Written on 22^nd November 2017

Discontinuation of Australian frequent traveller passport

The government is discontinuing the 66-page frequent traveller passport.  Demand has fallen sharply, as more countries issue electronic visas and stop using border stamps.

People who regularly travelled overseas could apply for a Frequent Traveller passport. Frequent Traveller passports look exactly like the Ordinary passport but have 66 (as opposed to 34) visa pages.

The existing 66-page passports will remain valid until they expire but you won’t be able to apply for a new one after 30th November 2017.

You’ll have to get a standard 34-page passport instead.  You can pay the full fee and get 10 years’ validity.  Or if your passport has filled up but won’t expire for more than two years, you can pay less for a 34-page ‘replacement passport’ that covers the remaining validity of your old passport.

Until 31st December 2017, the fee for a 34-page passport with 10 years’ validity is $277.  The fee for a 34-page replacement passport (with the same expiry date as your old passport) is $175.

If you are overseas, you can apply for a replacement passport at your nearest Australian diplomatic mission from 1 December 2017.  If you are in Australia and require a replacement passport, you will be able to use the government’s online application.

Source: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade