Renewing your expired Indian passport

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Meera's Indian passport expired five months ago, and she's now ready to renew it through VFS. She has filled in the personal particulars form and thinks that's all she needs.

Renewing an expired passport can involve more than one form. Let's go through the requirements.

VFS links and resources — Updated July 2026. Links in this article have been updated to the resources listed in our July 2026 VFS update and the VFS India website for Australia. Use the relevant VFS checklist for current requirements. This note concerns links and resources; the rest of this article has not been comprehensively reviewed.

Has your Indian passport expired?

If your Indian passport has expired and you are intending to renew it/apply for a new passport, you must submit your application to VFS. There are a number of requirements for the new passport application, and you must ensure that you satisfy all of the requirements otherwise your application will be rejected.

For more information, have a look at the "New Passport (on expiry of Passport) Checklist" available from the VFS website.

As part of your application, you must also complete "Personal Particulars" form, which does not require notarisation as well as the following other documents:

• IF your passport expired more than ONE month, then you must also submit FORM I, which requires notarisation if you live in New South Wales. If the application is on behalf of a child, then this form must be signed by both parents.
• IF your signature has changed, you must provide a statutory declaration confirming that you have changed your signature and provide a sample of that new signature. If you live in New South Wales, then that statutory declaration must be notarised.
• IF your appearance has changed, you must also submit FORM J, which requires notarisation if you live in New South Wales.
• IF your address has changed, you must also submit a copy of your utility bill with the new address and if you live in New South Wales, that bill must be notarised.

How can we help you?

If you live in New South Wales, then many of the documents that you must submit to VFS must be notarised. 

This means that if your document is something that you must sign (like Form I, Form J or the statutory declaration), then those documents must be signed in front of a notary public. If your document is something that you must certify (like your passport, or your utility bill), then those documents must be certified by a notary public.

We help many clients to satisfy their requirements with VFS, including to renew their expired passport. We can witness their signature on Form I, Form J or the statutory declaration and notarise those documents, and we can certify copies of their passport and utility bills as required.

Example: the solution

Meera checked the VFS checklist and saw that her passport had expired more than one month ago, so she also needed Form I. She signed Form I in front of our notary public, who notarised it for her application.

About Us

This blog is maintained by Phang Legal, a boutique law firm with offices in Parramatta and Rouse Hill. We help clients from across Sydney and beyond with personal, professional and timely Legal Services, Notary Services and Apostille Services.

As a leading provider of notary services in Sydney, we have 1k+ Google Reviews (4.9) (updated July 2026) with many clients happy to share their experience in using our services.

Phang Legal — Parramatta
6/83 George Street
Level 3, 87 Marsden Street (from 1 March 2026)
Parramatta NSW 2150

Phang Legal — Rouse Hill
214/80 Main Street
Rouse Hill NSW 2155

Call 02 9687 8885 | WhatsApp | Request quote

About the author

Ern Phang — Solicitor & Notary Public

This article was written by Ern Phang, a director of Phang Legal, a solicitor since 1998 and a notary public since 2005.

Ern has been a member of the Society of Notaries of NSW since 2005, a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries since 2013, and a member of the Law Society of New South Wales since 1998.

Ern regularly writes about his experiences as a notary public and the practical issues his clients face when sending documents from Australia to India and other countries all over the world.

Using information in this article
This article provides general information. Requirements, forms, fees and service arrangements may have changed since its original publication. Check the receiving organisation’s current requirements and obtain advice relevant to your circumstances.

What can we notarise during the restrictions in Greater Sydney? (July 2021 update)

We are currently closed for face-to-face appointments

Thanks for your continued interest in our services and our support. Unfortunately, due to the extended restrictions across Greater Sydney, our office is still closed to face-to-face appointments until further notice.

What does this mean?

