British High Commission Canberra
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-21)

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. We also co-ordinate the political, economic, environmental and commercial activities of the British government.

Find out more on our UK and Australia news page (https://www.gov.uk/world/australia/news). We provide services to British nationals living in and visiting Australia. You can access UK government services while in Australia (https://www.gov.uk/world/australia).

If you’re travelling in Australia, see our Australia travel advice (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/australia).

Getting help

If you cannot get the support you need from local services, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) can help British people abroad.

We prioritise emergencies and people who are vulnerable, for example, if someone’s:
- ill, injured, or involved in a crime
- with a British person who’s died
Get help from FCDO (https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/australia/british-high-commission-canberra)

Get an emergency travel document

You can apply for an emergency travel document (https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document) if you’re abroad and your passport has been lost or stolen (https://www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport), damaged or expired, and you can’t get a new or replacement passport (https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport) in time to travel.

Apply online for an emergency travel document (https://www.gov.uk/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 travelling in more than 3 weeks, check if you can get a new or replacement passport (https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-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 (https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizen).

If you’re not a British citizen but think you may be eligible, contact us to apply for an emergency travel document (https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/australia/british-high-commission-canberra).

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 (https://www.gov.uk/convert-civil-partnership/convert-a-civil-partnership-abroad).

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
See the full list of consular fees (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/consular-services-fees).

See convert a civil partnership into a marriage (https://www.gov.uk/convert-civil-partnership/convert-a-civil-partnership-abroad) for full details.

Please use our web contact form (https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/australia/british-high-commission-canberra) to request an appointment. You can find contact details below to request an appointment in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth or 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 & Development 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 (https://www.notarylocator.com.au).

See the full list of notarial and documentary services for British people abroad (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/documents-for-british-people-abroad).

Consular fees

See the full list of consular fees (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/consular-services-fees).

We also provide services in:
- Brisbane (https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-consulate-brisbane)
- Melbourne (https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-consulate-general-melbourne)
- Perth (https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-consulate-perth)
- Sydney (https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-consulate-general-sydney)