The Australian Passports Act 2005 provides that certain decisions made by the Australian Passport Office are reviewable. If we make a reviewable decision and you do not agree with it, you have the right to request that the decision be reviewed. If you ask for a review, we will appoint someone who had no part in the original decision to examine all the facts. The reviewer may affirm the original decision, vary the decision, or set it aside and make a new decision in its place. We will notify you of the outcome of the review as soon as possible.
The following decisions are reviewable:
- a decision to issue an Australian travel document (other than a decision to issue an Australian travel document to a child or a decision to issue a travel-related document under paragraph 9(1A)(b) of the Act)
- a decision to refuse to issue an Australian travel document (except in certain circumstances related to children under subsection 11(3) of the Act or Australian law enforcement matters under subsection 12(2) of the Act)
- a decision to cancel an Australian travel document
- a decision to refuse to process an application for an Australian travel document if we suspect there has been fraud or dishonesty in the application
- a decision to demand the surrender of an Australian travel document because it has been cancelled or is invalid (except when suspended or cancelled as a result of a competent authority request or seized by Customs officers as a suspicious document)
- a decision to refuse a name or signature as unacceptable, inappropriate or offensive
- a decision not to waive an application fee
- a decision not to refund, or to refund part of, an application fee
- a decision made as a result of an internal review.
Requesting a review of a decision
If you do not agree with the reviewer's decision, you can apply to have it further reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). In instances where a reviewable decision is taken personally by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, any request for a review should be made directly to the ART.
To seek an internal review of a decision, you must write to us within 28 days of receiving advice of the decision setting out the reasons why you are seeking a review. There is no fee for lodging a request for internal review.
Address your request to:
APO Reviews
Australian Passport Office
RG Casey Building
John McEwen Crescent
BARTON ACT 0221
Or email to: APO.Reviews@dfat.gov.au