We're still providing legal and notary public services, however, they're limited to services that don't require face-to-face appointments. These services include:

• Attesting or certifying copies of documents. Generally, this still means that you must arrange for the original document to be delivered to our office*. We do NOT recommend posting important original documents like passports but if it's urgent and absolutely necessary, then you should arrange for your document to be couriered to our office. Once notarised, our office will arrange for a return courier to ensure that your original documents and notarised copies are returned to you safely and securely.
• Verifying documents. If you have certain electronic documents that must be verified (such as Australian visa documents (ie, VEVO), Australian educational documents, Australian medical documents, Australian employment documents), these documents can be verified (before being notarised) with whoever issued the documents. Alternatively, if these documents are not electronic documents and there are only original documents, then the same applies as attesting and certifying. We require the original documents to be delivered to our office* before we can contact whoever issued the documents to verify them.

*If you personally deliver original documents to our office, you may be subject to a fine for breaching the current 'stay-at-home' orders. Any documents must be able to be slipped under our door as our office will NOT receive you or open the door for you when you arrive.

Accordingly, we can only recommend that you arrange for your document to be sent by courier (or if you are not concerned that the document could be lost, arrange for it to be posted) otherwise we suggest waiting until the restrictions have been lifted.

Importantly, during the current restrictions, we are not providing services that require a face-to-face appointment, mainly this refers to services that include witnessing. This means we cannot notarise documents such as:

• Power of attorney, both general power of attorney and special power of attorney.
• Declarations and affidavits (including the Indian Drivers Licence Verification)
• Passport renewal forms such as Form V, Form I, or Form J
• Australian visa renewal such as Form 1229
• Life certificates
• Court documents

For this service or for any of these documents that require witnessing or a face-to-face appointment, you must wait until the restrictions have been lifted before calling our office to make an appointment.

Update

Restrictions for Greater Sydney have now been extended to 30 July 2021.

About Us

This blog is maintained by Phang Legal, a boutique law firm with offices in Parramatta and Rouse Hill. We help clients from across Sydney and beyond with personal, professional and timely Legal Services, Notary Services and Apostille Services.

As a leading provider of notary services in Sydney, we have 1k+ Google Reviews (4.9) (updated July 2026) with many clients happy to share their experience in using our services.

Phang Legal — Parramatta
6/83 George Street
Level 3, 87 Marsden Street (from 1 March 2026)
Parramatta NSW 2150

Phang Legal — Rouse Hill
214/80 Main Street
Rouse Hill NSW 2155

Call 02 9687 8885 | WhatsApp | Request quote

About the author

Ern Phang — Solicitor & Notary Public

This article was written by Ern Phang, a director of Phang Legal, a solicitor since 1998 and a notary public since 2005.

Ern has been a member of the Society of Notaries of NSW since 2005, a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries since 2013, and a member of the Law Society of New South Wales since 1998.

Ern regularly writes about his experiences as a notary public and the practical issues his clients face when sending documents from Australia to India and other countries all over the world.

Using information in this article
This article provides general information. Requirements, forms, fees and service arrangements may have changed since its original publication. Check the receiving organisation’s current requirements and obtain advice relevant to your circumstances.

FORM I - Declaration (affidavit required for the issue of New Passport) submitted to VFS

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Imran is applying to VFS for a new Indian passport, and his Form I declaration must be witnessed. The two justices of the peace he contacted aren't available this week.

If you can't find a justice of the peace for Form I, a notary public can witness it. Let's discuss this further.

VFS links and resources — Updated July 2026. Links in this article have been updated to the resources listed in our July 2026 VFS update and the VFS India website for Australia. Use the relevant VFS checklist for current requirements. This note concerns links and resources; the rest of this article has not been comprehensively reviewed.

Justice of the Peace or a Notary Public for Form I

If you're applying for a new Indian Passport from VFS, one of the documents you must provide is a declaration known as FORM I. This document must be declared, signed and witnessed by a justice of the peace or a notary public.

Using a justice of the peace is a free service - however, have you had problems in locating a justice of the peace?

If you can't find a justice of the peace, you can always use the services of a notary public. The difference between a justice of the peace for the purpose of FORM I is that while the justice of the peace is a free service, the notary public is not a free service.

If you need to apply for a new Indian Passport from VFS, you can sign FORM I in front of a notary public if you cannot find a justice of the peace.

What next?

Example: the solution

Imran booked an appointment with our notary public, who witnessed him sign Form I and notarised it. He submitted it to VFS with the rest of his passport application that week.

