Nepali citizens living in Australia renew their passport through the Embassy of Nepal in Canberra. You first complete the online ePassport form, then attend the Embassy with your original documents for verification and biometrics.
Check before you apply. Passport procedures, required documents, fees, appointment release times and processing times can change. This guide was reviewed on 22 July 2026. Always confirm the latest instructions on the Embassy's passport page before submitting an application or travelling to Canberra.
The process at a glance
- Check which application type you need.
- Prepare digital copies of your documents.
- Complete the online ePassport application.
- Choose the Embassy of Nepal in Canberra and book an appointment.
- Download and print the completed form.
- Attend the Embassy with your originals.
- Pay the fee and complete biometrics.
- Track the application while your passport is processed.
- Collect the passport yourself, authorise someone else, or request delivery by post.
1. Choose the correct application type
You can normally renew a passport when it has less than one year of validity remaining. Choose the option that matches your situation:
- Renewal: you already have a machine-readable passport or ePassport.
- First Issuance: for a newborn, a first machine-readable passport, or if you previously held only a handwritten passport.
- Replacement – Lost or Stolen: your passport has been lost or stolen.
- Replacement – Damaged: your passport has been damaged.
When applying from Australia, select the Embassy of Nepal in Canberra as your application location.
The Embassy states that a passport will not be issued to a person holding an Australian Protection Visa. If this affects you, contact the Embassy before applying.
2. Prepare your documents
For a normal adult renewal, prepare clear digital copies of:
- The front and back of your Nepali citizenship certificate.
- The photo page of your current passport.
- Page 31 of your current passport.
- Your valid Australian visa.
- Any extra document requested for your application category.
The Embassy says uploads should normally be JPEG, JPG or PNG, with each file 300 KB or smaller. Avoid blurry, cropped, dark or unreadable images.
You will also need these for your appointment:
- The printed pre-enrolment application form.
- Your original current Nepali passport.
- Your original Nepali citizenship certificate.
- A colour copy of the citizenship certificate as a backup.
- A copy or other evidence of your valid Australian visa.
- A payment card.
- Any additional documents requested by the portal or Embassy.
Bring every original document you have. If you do not have the original citizenship certificate, the Embassy may accept a clear colour copy, but verification with the issuing authority in Nepal can delay the application. See the Embassy's document checklist for your exact application type.
3. Complete the online application
Use the official Nepal ePassport application portal. You can also reach it through the Department of Passports website.
On the portal:
- Select Apply for Passport.
- Choose Renewal for a normal renewal.
- Select Ordinary Passport.
- Choose the page count offered by the system.
- Read the declaration, select I Agree, and continue.
- In the appointment section, select Other and then NE, Canberra.
- Choose an available date and time. Check that it is not an Embassy holiday.
When appointments open
The Embassy website currently gives conflicting release times. One page says appointments may open at about 4:45–5:00 pm Canberra time on working days; another says 10:00 am Canberra time, usually for a date about one month later. Places can fill quickly, so check the live portal at both times and read the latest Embassy notices.
4. Fill in the form carefully
Complete the personal, citizenship, passport, address, contact and emergency contact sections. Fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory. A National Identity Number (NIN) is not compulsory for an application through Canberra.
Use these form-filling rules:
- Enter your name exactly as it appears on your Nepali citizenship certificate.
- Do not add titles such as Mr, Mrs, Ms or Dr.
- Put any middle name in the given-name field and your surname in the surname field.
- Enter your citizenship number without dashes, slashes or unnecessary symbols.
- For a place of birth or passport issue location outside Nepal, select Other, then choose Australia or the relevant country.
- Use an email address and phone number you check regularly. Correction, rejection and status messages may be sent to them.
Applicants under 16 normally use their Minor Identity Certificate number. For an Australian-born child without one, the Embassy says the birth certificate number may be entered.
5. Upload, review and print
In the upload section, choose Major for an applicant aged 16 or older, or Minor for someone younger than 16. Upload every requested document and make sure each one is readable.
Before submitting, check:
- Your given, middle and family names.
- Date and place of birth.
- Citizenship number, issue date and issue district.
- Current passport number.
- Parents' names.
- Address, email and phone number.
- Appointment location, date and time.
Submit the application, record the request number, select Finish, and download the PDF. Save a digital copy and print it on A4 paper. The barcode on the pre-enrolment form is your application reference number.
Minor mistakes may sometimes be corrected at the Embassy before final biometric approval. After your photograph, details and application are finally approved, a correction may require cancellation and another fee—so check everything again before approving it.
6. Attend the Embassy appointment
The Embassy's published address is:
Embassy of Nepal
22 Kareelah Vista
O'Malley ACT 2606
Canberra, Australia
Published consular hours are generally Monday to Friday, 9:00 am–1:00 pm. The Embassy closes on public and official Embassy holidays. Missing your appointment may mean booking a new one.
Officials will check your original documents, review the application, take your photograph, collect fingerprints where required, and collect your signature. Applicants aged five and older normally attend in person for biometrics.
