Section 4 — registration within one year

File Application for Registration of Birth at the mission within one year of birth.
Submit the Australian state birth certificate (full), both parents' Indian passports, parents' marriage certificate, parents' visa / PR / citizenship documents, and declarations.
On registration, the mission issues a certificate and the child is recognised as Indian by descent.
The child's Indian passport application follows on this registration.

See register birth at consulate.

Late registration (beyond one year)

Additional affidavit explaining the delay.
Late-registration penalty on top of the registration fee.
Longer processing.

Child's passport application

Same Passport Seva + VFS workflow.
Both parents must be present at the biometrics appointment, or sign a notarised consent where one parent cannot attend.
Single-parent filings with sole custody need a court order.

Surrender Certificate — for Australian naturalisations

Australian naturalisation ends Indian citizenship automatically under Section 9. The passport procedure is different:

Do not apply for an Indian passport renewal. You are no longer Indian.
Apply for a Surrender Certificate — the Indian passport is cancelled; the certificate is required for OCI.
Post-1 June 2010 Australian naturalisations attract a graduated penalty based on delay.

Australia has itself permitted dual citizenship since 2002 — so an Indian acquiring Australian citizenship is not automatically required by Australian law to renounce Indian. India, however, does not recognise this. The Indian automatic-loss rule operates regardless of what Australian law permits.

See surrendering an old Indian passport.

Common pitfalls

Photograph non-compliance. Indian-passport photo is 2" × 2" (51 × 51 mm) with specific face positioning — different from Australian passport spec. Use an OCI / Indian-consular spec studio.
Missing Australian visa-status proof. VEVO print-out or visa grant letter is required. Expired / bridging status leads to refusal.
Applying for passport renewal when you are now an Australian citizen. Surrender Certificate, not renewal, is the path.
Minor's application with one parent's documents only. Both parents' consent required, either in-person or notarised.
Late Australian birth registration beyond one year without the explanatory paperwork.
Not submitting the old (cancelled) passport after the new one is issued — it is part of the audit trail for future OCI and visa history.
Trying to apply at the consulate directly. VFS is the intake channel.
Forgetting to update OCI / PAN / Indian bank / Aadhaar (if held) after renewal.
Assuming the Australian citizenship by birth rule is the same as the US. It is not — Australian law requires a PR / citizen parent.
Using the wrong Australia Post product for the return envelope. VFS specifies Australia Post Express or Platinum; regular post is too slow and may be rejected.

Checklist — Indian passport in Australia

Confirm you are still an Indian citizen — if you have naturalised as Australian, Surrender Certificate + OCI is the path.
Register on passportindia.gov.in and fill the application.
Book VFS appointment or select mail-in at the centre with jurisdiction.
Gather documents — current passport, Australian visa-status proof (VEVO / visa grant letter / PR), Australian address proof, 2" × 2" photograph, service-specific additions.
Attend appointment or mail the package.
Pay the fee (card / bank transfer).
Track the application on the VFS portal.
Receive new passport by Australia Post Express; retain cancelled old passport.
Update OCI (if held) / PAN / Indian bank / demat / Aadhaar with new passport number.
For an Australia-born baby, check citizenship status (PR-parent vs temporary- visa-parent rule), register birth at the Indian mission within one year if pursuing Indian citizenship, then apply for the child's Indian passport.

Summary

Indian passport services in Australia run through VFS Global, linked from passportindia.gov.in.
Four Indian missions in Australia — High Commission in Canberra, Consulates General in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
VFS centres in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide plus mail-in option.
Fees (2026 indicative) — AUD 180–210 (36-page adult), AUD 235–270 (60-page), AUD 110–135 (child), Tatkaal +AUD 165.
Processing — 4–10 weeks normal, 3–7 working days Tatkaal.
Babies born in Australia — Australian citizenship depends on parents' status (PR / citizen); in all cases Indian citizenship by descent is available with mission registration within one year.
Australian naturalisation ends Indian citizenship automatically despite Australia's own tolerance of dual — apply for Surrender Certificate, then OCI.

For the UK parallel, see Indian passport in the UK. For the USA workflow, see Indian passport in the USA. For the Canada workflow, see Indian passport in Canada. For the Surrender Certificate, see surrendering an old Indian passport. For the Australian immigration framework that underpins the long-term Indian-citizen-in-Australia position, see immigrating to Australia. For the OCI framework, see OCI card — complete guide.