Australian Consulate-General
Shanghai, China

Australians in China

Consular Services

Marriage

Children

Legal

Medical and emergency

Other information

 

Australian citizenship certificates

Australian citizenship certificates are issued by the Department of Home Affairs. To apply for Australian citizenship, or to replace a certificate that is damaged, destroyed or lost, please see evidence of citizenship (Department of Home Affairs).

 

Australian birth, death and marriage (BDM) certificates

The Consulate does not issue Australian birth, death or marriage certificates. If you wish to register a birth, death or marriage in Australia, or obtain a copy of an existing Australian birth, death or marriage certificate, you must apply through the official website of the relevant State or Territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

 

Australian visas 

For Australian citizens seeking information on Chinese visas, contact your nearest Entry and Exit Administration Bureau of the National Immigration Administration.
For Australian citizens seeking information on visas to another country, contact the Embassy or consulate of that country.
For foreign nationals seeking information on visas to travel to Australia, see the Department of Home Affairs.   

 

Customs and quarantine

Australian Customs
For information on Australian customs matters, please contact Australian Border Force directly:
Tel: +61 2 6275 6666
Fax: +61 2 6275 6999

Australian Quarantine
For information on Australian quarantine and biosecurity, please see the Australian Department of Agriculture.

 

Death of an Australian in China

When someone passes away in China, the Australian Embassy or Consulate is normally notified by the police, hospital, or a family member or friend.

The next of kin, or formally appointed representative, should inform the Consulate-General as soon as possible regarding their wishes to repatriate the deceased to Australia or request a local cremation (and have the ashes repatriated to Australia).

The administrative processes following the death of a foreigner in China can be complex, particularly for those who not familiar with the Chinese language. We recommend engaging a reliable funeral home who is experienced in navigating the administrative processes for foreigners. Contact the Consulate-General for consular assistance and further information.

  • List of funeral homes [coming soon]

Disclaimer  - The names and contact details of service providers in China appearing in the attached list has been compiled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) from publicly available information. DFAT does not endorse any of the service providers appearing in this list, provides no guarantees as to its currency and does not accept any liability if you choose to engage one of these service providers.

 

Australian driver's licence renewal

The renewal of Australian drivers’ licences is handled by the relevant State or Territory authority. The Consulate does not issue or renew drivers’ licences and can only assist with the witnessing and certifying of documents, if required. 

For further information, or to obtain the relevant documentation for renewing your licence, please contact the transport office in the relevant Australian State or Territory. See Driver’s licence issuing authorities [PDF].

 

Elections and voting overseas

When you go overseas you must meet requirements in order to remain on the electoral roll, and in some cases, to avoid a fine.

Voting is mandatory for Australians. However, being overseas is a valid reason for not voting. You can update your enrolment at Overseas enrolment - Australian Electoral Commission.

Up-to-date information on elections and eligibility, and copies of relevant forms (e.g. applications for postal votes, application to be registered as an overseas elector) are available from individual electoral commission websites. We are unable to advise you or comment on the eligibility of individual voters. Eligibility is a matter for the relevant electoral commission.

State and Territory electoral commissions:

In-person voting can take place at the Consulate for some elections. The Consulate will update our website in advance of an election where in-person voting is provided.

See also Australian Electoral Commission for more information.

 

Hospitals

The attached list contains a limited selection of hospitals in the Shanghai consular jurisdiction. There are many more public and private hospitals within Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi and Hubei provinces and Shanghai municipality. See Emergency Services in China and Consular Assistance for emergency contact information.

Disclaimer - The names and contact details of medical services in China  appearing in the attached list have been compiled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) from publicly-available information. DFAT does not endorse any of the medical services appearing in this list, provides no guarantees as to its currency and does not accept any liability if you choose to engage one of these medical services.

 

Legal matters

The Consulate-General cannot:

  • give you legal advice, interpret or translate documents, though we may provide details of some local lawyers.
  • intervene in another country's court proceedings or legal matters including employment disputes, commercial disputes, criminal cases and family law matters or child custody disputes.
  • get you out of prison or prevent you from being deported.
  • post bail or pay your fines or legal expenses.
  • enforce an Australian or any other custody agreement overseas or compel a country to decide a custody case.

If you require legal advice or assistance, please refer to our list of English-speaking lawyers in the Shanghai consular jurisdiction.

Disclaimer - The names and contact details of lawyers practising in China appearing in the attached list has been complied by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) from publicly available information. DFAT does not endorse any of the lawyers appearing on this list, provides no guarantees as to its currency and does not accept any liability if you choose to engage one of these lawyers to provide legal services.

 

Services Australia (Centrelink, Pensions, Social Security and Medicare)

Consular staff are unable to provide information on Centrelink, pensions, social security or Medicare. Please contact Services Australia directly if you wish to discuss their range of payments and services.

Tel: 001 800 611 4136 (international free call number)  or +61 3 6222 3455 - Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time

See International Services - Services Australia for more information.

 

Taxation

Understanding your obligations and ensuring that you have appropriate taxation arrangements in place is your responsibility. Consular staff cannot advise you on taxation matters and cannot provide ‘Tax Packs’.

All queries relating to Australian taxation, including how to lodge your tax return from China, should be directed to the Australian Taxation Office (www.ato.gov.au, Tel. +61 2 6216 1111).