Consular Guides for Foreign Residents in Australia

Information about UK, US, Irish, South African and New Zealand consulates in Australia, which provide services for citizens in need, including replacement of lost or stolen passports and help and advice in difficult situations...

Citizens of the USA, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand living in Australia can access information from the consular sections of their relevant Embassies or High Commissions.

Click on the appropriate link below to access the home page of each of the relevant Embassies in Australia.

American Citizens

The US Citizens Service consular section provides passport services, registration of births, information on visas, federal benefits, notary services and voting information, as well as emergency assistance to American citizens in distress. Their website has information on living and travelling in Australia, legal and money matters and an emergencies and medical section.

US citizens resident in Australia are eligible to vote in American primary, run-off, special and general elections.

  • More information for US voters overseas is available from the Federal Voting Assistance Program

US citizens living or travelling abroad are encouraged to register with their nearest Embassy or Consulate in order to receive up-to-date travel and security information and to make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of an emergency.

  • Registration can be done online via the Smart Traveller enrollment program

UK Citizens

The British High Commission Canberra has up-to-date news on matters relating to Australian-British relations, as well as much information on trade and investment between Australia and the UK.

Consulates

British consulates and honorary consulates are located in Melbourne, Hobart, Perth, Darwin, Alice Springs, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Cairns.

The British High Commission in Canberra provides many consular services to British citizens in Australia. These include:

  • Registering births and deaths and issuing certified copies of certificates
  • Certifying documents
  • Providing information about transferring funds
  • Providing help for those who are victims of crime or in hospital
  • Providing contact details of lawyers

The British High Commission Canberra website has a section on living in Australia, with information on civil partnerships, getting married, retiring in Australia and travel advice.

Passports

There are many factors involved in renewal of a UK passport in Australia, including age, parentage and gender.  Procedures will vary, but full details can be found on the GOV.UK passport application tool.

Irish Citizens

The Embassy of Ireland in Australia provides help and advice in emergency situations to Irish citizens resident or travelling in Australia, and is also accredited to New Zealand and Fiji. The website provides travel advice and information on travel between Ireland and Australia.

  • Embassy of Ireland
    At    : 20 Arkana Street, Yarralumla ACT 2600
    Tel: 02 6214 0000
    Fax: 02 6273 3741

Services provided by the Irish Embassy include:

  • Passport services
  • Visa services
  • Authentication of documents
  • Emergency assistance

New Zealand Citizens

The New Zealand High Commission can provide help to resident and travelling New Zealanders in Australia in the event of an emergency. It can also issue emergency travel documents and provide some legal and notary services. Their website has information on buying property, tax issues, health entitlements, driving and banking in Australia.

South African Citizens

The South African High Commission can provide consular services to South African citizens living in or travelling to Australia; these include registration of birth, issuing letters of no impediment and providing help in the event of an emergency. The High Commission is also accredited on a non-resident basis to Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru and Vanuatu, Niue, Tuvalu, Palau, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Tokelau and the Soloman Islands.