Applicants are required to provide an Express Post or Registered Post envelope for the return of their new and old passports. Applicants frequently supply the incorrect return postage, which delays the processing of their applications.
Your documents are important, and we want to ensure that they are safely delivered to you. If an envelope with insufficient postage or no tracking is provided with your application, it risks becoming lost in the mail or returned to our office as undeliverable. To avoid this, provide adequate postage or expect that we will request a new envelope with sufficient postage.
Acceptable Australia Post envelopes
Minimum 20mm thickness/500gms. Must be big enough to fit two passports (the old and new passports) per applicant and if applicable, any original supporting documents submitted with your application. Applications for a CRBA must be minimum A4 sized.
- Express Post satchels and envelopes
- Registered Post satchels
- Registered Post Large envelopes
Unacceptable postage options
- Registered Post Small envelopes
- Domestic Letter with Tracking envelopes
- Envelopes with no postage
- Envelopes without tracking
- Registered Post Labels or stamps on regular envelopes, padded/bubble-wrap envelopes, or CD/DVD mailing envelopes. (Australia Post return these to our office for ‘insufficient postage’)
Collecting the passport in-person
Owing to the limited space in our public waiting rooms, and restrictions on how many people allowed in our office at one time, applicants cannot collect their passports in-person. If you have reservations about using the Australia Post mail system, applicants may consider using additional services such as Signature on Delivery or set up a Parcel Locker or Parcel Collect to ensure secure delivery.