All documents that are not in English must be accompanied by an approved translation. You must also provide the original foreign language document.
Special note re translations performed on non-original documents: If your translator is working from a copy of your document (e.g. you emailed your document to the translator), your translator should provide a copy of the document he/she worked from. Ask your translator to bind this to the original translation and/or stamp it with the translator's stamp. This allows us to compare the translator's copy to the original document you present at your interview.
Translations in the United States must be performed by a translator from the American Translators Association (ATA) who is certified by the ATA to translate into English from the language on your documents. For example, if your document is in French, you must use an ATA translator who is certified by the ATA to translate from French into English.
Not all ATA members are ATA-certified so please check your translator is ATA-certified in the specific language combination you require. You can find an ATA-certified translator in the ATA online directory by selecting the option to display only translators who are certified in the language combination you require.
Once your translation has been accepted by the passport office, it will be stamped and certified as an approved translation. You can then use the same translation to apply for an Australian passport in other countries in the future.
The ATA provides certified translators into English from the following languages: Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, French, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. If you require translations from a different language, you should obtain one from a NAATI-accredited translator in Australia (see below).
Please note that we do not accept translations from companies who have corporate or institutional membership of the ATA, unless the individual translator who performed the translation is also ATA-certified to perform translations into English from the language on your documents.
Translations in Australia must be performed by a translator who is accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). Visit the NAATI website to find a translator.
Translations from a country other than Australia or the United States must be performed by a translator approved by the Australian embassy/consulate in the country where the translation is performed. For example, a translation performed in Mexico must be done by a translator who is approved by the Australian Embassy in Mexico City. Please contact the Australian embassy or consulate in that country directly for a list of their approved translators.
Once the translation has been performed by an approved translator, you must send the original translation to the Australian embassy or consulate in the country where the translation was performed so that it can be stamped and certified as an approved translation. For example, if your translation was performed in Chile, the original translation must be certified by the Australian Embassy in Chile. If the translation does not include a copy of the foreign language that was translated, you should include this. Once your translation has been stamped and certified as an approved translation, it can be used in any country as part of your passport application.
If you do not have a translation certified by the Australian embassy or consulate in the country where the translation was prepared, you must obtain a new translation from an ATA-certified translator in the United States or NAATI translator in Australia.
Only translations that meet the above requirements can be accepted. This is the case even if non-approved translations were accepted for applications you lodged in the past.