Before giving final approval, check your name, birth details, citizenship and passport numbers, and parents' names one last time.
7. Pay the passport fee
The Embassy's published fees at the time of review are:
| Application | 34 pages | 66 pages |
|---|---|---|
| Normal adult passport | AUD $230 | AUD $310 |
| Adult lost, stolen or damaged passport | AUD $345 | AUD $460 |
| Child under 10—new passport or renewal | AUD $115 | AUD $155 |
| Child under 10—lost, stolen or damaged | AUD $175 | AUD $230 |
Payment is normally made at the Embassy. EFTPOS is available with a published 1.10% surcharge; the Embassy does not currently offer online passport-fee payments. Confirm the amount on the official passport fee page before your visit.
8. Processing and tracking
The Embassy says processing normally takes about two months from the date of biometrics and generally does not provide updates before that period has passed. Apply well before any planned international travel.
You can track the application through the Nepal ePassport mobile app using the barcode number from the pre-enrolment form. Status messages can be confusing:
- Ready for Shipment usually means the passport is being prepared for shipment from Kathmandu to Canberra. It is not necessarily ready to collect.
- Passport has been issued is treated by the Embassy as ready for collection.
You may also receive an email from the Department of Passports or Embassy, or a text message to the number in your application. See the Embassy's tracking guidance.
9. Collect your new passport
Once it has been issued, choose one of these methods.
Collect it yourself
Visit the Embassy with your original old passport. For a child, take the birth certificate or minor identity documents requested by the Embassy.
Authorise another person
Email [email protected] to authorise the person. They must bring your original old passport and, for a minor, any documents requested by the Embassy.
Receive it by post
Send the Embassy:
- Your original old passport.
- A self-addressed, prepaid and trackable return envelope.
- A copy of the birth certificate if the passport is for a baby.
Use this postal address:
Embassy of Nepal
PO Box 1070
Mawson ACT 2607
Australia
Keep both the outgoing and return tracking numbers. The Embassy says postal collection may add about two weeks after it receives the documents and does not accept responsibility for lost or undelivered post. For a passport replacing a lost one, send the available old-passport copy and Embassy payment receipt instead of the original. Confirm the current process on the passport collection page.
Applications for children
Children under five
Children younger than five normally do not attend for biometrics. Their pre-enrolment form may use another available application location, then the documents can be delivered or posted to Canberra without waiting for the appointment date.
The normal documents are:
- Signed pre-enrolment form.
- Minor Identity Certificate, if available.
- Birth registration certificate for a first passport.
- Colour copy of the parents' marriage registration certificate.
- Colour copies of both parents' Nepali citizenship certificates.
- Copies of both parents' valid Australian visas.
- Two recent passport photographs.
- A money order or bank cheque payable to Embassy of Nepal, Canberra when applying by post.
Photos should normally be 35 × 45 mm, high resolution and borderless, with a white background and about 70% face coverage. The child should not have tika on their forehead.
For a child's postal application, do not send original passports, original citizenship certificates, cash or the return envelope. The Embassy advises sending the return envelope only after it confirms the new passport has been issued. Read the full under-five instructions first.
Children aged five to fifteen
Children aged five and older normally attend for biometrics. Prepare:
- Colour copy of the Nepali Minor Identity Certificate.
- Current passport photo page, page 3 and page 31.
- Copy of the child's valid Australian visa.
- Copies of both parents' citizenship certificates.
- Parents' marriage registration certificate.
- Printed online application form.
If the child does not have a Nepali Minor Identity Certificate, the Embassy may accept a birth certificate but may issue only a temporary passport valid for two years. Confirm the child's exact documents using the official checklist.
Lost, stolen or damaged passports
For a lost or stolen passport, choose Replacement – Lost or Stolen and prepare:
- A colour copy of your citizenship certificate.
- Any available copy of the old passport's photo page, page 3 and page 31.
- A copy of your valid Australian visa.
- A signed letter explaining the loss.
- The Australian police report number.
- Your printed application form.
Do not travel on a passport that has been officially reported lost or stolen, even if you later find it.
For a damaged passport, choose Replacement – Damaged and take your citizenship certificate, a backup colour copy, the printed form, the original damaged passport and a copy of your valid Australian visa. The higher replacement fee applies in both cases.
Urgent situations
The Embassy describes an urgent process for applicants whose passport is expired, lost or damaged, who have another genuine urgent reason, or who cannot obtain a normal Canberra appointment. It says the applicant may complete the pre-enrolment form using the Department of Passports in Kathmandu or another available location, then attend Canberra for biometrics between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on a working day.
Except for lost or damaged passports, one with more than six months remaining is generally not treated as urgent. Contact the Embassy before relying on this process.
Official contacts
- Passport instructions: Embassy of Nepal in Canberra
- Online application: Nepal ePassport portal
- Department of Passports: nepalpassport.gov.np
- Consular email: [email protected]
- Telephone: 02 6286 8006
This guide is general information, not official or legal advice. Follow the Embassy's current instructions for your circumstances.