What to Do If Your Australian Passport Expires on an E-3 Visa

If your Australian passport has expired or is about to expire while you're living in the U.S. on an E-3 visa, your immigration status is not at risk. Your E-3 authorization is governed by your I-94 record, not your passport. You can continue working, and your E-3 visa stamp remains valid in your old passport until its own expiration date.

This article covers what happens to your E-3 when your passport expires, how to renew your Australian passport from the U.S., and how to re-enter the country using two passports.

Your E-3 visa remains valid in your expired passport

Your E-3 status is governed by your I-94 record, not by your passport or visa stamp. When a CBP officer admits you to the United States, they create an I-94 record with your classification (E-3) and an "admit until" date. That record is what determines how long you can stay and work. Your passport is an identity and travel document. Your visa stamp is a travel document that allows you to seek entry at a U.S. port. Neither one controls your immigration status once you are inside the country.

If your Australian passport expires while you are living in the U.S. on an E-3 visa, your status is unaffected. You can continue working for your sponsoring employer without interruption. There is no requirement to notify USCIS or your employer when your passport expires, because your E-3 status exists independently of your passport's validity.

The E-3 visa stamp in your expired passport follows the same principle. According to the Department of State, a valid visa in an expired passport can still be used for travel and admission to the United States, provided that the visa itself has not passed its own expiration date, the visa is undamaged and has not been cancelled or voided, and both passports are from the same country.

How to renew your Australian passport in the U.S.

The Australian Government operates seven diplomatic missions across the United States where you can renew your passport: the Embassy in Washington, DC, and consulates-general in New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Honolulu. Each mission serves a specific geographic jurisdiction. You must apply through the mission that covers your state of residence.

PC7 renewal by mail (straightforward renewals)

Most adult Australians renewing a current or recently expired passport can use the PC7 Australian Passport Renewal Application form, which is completed online at passports.gov.au and then printed. The PC7 is a one-page renewal form that can be lodged entirely by mail, with no appointment needed.

You are eligible for the PC7 if you are an Australian citizen aged 18 or over, your most recent passport is undamaged and was not reported lost or stolen, your name and personal details have not changed since your last passport was issued, and your appearance has not significantly changed. If your passport has already expired, you can still use the PC7 as long as it expired within the eligibility window and was not cancelled or reported lost.

To apply by mail, you need:

• Your completed PC7 form (completed online at passports.gov.au and printed)
• Your current or expired Australian passport
• Two compliant passport photos less than six months old
• A Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card number for payment authorization

Mail your application to the Australian diplomatic mission that covers your state of residence. Use a trackable mailing service (USPS Certified Mail, FedEx, or UPS) for your outbound application. Your new passport will be returned to you by FedEx.

PC8 full application (in person)

You must use the PC8 Overseas Passport Application form and apply in person if any of the following apply:

• You are applying for your first Australian passport
• You are applying for your first adult passport and your child passport was issued when you were 15 or younger
• You are replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged passport
• Your name has changed since your last passport
• Your appearance has changed significantly

PC8 applications require an in-person appointment at one of the seven missions listed above.

Fees

The standard fee for a 10-year adult Australian passport is AUD $422 (as of January 2026). When renewing overseas, an additional overseas processing surcharge of AUD $189 applies, bringing the total to AUD $611 (approximately USD $435 as of February 2026, subject to exchange rate fluctuations). Fees may be charged in Australian or U.S. dollars depending on the mission and whether you apply in person or by mail. Check usa.embassy.gov.au/passport-fees for the current fee schedule.

Processing time

Allow at least six weeks from when your application is lodged and accepted. This is the standard timeframe for overseas applications and includes processing by the Australian Passport Office in Australia and return delivery. Priority processing (two-day and five-day turnaround) is not available for applications lodged overseas. If you need to travel urgently while your renewal is pending, contact the nearest Australian diplomatic mission about an emergency passport, which is a separate, temporary travel document.

Passport photos

Your application requires two passport photos less than six months old. Australian passport photos have specific requirements that differ from U.S. passport photos: the minimum dimensions are 35mm x 45mm, compared to the standard 2" x 2" (51mm x 51mm) U.S. format. The Australian Embassy in the U.S. does accept untrimmed 2" x 2" photos if the image within meets Australian specifications, including correct head size and positioning.

You can get photos taken at CVS, Walgreens, or UPS Store locations, but make sure to tell them you need Australian passport photos, not U.S. ones. Review the full photo specifications at passports.gov.au/help/passport-photos before your appointment to avoid having your application returned for non-compliant photos.

Entering the U.S. with two passports

Once your new Australian passport arrives, you will travel with both passports when re-entering the United States: your new valid passport and your old expired passport containing the E-3 visa stamp.

This is standard U.S. entry procedure. The Department of State confirms that travelers can use a valid visa in an expired passport for admission to the United States, provided three conditions are met: the visa has not passed its own expiration date, the visa is undamaged, and both passports are from the same country and the same type.

What happens at the port of entry

When you arrive at a U.S. airport or land border, present both passports to the CBP officer. The officer checks your E-3 visa stamp in your expired passport. If admitted, the officer stamps your new passport with an admission stamp and adds the annotation "VIOPP," meaning "Visa In Other Passport." Your I-94 record is updated with your new passport details.

The VIOPP annotation is the official record that your admission was based on a visa in a different passport. Keep both passports together in your travel documents until your E-3 visa stamp in the old passport expires and you obtain a new visa in your current passport.

At the airline check-in counter, present both passports as well. Airlines verify travel documents before boarding, and they need to see both your valid passport and your valid E-3 visa stamp.

The visa is physically embedded in the passport page and cannot be transferred to a new passport.

Do you need to transfer your E-3 visa to your new passport?

There is no process to transfer a U.S. visa from one passport to another. Visas are physical stamps bound into a specific passport, and no U.S. government agency offers a transfer or re-issuance into a new passport.

Your E-3 visa stamp remains valid in your old passport until its printed expiration date. You can continue using it for U.S. entry by presenting both passports, as described above.

When the E-3 visa stamp itself expires, that is when you need to apply for a new E-3 visa. This requires a new Labor Condition Application (LCA) certified by your employer through the Department of Labor, a completed DS-160 visa application form, and a visa interview at an Australian consulate (Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth). A $250 Visa Integrity Fee, enacted on July 4, 2025, will also apply to all new nonimmigrant visa issuances. As of early 2026, the State Department has not yet begun collecting this fee. Check the current status before your appointment. This is in addition to the standard $315 MRV application fee.Your new E-3 visa will be stamped into your current passport.

This is a completely separate process from renewing your Australian passport. The two renewals are independent: your passport renewal happens through the Australian Government, and your E-3 visa renewal happens through the U.S. Department of State. The practical sequence for most E-3 holders is to sort out your passport renewal first if it is expiring, continue using your valid E-3 visa stamp in your old passport for re-entry, and then plan your E-3 visa renewal when the visa stamp itself approaches its expiration date.

Frequently asked questions