Although the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) will not register an overseas marriage, divorce or death of a spouse, subject to meeting state or territory minimum residency requirements, a client may however register with RBDM authorities a change of name resulting from an overseas marriage, divorce or death of a spouse.

A clear link must be established between the applicant’s Australian citizenship name and the name to appear in their Australian passport. The most recent change of name should (where possible) be supported by documentation issued by a foreign government authority that would be responsible for the issue of such documentation in Australia i.e. a RBDM or court.

Any previous name changes should be supported by documentation where it is necessary to establish a link between the base name and the name to appear in the passport but this does not necessarily have to be from a foreign government equivalent of an Australian RBDM or court.

Requirements to be met

Documents that are the overseas equivalent to an Australian marriage certificate, change of name certificate, death certificate or Decree Nisi (divorce papers) issued by an appropriate foreign government authority may be used as evidence of a change of name to support the name to appear in an Australian passport if:

• the applicant was born overseas; and


• the applicant normally resides overseas; and


• cannot obtain a change of name certificate from an Australian RBDM; and


• the application is lodged overseas.

In addition to the overseas document/s supplied to evidence a change of name, the adult applicant should provide:

• an English translation of foreign language document/s (see ‘ Foreign language documents - translations ’), and


• Proof of Identity documents (PIDS) showing their normal place of residence (see ‘ Personal Identity Documents (PIDS) ’), and


• PIDS showing the name they want to appear in the passport, and


• English translation (by post is acceptable) of foreign language PIDS where appropriate.