For Chinese citizens in Australia who have never held a passport. Identity has to be confirmed with authorities in China, so the timeline is open-ended.
Where to apply in Australia
Embassy consular hall in Canberra (15 Coronation Drive, Yarralumla ACT; ACT and NT) and the Consulates-General in Sydney (NSW), Melbourne (VIC and TAS), Brisbane (QLD), Perth (WA) and Adelaide (SA). Apply at the post that covers the state where you live.
Contact details for every office are on the page of the embassy and consulates of China.
How to apply
Fill in the application online in the 'China Consular Affairs' app (中国领事 APP) and upload the photo, signed declaration, handwritten signature, passport page, return-envelope photo, credit-card payment form and return-mail form, then attend the post in person to lodge it. Collect and pay with the collection slip (in person or through someone you authorise). No postal or agent lodgement.
Documents you need
- Online form in the China Consular Affairs app
- Recent white-background colour photo
- Signed declaration
- Handwritten signature in standard Chinese characters
- Return envelope
- Credit card payment form
- Return-mail form
Fees and processing time
- Official fee: AUD 25
Processing time: Not fixed: identity must first be verified in China.
Good to know
Fee table on the embassy site is dated 10 July 2017; a notice dated 30 June 2019 lowered ordinary passport and travel document fees to AUD 25. 'Apply once' measures (2025-06-09): only one face-to-face visit is needed; non-essential missing papers can be sent later by email or post. Humanitarian 'green channel' for urgent travel (funerals, serious illness). China does not recognise dual nationality: anyone who has voluntarily acquired Australian citizenship loses Chinese nationality and cannot hold a Chinese passport.
Official sources
- au.china-embassy.gov.cn/chn/lsfw/hzlxz/blhzlxzxz/201309/t20130927_9…
- au.china-embassy.gov.cn/chn/lsfw/zjsf/HLSF/201502/t20150206_985006.htm
- au.china-embassy.gov.cn/chn/lsfw/hzlxz/c1/201906/t20190630_983941.htm
Check before you apply
This page summarises information published by China's official channels, last checked on 25 octubre 2026. Fees and requirements can change at short notice, so confirm with the office that will handle your case.
Spotted a change? Let us know.
More services of China in Australia
- Life certificate for Chinese pensions
- Notarial services for Chinese citizens
- Ordinary passport renewal
- Passport for children under 16 (including newborns in Australia)
- Replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged passport
- Travel document for children born abroad or of mixed-nationality parents
- Visa application by post
- Visa for China (ordinary passports)