Consulates also recommend that you carry an expired passport or an official copy of your birth certificates in a part of your baggage separate from other documents. To expedite its replacement, you will need to know all information previously recorded and show identification and proof of citizenship. In some cases, a replacement may take weeks to process, and it may be valid only for a limited time. Any visas stamped in your old passport will be irretrievably lost. All applications for new passports or renewals should be filed well in advance of your planned departure date - remember you are relying on government agencies to complete these transactions.
Most passport offices offer rush services for extra charge.
Citizens residing abroad who need a passport or renewal should contact their nearest embassy or consulate. Citizens must apply for a passport in person at a post office, or at an Australian diplomatic mission overseas. Application forms are available at passport offices, main post offices and many travel agents. Apply by mail or in person to one of the passport offices located in London, Liverpool, Newport, Peterborough, Glasgow or Belfast. Citizens may apply for a passport at any federal or state courthouse or post office authorized to accept passport applications, or at a US Passport Agency - located in most major cities.