Step 1 - Prove the child’s identity and Australian citizenship
Each child passport application must be supported by the child’s original Australian Citizenship Certificate or original full Australian Birth Certificate to prove Australian citizenship. Extracts, commemorative birth certificate or birth cards cannot be used. If your child was born in Australia after 20 August 1986, you must also provide one of the following four documents:
- The child’s Australian passport issued on/after 1 January 2000 that was valid for 2 years or more; or
- One parent’s Australian birth certificate; or
- One parent’s Australian passport, issued after 20/8/1986, that was valid at the time of the applicant’s birth; or
- One parent’s Australian citizenship certificate, valid at the time of the applicant’s birth.
If you are unable to provide the above documents, you must get a certificate of citizenship. Please refer to Please refer to the Australian Citizenship section on the Department of Home Affairs website for further information.
If the child was born in Switzerland or anywhere outside of Australia, you must provide the child’s original birth certificate and the original Australian citizenship certificate before a passport can be issued. You can apply for citizenship by descent through the Australian High Commission in London. See the Australian Citizenship section on the Department of Home Affairs website for further information. The Australian Consulate-General in Geneva CANNOT assist or answer questions concerning citizenship. Processing time for citizenship by descent applications is approximately 1 month (and passport an additional 3 weeks) so please keep this in mind when making your travel plans.
If the child has a birth certificate in a language other than English, you must provide an English translation provided by a registered translation service.
Step 2 - Fill out your application form (Australian Passport Overseas Application)
CHECKLIST Child Passport (PC8) - please print to ensure you attend with the correct documents.
You will need to create an account first - Online: https:online.passports.gov.au
Print: You may need to adjust your print settings so that the top/bottom of the pages are not cut off.
Sign: Make sure all sections are signed before your interview. Passport staff cannot witness signatures.
Date: Signatures are valid for six months only. An application signed more than six months ago cannot be accepted.
GUARANTOR
Your Guarantor must endorse the back of one photo in black pen as follows: “This is a true photo of [the applicant’s full name]”, and then sign it below the wording. Do not use paper clips, glue or staples to attach photos to the form as this may make them unusable.
PHOTO GUIDELINES - Take two passport photographs
WRITTEN CONSENT FROM PARENTS
Written consent must be given by each person who has parental responsibility for the child. Generally, people with parental responsibility are the parents named on the child's full birth certificate.
If those with parental responsibility are in different locations when the child's passport application is lodged, the non-lodging parent can provide written consent through a passport office in Australia, at Australia Post or an Australian diplomatic or consular mission overseas.
The consent declaration must be read and signed by the parents or persons with parental responsibility for the child. Section 13 (A) and 14 (A) must be your exact name as shown on your child’s birth certificate. Section 13 (B) and Section 14 (B) must be your most current name as shown on your ID documents, eg. your Australian Passport or foreign ID card.
The signatures must be witnessed as instructed on the application form. The witness cannot be related to the child and the family by birth or marriage or be in a de facto relationship with either of the child's parents or live at the same address. A different person may witness the signature of each person giving consent. The child's guarantor may witness the consent.
PARENTS NAMES
If yours or the other parent’s current name is different to the name as it appears on the child’s birth certificate, you must provide documents as proof of name change such as a marriage certificate, divorce certificate or name change certificate.
Children aged 10 and over need to sign the application form in the box provided (section 18) - please keep the signature within the box.
Step 3 – Lodge your application
Applications need to be lodged in person by a parent or the person with parental responsibility. Children aged 16 or 17 must accompany their parent to lodge an application. Children aged 0-15 are not required to attend. Mailed in applications will not be accepted.
The Passport Office operates an appointment system. We will not see you without an appointment.
Passports Office location:
Chemin des Fins 2
1218 Grand-Saconnex
Switzerland
Geneva appointment times are normally booked-out up to 2 weeks in advance. Please keep this in mind when making your travel plans.
FEES FOR PASSPORT SERVICES
Step 4 - Allow up to 4 weeks to receive your new passport.
If you have any questions, call us at +41 22 799 9100 or email at [email protected]