NOTES FOR GUIDANCE IN COMPLETING A FIJI PASSPORT APPLICATION

Please read the following instructions carefully before filling the application form.

· Passports are sent from the Fiji High Commission Canberra or the Fiji Consulate General Sydney to Department Immigration Fiji on a weekly basis for processing;

· Processing time is a minimum of 10 weeks;

· Applicants are to ensure that all the information required on the application form is completed in full and that all required documents are attached to the form.

· Processing may take longer in some cases due to the following possible reasons: - *incomplete applications; non-payment of fees; delay in transportation / handling by the courier services; delay in processing by the Department of Immigration Fiji

· The Fiji High Commission in Canberra or the Fiji Consulate General in Sydney will not be held responsible for any delay in the processing of passport applications by the Department of Immigration Fiji, or any mishandling by the courier services.

* Incomplete applications have been a cause of frustration for the applicants and create additional work for all concerned.

NUMBER OF APPLICATION FORMS

1. The applicant should submit two (2) sets of the applications forms in English, in CAPITAL LETTERS using a ballpoint black or blue pen.

INABILITY OF APPLICANT TO COMPLETE THE FORM

2. An application form for a child under 16 years of age should be completed by the parent or legal guardian.

3. An applicant who is unable to complete the form for various reasons such as a disability, illiterate, non English speaking may have the form completed by a third party who must make a statutory declaration, stating that he/she correctly completed the application form with details supplied to him/her by the applicant. This declaration should be forwarded with the application form.

ALTERATIONS OR DELETIONS

4. All alterations or deletions should be initialled by the applicant.

FEES & MODE OF PAYMENT

5. Current Schedule of Fees.

WHERE DO I SEND MY PASSPORT APPLICATION?

6. Residents of New South Wales are requested to lodge or send their applications to the Office of the Consulate General, 100 Walker Street, North Sydney 2060 NSW.

OFFICE HOURS

9.00 – 4.00 pm weekdays except on Public Holidays

7. Residents of all other States / Territories may lodge or send applications to the High Commission for the Republic of the Fiji Islands, Canberra, at PO BOX 159, DEAKIN ACT 2600.

OFFICE HOURS

PHOTOGRAPHS AND CERTIFICATES

8. Applicants must provide Three (3) passport photographs. The applicant should not be wearing any form of head gear examples hats, caps in the pictures. The reverse side of two of the photographs are to be witnessed and certified by third party using as follows:- “I certify that this photograph is a true likeness of ___________ (name of applicant)”

WHO CAN WITNESS MY PHOTOGRAPH?

9. Item 22 provides the list of acceptable witnesses for this purpose.

SECTIONS TO BE COMPLETED

10. All applicants must complete items 1 to 15, 17 and 18.

*Item 16 must be completed by either a parent or guardian only if the applicant is under (the) sixteen (16) years of age.

SIGNATURE AND THUMPRINT

11. Signature should be in the applicant’s own handwriting at item 15 and in the specimen signature box.

WHEN THE USE OF THUMBPRINT IS PERMITTED

If a person is illiterate, he/she should provide a left thumbprint at item 15 and in the two boxes below item 15. The print must clearly show the distinguishing lines of the thumb. Smudged or blurred prints are not acceptable and only blue or black stamp pad inks are to be used.

12. All applicants must provide a left thumbprint and signature in the boxes provided.

FIRST ISSUE

13.  A person applying for their first issue must submit a certified copy of the following (where applicalbe) with the application:

• Original Birth Certificate
• Marriage Certificate (If you are a married woman) (original)
• Divorce Certificate (If you are a divorced woman) (original)
• Deed Poll Papers (If you have changed your name)
• Adoption Papers (If you are an adopted child)
• Death Certificate (If widow) (original)
• FNPF/Business/Bank Card; Driving License

RENEWING AN EXPIRED PASSPORT

14. A person applying for a new passport must surrender their existing passport before a new passport will be issued. The expired passport will be returned with the new one unless it is damaged.

DAMAGED PASSPORT

15. If a passport has been damaged, the applicant must submit the following:

· damaged passport

· provide his/her Birth Certificate

· Marriage Certificate (if applicable) (original) and;

· a Statutory Declaration signed by a Notary Public/ Justice of Peace explaining the circumstances.

LOST / STOLEN PASSPORT

16.  If a passport has been lost or stolen passport, the applicant must submit the following with the application:

• Lost/stolen passports must be reported to the police. A police report/advice slip must be submitted as evidence that the incident has been reported;
• A statutory declaration signed by a Notary Public/Justice of Peace explaining the events leading to the loss/theft of the passport.

CHANGE OF NAME

17. If a person would like a change of name on their passport, the applicant must submit the following where applicable:

· original marriage certificate

· divorce papers (decree absolute)

· deed poll papers and the amended birth certificate (original) and

· the current/expired passport

PROOF OF FIJI CITIZENSHIP

18. Any person applying for a Fiji passport who is resident in Australia MUST produce a Certificate of Evidence of Residential Status (CERS) to confirm that he/she is not an Australian citizen. A CERS is documentary evidence of Australian permanent resident status provided by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and not the Fiji High Commission or the Fiji Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and not the Fiji High Commission or the Fiji Consulate General. Please visit the DIAC webiste (http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/cers/about-cers.htm) to download Form 164 and obtain information on fees and charges.

DUAL CITIZENSHIP

19. Fiji now allows for dual citizenship, please visit the Fiji Immigration website: www.immigration.gov.fj 
for further information and applications.

WITNESS

20. All passport applications must be witnessed and failure to do so will result in the application being rejected. A witness must complete item 18 on the application form.

21. The application form shall have only one witness for each section including the signature on the back of both passport sized photographs.

APPROVED CATEGORY OF PERSONS TO BE WITNESSES

22. Applications for FIJI Passports (and Certificates of Identity) from applicants in Australia must have their application forms witnessed by a registered Australian Justice of the Peace.

** The JUSTICE OF THE PEACE DOES NOT HAVE TO STATE HOW LONG THEY HAVE KNOWN THE APPLICANT.

APPLICATION FOR PASSPORTS FOR CHILDREN BORN OUTSIDE FIJI

24.  An application in respect of a child born outside of Fiji before 27 July 1998 must include:

• a  certified copy of the bio data page of Fiji passport of his/her parent as evidence of Fiji citizenship and
• a certified copy of the child's birth certificate.

25. Children born outside of the Fiji Islands on or after the 27^th July 1998 can only apply for Fiji passport if they have registered as citizens of Fiji.

If the child has not registered as a citizen, a separate citizenship application form must be completed and may be downloaded from our Immigration Department webiste at http://www.immigration.gov.fj.

An application for passport may be lodged upon approval of registration of citizenship.