Entry to Australia on an expired Passport

Saffron may be expensive at $20 a gram – but Australian Passports are not far off in the value stakes, so it makes sense to extract as much value as you can out of one before renewal. Most frequent travellers would be well aware of the 6 month validity before expiry requirement many countries have, though it still catches out the odd traveller. It seems for many countries, you won’t get 10 years out of your passport fee regardless.

But what about travelling on two passports, with your Australian expiring during the journey

just realised our five year old son’s Australian passport will expire whilst we are in the UK. He has both a UK and Australian passport….My thoughts are, depart Australia on Aus passport, enter and leave UK on UK passport, arrive back into Australia on expired Aus passport (with UK as back up) I know UK passport holders can enter UK on expired UK passport, but can’t find anything allowing Aussies to enter Aus on expired Aus passport.

This question bought up some interesting responses. Under Australian under law, an Australian can’t be issued with a Visa for Australia. This makes the British Passport unsuitable for entry

Australian passports don’t come cheap and I understand wanting to delay its renewal for as long as possible but I second getting a replacement. Being an Australian citizen your son will be allowed entry into Australia but with an expired Australian passport there will be delays and fiddling around.

He won’t be able to enter on the UK passport – a visa cannot be granted to an Australian citizen.

Australian entry requirements include requiring a valid passport, so it’s possible that an airline may even refuse to fly the holder home. Others point out should travel home be allowed by the airline, there could be a long wait at customs (appearance on the TV Border Security Show optional).

Would you risk travelling on a passport that’s expired to save some money? Have your say HERE.

Staff Writers