An Australian passport is a travel document issued by the Commonwealth of Australia to individuals holding any form of Australian nationality. It grants the bearer international passage in accordance with visa requirements and serves as both a form of identification and proof of Australian citizenship. It also facilitates access to consular assistance from Australian embassies around the world. Passports are issued in accordance with the Australian Passports Act 2005 by the Australian Passport Office, an agency of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). As of July 2023, Australian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 186 countries and territories, ranking the passport sixth in the world for travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
The polycarbonate photo page of a current R series Australian passport
Image: Australian Passport Cover of P Series
Data and observation page of current R series Australian passport
Australian nationality law
Australian nationality law details the conditions by which a person is a national of Australia. The primary law governing nationality regulations is the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, which came into force on 1 July 2007 and is applicable in all states and territories of Australia.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Andrew Metcalfe with a new citizen at a 2011 citizenship ceremony