Australian High Commission
Republic of Kenya

Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. Do I need to make an appointment to lodge my passport application?

The Nairobi Office operates on a first come, first serve basis for the lodgement of passport applications. Applicants are required to lodge in person and must attend an interview. The passports counter is open between 09:00 and 12:00 Monday to Friday. Please call 020 4277 100 or email: [email protected].

 

2. Can I renew my passport by post?

Passport applications by post/courier to the High Commission will no longer be accepted due to upcoming proposed passport policy changes. Should you wish to submit your passport application by post/courier, please contact the High Commission to allow a passport officer to assess your eligibility to do so.

 

3. Do you accept certified/notarized copies of documents?

No, you must provide the originals of all documents required. There is no exception to this rule. If you need to obtain original documents from another country, we can accept faxed copies from certain authorized sources e.g. a Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Australia, an Australian Passport Office in Australia or and overseas Australian Diplomatic Mission.

 

4. I am an Australian citizen and I’ve just had a baby. What do I have to do to get an Australian passport for him/her?

Before you can apply for an Australian passport for your child, he/she must first obtain Australian citizenship by descent. Citizenship must be applied for through the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (also located at the Australian High Commission).
For further information on Citizenship, please visit: www.citizenship.gov.au.

 

5. Do I have to provide my child’s full length (unabridged) birth certificate?

The child’s full length or unabridged birth certificate, showing both parents names, must always be provided regardless of whether the child was born in Australia or overseas, or whether the child had been issued with an Australian passport previously. Any foreign language documents submitted must be accompanied by an official English translation.

 

6. Will my previous passport be returned to me after applying for a new passport?

Your previous passport will be cancelled and returned to you.

 

7. My Kenyan visa is about to expire, can you get me a new one?

The Passport Office is unable to provide any assistance with obtaining visas for Kenya or any other visas.

 

8. I have an Australian passport and a Kenyan passport, which passport do I use when entering Australia?

Australian citizens who are dual nationals are required to depart and enter Australia on their Australian passport. An Australian citizen cannot be granted a visa for Australia in a foreign passport.

 

9. I am an Australian citizen but as I did not obtain an Australian passport before departing Australia, I am using my other passport whilst I am overseas. Do I have to apply for an Australian passport in order to return to Australia?

An Australian passport is conclusive evidence of a person’s identity and citizenship, and provides the holder with unfettered right of entry to Australia. International airlines have an obligation to ensure that they only carry appropriately documented passengers to Australia. In the absence of an Australian passport, airlines are unable to assess a person’s claim to Australian citizenship at the time of check-in and may decline to carry the traveller. It would therefore be in your best interests to apply for an Australian passport to enable you to return to Australia.

 

10. The Kenyan Ministry of Immigration has my Australian passport and I need to travel. Can you get it back for me?

We are unable to contact the Ministry of Immigration or any other authority on your behalf in order to expedite the return of your passport. You will need to liaise directly with the relevant authority concerning the return of your passport as we are unable to issue a further travel document to you.

 

11. I have recently been married. How do I change my name on my passport?

New passport legislation has come into place regarding change of name applications. Please contact the Passport Officer for further information.

 

12. I have recently married a foreign national, how can I obtain an Australian passport for my spouse?

We can only issue an Australian passport to an Australian citizen. When you marry a citizen of another country, it does not entitle your spouse to hold an Australian passport (unless they also hold Australian citizenship). If you and your spouse would like to live in Australia, you should contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship: www.immi.gov.au.

 

13. My passport is nearly full but is valid for another x years, is it possible to add extra pages?

Unfortunately, it is not possible for pages to be added to Australian passports, so you will have to apply for a new passport by completing a passport renewal form.

 

14. Can I get my child/ren added to my Australian passport?

A child who is an Australian citizen must have their own Australian passport as it is not possible to include a child on a parent’s passport.

 

15. My child’s mother/father is overseas – how do I get consent?

A number of legal requirements must be met before a passport may be issued to a child. Specifically, each person listed on the full birth certificate or each person who has legal caring responsibility for the child must supply his or her consent. If the non lodging parent is overseas, he/she can provide their consent at an Australian Passport Office in Australia or at an Australian High Commission or Embassy in the country in which they reside.

 

16. I am unable to obtain the consent of child’s father/mother as I am no longer in contact with him/her, what can I do?

Every effort should be made to gain the consent prior to lodging the application form for your child’s passport, however if you are unable to provide consent from all parties, please contact the Passport Officer to discuss the matter and obtain additional application can take from 4-6 weeks and the application may not be approved. You are therefore strongly urged not to book travel until you know the outcome of the application.

 

17. My husband/wife is not an Australian citizen, can he/she lodge our child’s passport application?

Either of the consenting parties can lodge the passport application as there is no requirement for the lodging parent to be an Australian citizen.

 

18. I washed my passport, do I have to apply for a replacement passport?

If your passport is damaged, you are required to apply for a replacement passport in person by completing an Application for an Australian Passport Overseas form and submitting the relevant supporting documents. In all cases, you must also provide the damaged passport.

 

19. What is meant by “crown of the head” which is referred to in the passport photo requirements?

The “crown of the head” is where the top of your skull would be if it were visible. It is not the top of your head or the start of your hairline.

 

20. Can I travel on my passport if the name differs to the name on my airline ticket?

Any specific questions regarding what an airline will accept as proof of identity should be directed to the airline.

 

21. I made a mistake when I was completing the passport application form, Should I use white out/correction fluid/correction tape?

Cross out the error, and sign against it. This is to confirm that it is you who made the change.

 

22. I put the wrong date on the declaration on the passport application form, how can I correct it?

If you completed the application form online, you can amend the form and re-print the relevant page. If you completed a hard copy form which was sent to you by this office, you can request that a replacement page be sent to you or if you are under a time constraint to submit the passport application, you may cross out the incorrect date, complete the correct date and initial next to the change.

 

23. I have just completed my passport application online, did you receive it?

All passport applications completed online must be printed by the applicant and lodged at a passport office together with the relevant supporting documents, fee etc. There is currently no way to lodge an Australian passport application electronically.

 

24. Why can’t I use the renewal form?

If you cannot access the Overseas Passport Renewal form online then you may not be eligible to use that form. You can only use this form if your current passport is an adult passport, issued with a validity of more than 2 years and is either current or expired less than 2 years ago. Alternatively you may not be answering the security question correctly. The answer to this must exactly match what is on your passport records in order for you to proceed. If you have exhausted all of these possibilities and still believe you are eligible for a renewal form, please contact the Passport Office.

 

25. I am completing the form online and whenever I enter my current address (which is an overseas address) I get a message advising that my address cannot be verified. What do I do?

The Passports Australia website cannot verify overseas addresses. This message is just a warning. As long as you are satisfied that the address you have entered is correct, you can proceed by pressing the next button.

 

26. I am trying to complete the application form online but I keep going around in circles/getting error messages. What do I do?

If you are going around in circles, it is likely that you have made an incorrect choice at some stage. The most common problem is that you are selecting the wrong answers to ‘Are you residing in Australia?’(the answer should always be “no” for someone applying from an overseas country) or ‘Do you wish to renew an Australian passport’ (Yes, if you qualify for a renewal form (PC7) and No if you have to use an Application for an Australian Passport Overseas form (PC8).

 

27. Do I have to complete Section 16 of the Application for an Australian Passport Overseas form?

If you do NOT have a valid Australian Drivers Licence or NSW Birth Card, then leave this section blank.