British High Commission
Canberra

• Location: Australia
• Part of: Foreign & Commonwealth Office

The British High Commission in Australia maintains and develops relations between the UK and Australia.

We represent the British government in its relations with the Australian government and present British policies to the Australian government and to Australians. We report and explain Australian policies to the British government and support British interests as well as co-ordinating the political, economic, environmental and commercial activities of the British government.

Find out more on our UK and Australia news page. We provide services to British nationals living in and visiting Australia. You can access UK government services while in Australia.

Urgent assistance

If you urgently need consular assistance outside normal office hours you should call your nearest consulate and follow the prompts for emergency assistance.

Get an emergency travel document

You can apply for an emergency travel document if you’re abroad and your passport has been lost or stolen, damaged or expired, and you can’t get a new or replacement passport in time to travel.

Apply online for an emergency travel document

If the person needing the emergency travel document is under 16, a parent or guardian should apply on their behalf.

If you are due to travel in the next 24 hours, contact us as soon as possible.

If you are travelling in more than 3 weeks, check if you can get a new or replacement passport in time to travel.

If you are not a British citizen or have not had a British passport before

If you’re not sure, check if you’re a British citizen

If you’re not a British citizen but think you may be eligible, contact us to apply for an emergency travel document.

Once you have contacted us, you will be advised to book an appointment for an emergency travel document in:

Brisbane Canberra Melbourne Perth Sydney

Other consular services

Register a same-sex marriage

While registering same-sex marriages in all our consulates around Australia was a service we once provided, due to updates in Australian legislation and the legalisation of same-sex marriages, we no longer register same-sex marriages in British consulates in Australia.

We do however still convert civil partnerships into marriages, please see below:

Convert a civil partnership into a marriage

We can convert an existing civil partnership into marriage.

You must have been living in Australia for 28 days.

You don’t have to convert your civil partnership into a marriage in the country you formed it in.

What to bring with you:

• your original passport and your partner’s original passport

• original civil partnership certificate

• proof of residence, such as your driving licences, employer’s letters, or bank statements/utility bills

You must pay fees - see the list of fees.

See convert a civil partnership into a marriage for full details.

Book an appointment to convert a civil partnership in:

Brisbane Canberra Melbourne Perth Sydney

Bookings are by appointment only. Please don’t make formal arrangements until our staff have confirmed the date and time.

Notarial and documentary services

Our consulates around Australia are unable to carry out notarial acts under the Commissioner of Oaths Act 1889, and on instruction from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London.

This includes certifying documents as true copies of originals, administering oaths or taking affidavits. For these or other notarial acts, or the legalising of documents, please contact a notary public.

Consular fees

We charge fees for some of our services. See the list of fees.

We also provide services in:

• Brisbane
• Melbourne
• Perth
• Sydney

Our people

Her Excellency Menna Rawlings CMG

British High Commissioner to Australia

• Ingrid Southworth

  Deputy Head of Mission, British High Commission Canberra

• Michael Ward

  British Consul General and Director General UK Trade & Investment Australia and New Zealand

• Brigadier Andrew Harrison DSO MBE

  Defence Attaché, Australia

• Christopher Holtby OBE

  British Consul General, Melbourne

Contact us

British High Commission Canberra

Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

Email australia.enquiries@fco.gov.uk

Telephone: +61 (0)2 6270 6666

Fax: +61 (0)2 6273 3236

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 12.30pm/1.30pm to 5.00pm
Consular counter hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 1.00pm
Switchboard hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm

Access and opening times

British Consulate-General Sydney

Consul-General and Director General UK Trade & Investment: Mr Michael Ward
Level 16, Gateway Building, 1 Macquarie Place
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Telephone: +61 2 9247 7521

Consular counter hours:
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 1.00pm

Switchboard hours:
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm

Access and opening times

British Consulate-General Melbourne

Consul-General: Mr Chris Holtby
17th Floor, 90 Collins St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia

Telephone: +61 (0)3 9652 1600

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
Consular counter hours:
Monday to Friday 10.00am to 1.00pm
Switchboard hours:
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm

Access and opening times

British Consulate Perth

Head of Office and Senior Trade Development Manager: Mr Andrew Beveridge
Level 12
251 Adelaide Terrace
Perth WA 6000
Australia

Telephone: +61 (0)8 9224 4700

Opening Hours Mondays to Friday: 9.00am to 5.00pm
Consular counter hours: 10.00am to 1.00pm
Switchboard hours: 9.00am to 4.30pm

Access and opening times

British Consulate Brisbane

Head of Office & Head of Institutional Investment (Aus & NZ): Mr Craig O'Kane
Level 9
100 Eagle Street

Brisbane QLD 4000
Australia

Telephone: +61 (0)7 3223 3200

Opening Hours Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
Consular counter hours: 10.00am to 1.00pm
Switchboard hours: 9.30am to 4.30pm

Access and opening times

Corporate information