Australian travellers may soon be able to both apply for or renew their passports without having to schlep it to the post office.
A post office source confirmed to Ben Fordham Live on 2GB that some big changes are coming to the passport application process.
At the moment, adult passports can be applied for or renewed by visiting a post office – however the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it is now working on a fully digital option.
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Fordham was tipped off by a listener who visited a Port Stephens post office branch and was told a 100 per cent online process would soon be available.
Australia Post licensee Angela Cramp told Fordham this digital option has been “coming for a while”.
“I think if they had any capacity, it would have already been here two years ago. Renewals are online a lot these days, unless people are not able or don’t have a grandchild to do it for them” Cramp said.
“Full [online] applications are supposedly six to 12 months away, but eventually it will happen.”
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Australian passports can be renewed online but if you are applying for a new passport, you still need to lodge the application in person at the post office.
Very few passport renewals are done entirely online at the moment, Cramp explained.
“Most people do want to come and make sure that their passport is lodged at a post office and we check all the documents for them,” she said.
DFAT told Fordham that Australians will still be able to apply for a passport by visiting an Australia Post Office branch once the online tool is available.
Australia Post declined to comment on the upcoming change.
9news.com.au has reached out to DFAT for comment.
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