Getting a passport is more complex than it used to be; these days, obtaining a Nepalese e-passport in Australia is quite different. Please let me know before you initiate.
Handwritten passports are being replaced with machine-readable passports due to security concerns. More than 120 nations have now granted e-passports. Let’s examine the process for obtaining e-passports for Nepalese in Australia.
What is an e-passport?
An E-passport is an international travel document with identity details and a chip to store a person’s biometric information. According to the Passport Department, E-passports in Nepal are the third generation of passports.
When would Nepalese in Australia need to apply for an e-passport?
Australia is one of the significant educational destinations for Nepali students. The Australian Nepali population is growing. Australia is the most preferred destination not just for studies but for employment opportunities too. However, due to various circumstances, Nepalese living in Australia may have to renew their passport, and coming back to Nepal and getting passport things done is a cumbersome and wallet-burning act. Thanks to the Nepal government for launching e-passports, Nepalese people in Australia can now get a passport from an online portal. This has eased both governments and the Nepalese in Australia.
Read Also: How do I renew a Nepali passport in Australia?
What things do you need to consider?
- The Purpose
The sole purpose is to get the “Passport”, but what issue brought you to apply for it? You can apply for the e-passport for First Issuance( for newborns or renewal of a handwritten passport, Renewal(renewing the passport), Replacement (Lost/Stolen), or Replacement (Damaged).
- The sites
It indicates where you should look for guidelines. Basically, https://au.nepalembassy.gov.np/passport/ or https://nepalpassport.gov.np/ are the sites that can help you out.
- The documents
- jpeg/png in a given format, and the size should not exceed 400kb
- Original citizenship certificate or its copy (preferably a colour copy)
- A signed authorisation letter addressed to the Embassy
- A copy of the applicant’s passport/birth registration certificate
- A copy of the authorised person’s ID
- The previous passport
- Money Order or Bank Check made in the name of ‘Embassy of Nepal, Canberra’
- Processing time
It can take approximately two months to process the application.
- Date of Appointment
- Visit the Embassy on your scheduled date and time. If you miss the date, you must reschedule a new appointment.
- Never the date of appointment falls on a Weekend/Public holiday.
- For the appointment, visit the Embassy in person on the allocated date and time for live enrollment.
- Postal and address
Please send your required documents to the Embassy of Nepal, P O Box -1070, and Mawson, ACT 2607.
Steps to apply for an e-passport for adults
PRE-ENROLLMENT
1) Go to the link https://emrtds.nepalpassport.gov.np/
2) Click on apply for passport option.
3) Select the type of application: First Issuance, Renewal, Replacement (Lost/Stolen), or Replacement (Damaged).
4) Select Ordinary 34 Pages and click on Proceed.
5) Click on I Agree.
6) Select Other for Appointment Country.
7) Select NE, Canberra, for the Appointment Location.
8) Select the suitable appointment date and time, then click Next.
9) Provide accurate details on demographic information, citizenship information, and the applicant’s contact details in case of emergency.
10) Click Next and upload the required documents in a given format.
11) Click on Next/
12) Double-check all the details in the Application Summary and edit if necessary.
13) Click on Save.
14) Note your Request Number and click on Finish.
15) Click on Download PDF.
16) Print the downloaded form and bring it to the Embassy on the appointment day.
BIOMETRICS
The applicant must visit the Canberra Embassy and provide their fingerprint, photograph, and signature.
PROCESSING
If you are applying for a Nepalese Passport from Australia, the Nepalese Embassy of Canberra will keep the processing status the same. Nepal Embassy Australia says, “We cannot provide any updates”, but you can check your passport progress using the ‘Nepal e-passport App. Generally, your Nepali passport application takes two months to process.
THE READY STATUS
You can check the status via the Embassy’s website. If your name is on the website or you receive an SMS on your Nepali mobile number, you can collect your passport personally or via your designated person. You can track your passport status using the ‘Nepal ePassport app. While your status shows “Your passport has been issued”, you will get emails from the Nepal Embassy in Canberra and the Department of Passport, Nepal. Then, you can contact the embassy or follow the process to collect your Nepalese passport. You can send someone to collect your passport too.
COLLECTING PASSPORT FROM CANBERRA NEPALESE EMBASSY
Nepal Embassy Canberra offers a couple of ways to collect your passport once it is ready. Not necessarily do you have to travel to Canberra to get your passport from other Australian states such as Tasmania and Queensland. You can collect your new passport from the Nepal Embassy in Canberra in the following ways:
1) By visiting the Nepal Embassy, Canberra, yourself with your original old passport. If you are applying for your kid, take your baby’s birth certificate.
2) You can authorise someone to collect your Nepalese Passport from the Nepal Embassy in Canberra; for this, you need to email the Embassy at consular.canberra@mofa.gov.np to inform the embassy about it. You also need to send your kid your old passport or birth certificate with them.
3) You can receive your new Nepali passport through the Australian postal system if you need help to collect your passport through the ways mentioned above. Please send your original old passport (copy of birth certificate if you are applying for a Nepali passport for your baby) along with a self-addressed return mail envelope. When you send one trackable return envelope with your full address on the receiver side, the embassy will send your passport using that envelope.
You need to keep both tracking numbers with you once. You send the old passport to the embassy as a pre-paid return envelope, and the embassy will send you the passport. Please remember, if you renew your lost passport, you must send a copy of the old passport and receipt.
To learn more about How to get a Nepalese e-Passport in Australia, visit https://au.nepalembassy.gov.np/passport/.
