Alterations and endorsements in travel documents

Alterations to travel document after issue

A travel document cannot be altered after issue – even to correct minor mistakes.

A person who wishes to amend any particular in a passport should be advised that an application for the issue of a new passport is required and that normal procedures must be completed, including payment of the full application fee and the overseas surcharge where applicable.

The above does not apply when the mistake is the result of DFAT error. In this case, a replacement document will be issued free of charge. The expiry date of the replacement document will be the same as the original document.

Passport Office errors: gratis replacement

Where a client finds a mistake caused by an error of passport staff or systems, a new document will be issued gratis without the need for the applicant to re-apply.

The validity of the new document will be the same as the one being replaced.

Change of name after travel document issue

A travel document cannot be altered to reflect a change of name.

A new application must be made and a new document produced.

Endorsements including labels

Use of an endorsement, including a label, is the only way additional information can be added to a passport or other travel document – either at the time of issue or subsequently. The endorsement must not conflict with, or be used to try to alter any personal details on the bio-data page.

An endorsement may:

• Indicate the status of the bearer of a Diplomatic or Official passport;




• Indicate a title, decoration of award conferred by the crown or the Australian government but not an honorific (i.e. Doctor); See: '
  

Titles, decorations and awards

'.




• Observe that the holder of a limited validity passport can apply for a replacement to be issued gratis;




• Indicate that a Document of Identity was issued for travel between the Australian mainland and Norfolk Island only; See: '
  

Travel to/from Norfolk Island:DOI

'.




• Extend the validity of a Certificate of Identity (COI) or a Convention Travel Document (CTD) overseas. See: '
  

' and '


'.

The text used for endorsements must follow the standards outlined in '

Standard formats for endorsement in travel document

'. Officers do not have authority to vary these standards or decide new formats of text.

The text can be printed on a label and placed in a travel document with a stamp/seal if additional information is subsequently required after it has been despatched.

Fees apply to applications for endorsements/observations that are made after the initial production of the travel document. There are no provisions allowing waiver or refund of this fee.

Observation page in travel document

Only the observation page may be used for placing an approved endorsement label as outlined above, see '

Endorsements including labels

'.

The observation text on the observation page must not be crossed out, 'opened' or altered in any way to allow use for visas even where this practice may be acceptable to other countries.

Standard formats for endorsement in travel document

An endorsement can be printed directly onto the observation page or on a label that is placed on the observation page of a travel document where information is relevant to the identity of the bearer and/or the purpose of their travel.

The following formats for endorsements are routinely used and are preformatted in the Passport Issuance and Control System (PICS).

Note: An observation must not be in conflict with any details on the bio-data page of the travel document.

The following position* designations are approved for use in diplomatic passports:

• Ambassador




• High Commissioner




• Deputy High Commissioner (where this designation is acceptable to the receiving country)




• Minister




• Minister-Counsellor




• Counsellor




• First Secretary




• Second Secretary




• Third Secretary




• Attache




• Consul-General




• Deputy Consul-General




• Consul




• Vice-Consul

Where required by the local Foreign Ministry the following position designations may be used:

• Counsellor and Consul-General




• First Secretary and Consul




• Second Secretary and Consul




• Third Secretary and Vice-Consul




• Attache and Vice-Consul




• Counsellor (xxxxxx)




• First Secretary (xxxxxx)




• Second Secretary (xxxxxx)




• Third Secretary (xxxxxx)




• Attache (xxxxxx)




• Where (xxxxxx) may be Defence, Immigration, Trade, Commercial, Economic, Education, Customs, Police Liaison, Medical, Administrative or 'Consular and Administrative'.

Passport staff have no authority to vary the text of an endorsement from the standards listed above.

Visa pages in travel document

Extra visa pages cannot be added to passports or travel documents.