Changing your name and/or gender in your passport
If you want to change the name and/or gender from that in your most recent passport, you will need to lodge the Application for an Australian Passport Overseas form. You cannot name change your name and/or gender using the Australian Passport Renewal Application form.
You will need to lodge your application in person if you are making a change to your name and/or gender since your last passport was issued.
How to change the name in your passport
If you have changed your name since birth or acquiring citizenship, you may need to provide additional documents in order to have a passport in your new name. Please note that you will still need to provide either an original Australian birth certificate or original Australian citizenship certificate in addition to your original name change document.
Please select the option that applies to you:
How to change the gender marker in your passport
The gender markers that we use in Australian passports are: M (male), F (female) and X (non-binary/indeterminate/intersex/unspecified/other). If you want to change the marker from that in your previous passport (or for first time applicants, change the marker from that on your evidence of citizenship) please follow the instructions HERE.
Born in Australia:
Change of name by marriage
If you were married overseas and wish to have your married name in your passport, please contact the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) in the state you were born to apply for either RBDM name change certificate or a revised birth certificate. You cannot use a foreign marriage certificate to change your passport name. Once you have obtained either one of these documents from the RBDM, you can apply for a passport in this new name using the PC8 Overseas application form.
Please ensure all your previous name are listed on your change of name certificate.
If you were married in Australia, and wish to have your married name in your passport, please contact the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) in the state you were married to apply for a RBDM marriage certificate. You cannot use the ceremonial certificate you received on the day of your marriage. Once you have obtained your marriage certificate from RBDM, you can apply for a passport in this new name using the PC8 Overseas application form.
Divorce and other name changes
If you wish to change your name on divorce or for any other reason, you can choose from any of the options in the table below. If you want a name that is not on any of the documents listed below, you will need to apply for a RBDM certificate in your desired name. You can then application for a passport using the PC8 Overseas application form.
Gratis name change
If you have more than two years validity remaining on your current passport, you can replace it free of charge if you are changing your name due to:
- marriage
- divorce
- entering into or ceasing to be in a registered or de facto relationship
- the death of a spouse of partner
- transitioning to a new gender
The passport showing your new name will be issued with the same expiry date as the passport being replaced. You will need to provide evidence of your change in status - eg. marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc. You will still need to pay the postage fee to have your new passport sent to you.
Alternatively, you can choose to pay the full application fee to have a new passport issued for 10 years.
If you are changing your name for other reasons, you can have a replacement passport issued (fee applies) or choose to have a new 10 year passport issued at full price.
Approved name change documents:
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Choose from one of the following options |
Notes |
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The name exactly as it appears on your full Australian birth certificate. |
The certificate must not have been superseded by registering a new name with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM). |
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The name exactly as it appears on your most recent Australian passport that had a validity of two years or more, if that passport was issued after 20 August 1986. |
This applies only if you have not subsequently registered a different name with an Australian RBDM or the Australian Department of Home Affairs (i.e. on a citizenship certificate). It is ok if you have had an emergency/temporary passport issued after your most recent regular passport that had a validity of two years or less. |
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The name that appears on a valid certificate issued by an Australian RBDM - for example, a RBDM marriage certificate, a RBDM change of name certificate, a RBDM revised birth certificate or a RBDM registered relationship certificate. |
The name on the certificate must not have been replaced by a different name registered with a RBDM. Foreign marriage certificates and court orders are not acceptable for name change purposes. |
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The name exactly as it appears on a citizenship certificate issued by the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA). |
Please also provide documents that show the link between the name on your birth certificate to the name on your citizenship certificate - e.g. a marriage certificate or court order. |
Born Overseas
Marriage
If you were married outside Australia (including in Germany), you will need to have your foreign marriage certificate legalised with an apostille or authentication. Once you have obtained this, you can apply for a passport in your new name using the PC8 Overseas application form.
If you were married in Australia, you must present your official marriage certificate from the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) in the state where you were married. This is not the ceremonial certificate you receive on the day of the ceremony. You must apply to the RBDM to receive your official marriage certificate. A RBDM certificate does not need to be legalised. Once you have obtained this, you can apply for a passport in your new name using the PC8 Overseas application form.
Divorce and other name changes
If you are changing your name as a result of divorce or other reasons, you may choose any of the names listed in the table below. If you do not have one of these documents in your desired name, you will need to obtain a new foreign name change document evidencing your new name and have that document legalised. The easiest way to do this is to apply for a new Australian citizenship certificate in your new name. Alternatively, you can obtain a German (or from country you were born in) name change certificate (in English).
Once you have obtained an approved name change document, you can apply for a passport in your new name using the PC8 Overseas application form.
How to legalise your certificate
Your foreign marriage or foreign change of name certificate must be legalised by the country of issue.
If you’re using a German document, you should contact the Standesamt (registry office) that issued the document.
If using a document issued from outside of Germany and Australia you should contact the Embassy or Consulate of the country of issue to obtain information on how to legalise this document.
Gratis name change
If you have more than two years validity remaining on your current passport, you can replace it free of charge if you are changing your name due to:
- marriage
- divorce
- entering into or ceasing to be in a registered or de facto relationship
- the death of a spouse of partner
- transitioning to a new gender
The passport showing your new name will be issued with the same expiry date as the passport being replaced. You will need to provide evidence of your change in status - eg. marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc. You will still need to pay the postage fee to have your new passport sent to you.
Alternatively, you can pay the full application fee to have a new 10 year passport issued in your new name.
If you are changing your name for other reasons, you can choose to have a replacement passport issued (fee applies) or a new 10 year passport (full application fee applies).
Approved name change documents
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Choose from the following names to appear in your passport |
Notes |
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The name exactly as it appears on your most recent Australian passport that was valid for two years or more, if that passport was issued after 20 August 1986. |
This applies only if you have not subsequently changed your name with an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) or the Australian Department of Home Affairs (i.e. on a citizenship certificate). It is ok if you have had an emergency/temporary passport issued after your most recent regular passport that had a validity of two years or less. |
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The name that appears on a valid certificate issued by an Australian RBDM - for example, a RBDM marriage certificate, a RBDM change of name certificate, or a RBDM registered relationship certificate. |
The name on the certificate must not have been replaced by a different name registered with a RBDM. |
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The name exactly as it appears on a citizenship certificate issued by the Australian Department of Home Affairs (DHA). |
Please also provide documents that show the link between the name on your birth certificate and the name on your citizenship certificate. If these documents are not in English, you must also provide an approved translation. |
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The name on a foreign name change document - eg. official foreign marriage certificate, foreign court order, or a foreign name change certificate. Any foreign name change document must be legalised. |
Please note that we can only accept a foreign name change document if the name change event (eg. the marriage) occurred AFTER the date you became an Australian citizen. If your document is not in English, you must also provide an approved translation. |
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