Mum shares little-known tip for getting passport FAST

"I'm not making any promises, but this is how I got my passport in a week - with just a quick call to the passport office to make a surprising discovery."

Yes, this may be one of those stories where some people comment, "Oh I knew that." But just for a second imagine you're one of those poor sods in an interminable passport office line and my news changes your entire day, week, month - or even your year.

 

It did for me.

In April, just five weeks ago, I was offered a trip to London for work. I had three weeks' notice - and sudden desperation to renew my expired passport in a time frame that would take a miracle.

And as I now watch the long queues at passport offices, I want to share the hack that I learned that got me on that trip to London, baby!

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This mum got a trick from the passport office which meant less effort and big results. Source: Nama Winston/Instagram

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My passport renewal journey

The work trip to London involved some serious luxury aboard a cruise. As a single mum who barely even goes out at night anymore, I knew in my heart I had to get my passport renewed in time, whatever the cost - financially, or to human life.

My first stop was old school: the Post Office. But things have changed my friends.

My local Post Office did not stock passport renewal forms. They told me to go online to renew.

So I went online - and discovered there were options for a faster passport. But was mine an urgent application? Or a rapid one? Which would be the fastest - and which did I qualify for?

I needed answers IRL (in real life) because I didn't have time to mess around. So I called the passport office and what they told me was a game changer.

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Made it to London, baby! Source: Nama Winston/Instagram

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Use the online portal and pay the price

The very helpful chap in the passport office was the hero I needed. (I'll admit I got straight through; my understanding is that phone line wait times can be longer at the moment.)

He directed me to the government's Online portal for a passport renewal - where I could access a pre-filled form and submit it, (with the ridiculous fees of $308 for renewal and $250 for a rapid renewal).

You can also get the online pre-filled form sent out to you in hard copy - it only took two business days.

Then all you need to do is sign it, get a fresh passport photo at the Post Office, and hand it over (along with your life savings).

I got my brand spanking new passport three business days after submission. And again, I understand things might take longer now - but the pre-filled form makes things so much quicker and easier for the office (who can be a tad pedantic about handwritten forms).

So I bet, even now, it will be quicker and less hassle than a hand-filled form. And there's no waiting in a long queue.

Here are the conditions for an adult passport renewal - you will need a passport that:

• was issued when you were aged 16 or older
• was issued on or after 1 January 2006
• had, when it was issued, at least two years' validity
• has your current name, date of birth, place of birth and gender, and
• has not been reported lost, stolen, or cancelled.

I think these conditions could apply to most of us, because if you're like me, you figured you weren't going to pay for a renewal in the last two years because you weren't going anywhere!

This article was first published in June 2022 and updated in September 2023.

Originally published as Mum shares little-known tip for getting passport FAST