To obtain a quote on our notary public services for India, please visit Request a notary quote.

About Us

This blog is maintained by Phang Legal, a boutique law firm with offices in Parramatta and Rouse Hill. We help clients from across Sydney and beyond with personal, professional and timely Legal Services, Notary Services and Apostille Services.

As a leading provider of notary services in Sydney, we have 1k+ Google Reviews (4.9) (updated July 2026) with many clients happy to share their experience in using our services.

Phang Legal — Parramatta
6/83 George Street
Level 3, 87 Marsden Street (from 1 March 2026)
Parramatta NSW 2150

Phang Legal — Rouse Hill
214/80 Main Street
Rouse Hill NSW 2155

Call 02 9687 8885 | WhatsApp | Request quote

About the author

Ern Phang — Solicitor & Notary Public

This article was written by Ern Phang, a director of Phang Legal, a solicitor since 1998 and a notary public since 2005.

Ern has been a member of the Society of Notaries of NSW since 2005, a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries since 2013, and a member of the Law Society of New South Wales since 1998.

Ern regularly writes about his experiences as a notary public and the practical issues his clients face when sending documents from Australia to India and other countries all over the world.

Using information in this article
This article provides general information. Requirements, forms, fees and service arrangements may have changed since its original publication. Check the receiving organisation’s current requirements and obtain advice relevant to your circumstances.

FORM I - Issuing a new passport for children

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Swati and her husband are applying to VFS for a new Indian passport for their son. Form I must be signed in front of a justice of the peace or a notary public, and they can't find a justice of the peace available before their VFS appointment.

Form I can be witnessed by a justice of the peace or a notary public. Let's discuss your options.

VFS links and resources — Updated July 2026. Links in this article have been updated to the resources listed in our July 2026 VFS update and the VFS India website for Australia. Use the relevant VFS checklist for current requirements. This note concerns links and resources; the rest of this article has not been comprehensively reviewed.

Justice of the Peace or a Notary Public for Form I

If you're applying for a new Indian Passport from VFS for your child, one of the documents you must provide is a declaration known as FORM I. This document must be declared and signed by the child's parents in front of a justice of the peace or a notary public.

Using a justice of the peace is a free service - however, have you had problems in locating a justice of the peace?

If you can't find a justice of the peace, you can always use the services of a notary public. The difference between a justice of the peace for the purpose of FORM I is that while the justice of the peace is a free service, the notary public is not a free service.

If you need to apply for a new Indian Passport from VFS for your child, you can sign FORM I in front of a notary public if you cannot find a justice of the peace.

What next?

Example: the solution

Swati and her husband booked with our notary public instead. They both signed Form I in front of our notary public, who witnessed their signatures and notarised it, and they lodged it with VFS on time.

To obtain a quote on our notary public services for India, please visit Request a notary quote.

About Us

This blog is maintained by Phang Legal, a boutique law firm with offices in Parramatta and Rouse Hill. We help clients from across Sydney and beyond with personal, professional and timely Legal Services, Notary Services and Apostille Services.

As a leading provider of notary services in Sydney, we have 1k+ Google Reviews (4.9) (updated July 2026) with many clients happy to share their experience in using our services.

Phang Legal — Parramatta
6/83 George Street
Level 3, 87 Marsden Street (from 1 March 2026)
Parramatta NSW 2150

Phang Legal — Rouse Hill
214/80 Main Street
Rouse Hill NSW 2155

Call 02 9687 8885 | WhatsApp | Request quote

About the author

Ern Phang — Solicitor & Notary Public

This article was written by Ern Phang, a director of Phang Legal, a solicitor since 1998 and a notary public since 2005.

Ern has been a member of the Society of Notaries of NSW since 2005, a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries since 2013, and a member of the Law Society of New South Wales since 1998.

Ern regularly writes about his experiences as a notary public and the practical issues his clients face when sending documents from Australia to India and other countries all over the world.

Using information in this article
This article provides general information. Requirements, forms, fees and service arrangements may have changed since its original publication. Check the receiving organisation’s current requirements and obtain advice relevant to your circumstances.