Renew Passport After Divorce in Australia: Fee Waiver & Name Change

Most people expect to pay full price for a new passport after changing their name post-divorce. If your current passport has at least two years of validity remaining, the replacement is free.

The Fee Waiver Rule

The Australian Passport Office waives the replacement fee when:

• The name change is due to a divorce or relationship breakdown
• Your current passport has at least two years of validity remaining
• You provide the required supporting documents

If your passport has less than two years left, you'll need to apply for a standard renewal at the regular fee — the waiver only applies to replacements, not renewals of expiring documents.

What Documents You Need

Bring these to your appointment at a participating Australia Post outlet:

• Your current Australian passport
• Your FCFCOA divorce order (the finalised order from the Commonwealth Courts Portal)
• Your BDM-issued marriage certificate (confirming your pre-marriage surname)
• If you did a formal name change through BDM rather than a maiden name reversion, bring the Change of Name Certificate instead

If you're reverting to your maiden name, the marriage certificate and divorce order are enough — you don't need a separate BDM name change certificate.

Application Process

Passport applications and replacements must be submitted in person at a participating Australia Post outlet. You cannot apply online for a name-change replacement.

The process:

1. Complete the passport application form (available at the post office or downloaded from the APO website beforehand)
2. Have new passport photos taken (most Australia Post outlets offer this service)
3. Present your current passport, divorce order, and name change documentation
4. A postal staff member witnesses your application and sends it to the APO for processing

Allow at least six weeks for standard processing. Priority processing is available at additional cost if you have upcoming travel.

When to Update Your Passport in the Sequence

Update your passport after your driver licence and BDM records are current. If you're doing a formal name change through BDM Tasmania, wait until the Change of Name Certificate is issued before applying for the passport replacement — the APO needs to see the final legal name.

If you're reverting to your maiden name (no formal BDM change needed), you can apply as soon as you have your divorce order.

Don't update your passport before your other identity documents. Your passport name should match the name on your driver licence and bank accounts. Mismatches between identity documents create complications with border agencies and financial institutions.

The Tasmania After-Divorce Checklist puts the passport update in the right place within the full name-change sequence.

See more Tasmania guides →