[Pollyana]

Originally Posted by mark 'n' joe Im just looking at renewing my sons passport as it runs out in March. The form and photos have to be signed by someone who is not related and is either a British or Commonwealth citizen of professional standing who has known us personally for at least 2 yrs. As weve only been here for 6 months we dont know anyone. Any ideas what we can do? The cost of the passport is $206 Thanksx

Do you not know anyone here that you met online back in the UK? That works for some people.
Also have a look at this article.
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Obtain...ports_overseas

[mark 'n' joe]

Thanks Polly

[kimandken]

Hi, i'm flying back to Scotland on the 15th Dec and stay until 5th Jan. I will be there for 19 days.

I wish to change the name on my passport, will i have enough time while im there, just with the holidays, i dont exactly know when the passport office closes for xmas and new year? And then there is the post!!!!

What would you do????

Cheers Kim

[sharon45]

head to glasgoe they will do it that day but book an appointment .
sharon

[kimandken]

Originally Posted by sharon45 head to glasgoe they will do it that day but book an appointment . sharon

Thanks Sharon,

If i change my surname on my passport, then they give me a new one what would happen about my flight ticket back to oz as the name would be the name that was previously on my passport?

cheers Kim

[Pollyana]

Originally Posted by kimandken Thanks Sharon, If i change my surname on my passport, then they give me a new one what would happen about my flight ticket back to oz as the name would be the name that was previously on my passport? cheers Kim

In that case you will need to get the name on the ticket changed or you risk being refused boarding. Check the conditions on the ticket first to see if they allow name changes on that particular fare class. If not then you may need to wait till you get to Aus to change the passprot. Give the airline a call if in any doubt.

[kimandken]

Originally Posted by Pollyana In that case you will need to get the name on the ticket changed or you risk being refused boarding. Check the conditions on the ticket first to see if they allow name changes on that particular fare class. If not then you may need to wait till you get to Aus to change the passprot. Give the airline a call if in any doubt.

Thanks, i will do

[Hino]

Originally Posted by Sunbound Did my husbands at Pac fair too and didnt get charged for the check and send ? Questioned it too... Anyone know how long their taking to send out the renewed passports at the moment?

I applied for my passport renewal on the 4th Jan, and for the last few day's I've been checking my PO Box, hoping that it had arrived.

At the time I downloaded the forms from the UK Gov web site, I was pretty sure that that the site advised that the 'normal' processing time was 21 days. As my case is now well over 21 days, I was a bit concerned and revisited the site to see if there was any way that I could check the progress of the application.

When I checked the processing time, it now reads 'four weeks'. I'm pretty sure that this is a pretty recent extension of the processing time, but of course I could be wrong

By the bye, the service from Australia Post was excellent, I was given an appointment for my documents to be sighted within twenty fours hours of my request, and the service personnel were courtesy itself, and all at no extra charge to myself

[killerhales]

Originally Posted by Katherined0 I had mind done in a camera shop in our local shopping centre. I think all passports now have to meet international standards so anyone advertising passport photos should meet the criteria. Failing that take the recommendations with you and ask before they take the shot whether they are able to meet them. (I took a ruler with me to check them, much to the amusment of the guys in the shop who clearly thought I was a mad english woman!) I 'think' lots of post offices will do them for you as well.....

The main difference is that the size of your face on the UK passport has to be smaller than is acceptable on the Oz passport. I went to the local post office for photos, they assumed I was getting an Oz passport.

Luckily before I sent everything off, I checked the info re photo standards on the British Consulate web site. I went back to the post office and they re-did the photos (free of charge).

Got the photos countersigned then back to the post office the next day. I wasn't asked for any other ID (but I took my driver licence and birth cert. just in case!) I have to say the service was excellent. The clerk noticed a small blemish on one of the photos, which she said might cause the photo to be rejected. I had a spare so I was able to replace the blemished photo.

The fee is scandalous ($293) but that's UK Gov's fault!

[Hino]

I had my passport photos taken in my small home town by the local photo shop.

I only requested "passport photos" and didn't state that they were for a UK passport application. When I received the photo's I was concerned because the photo was much more of a 'close-up' than my previous passport photo's and I thought that the size might be in breech of the UK requirements.

When I checked the dimensions of the photo's I found that they were correct to the millimeter, even to the height and width of the face in the photo.

Perhaps there is now an international standard for passport photographs sizes ?

As you say, the service from Australia Post was excellent, and I'm happy to report that my new pommie passport arrived a couple of days ago

Originally Posted by killerhales The main difference is that the size of your face on the UK passport has to be smaller than is acceptable on the Oz passport. I went to the local post office for photos, they assumed I was getting an Oz passport. Luckily before I sent everything off, I checked the info re photo standards on the British Consulate web site. I went back to the post office and they re-did the photos (free of charge). Got the photos countersigned then back to the post office the next day. I wasn't asked for any other ID (but I took my driver licence and birth cert. just in case!) I have to say the service was excellent. The clerk noticed a small blemish on one of the photos, which she said might cause the photo to be rejected. I had a spare so I was able to replace the blemished photo. The fee is scandalous ($293) but that's UK Gov's fault!

[Katherined0]

If anyone is interested in current processing times...

We sent my daughter's passport renewal off on the Monday and got in back last Thursday which was 3 weeks and 3 days after our appointment at Australia Post. Couldnt fault the service at Aus Post (but would rather not have had to pay for it!) and they took several photos before they were happy that the ones they took met all the criteria.

Overall I found it a more reassuring system than previously where you just sent it off and hoped for the best!

PS: UKPS were stating a 4 week turn around time.

[Pomster]

I have just sent mine off.

The Aus Post which opens on Sat (Highpoint) unilaterally declared appointments are necessary for passport apps on a Sat. Nowhere on Aus Post does it say this, nor is there a number for making appts. I think they are just lazy ignorant people who cannot be bothered. The queue was minimal too.

So I took time off work (thanks AusPost) to travel 15kms again to another post office which processes. Took the girl about 4 mins and cost $280. I was told 4 weeks processing time.

Why do they try and make it so hard with 8 post offices around Melbourne being the only place to process and with opening hours Mon-Fri 9-5? Very convenient if you don't work I guess.

[Hino]

Do check your facts before rushing to press mate, otherwise you'll look like an ignorant mug.

An opinion that I'm sure that will be shared by the staff of the Highpoint Australia Post office, who were unlucky enough to suffer the pleasure of your company

Originally Posted by Pomster I have just sent mine off. The Aus Post which opens on Sat (Highpoint) unilaterally declared appointments are necessary for passport apps on a Sat. Nowhere on Aus Post does it say this, nor is there a number for making appts. I think they are just lazy ignorant people who cannot be bothered. The queue was minimal too. So I took time off work (thanks AusPost) to travel 15kms again to another post office which processes. Took the girl about 4 mins and cost $280. I was told 4 weeks processing time. Why do they try and make it so hard with 8 post offices around Melbourne being the only place to process and with opening hours Mon-Fri 9-5? Very convenient if you don't work I guess.

[Pollyana]

Can we please keep this thread to facts which are useful to the rest of us, and cut out the insults.

[Katherined0]

Originally Posted by Pomster I have just sent mine off. The Aus Post which opens on Sat (Highpoint) unilaterally declared appointments are necessary for passport apps on a Sat. Nowhere on Aus Post does it say this, nor is there a number for making appts. I think they are just lazy ignorant people who cannot be bothered. The queue was minimal too. So I took time off work (thanks AusPost) to travel 15kms again to another post office which processes. Took the girl about 4 mins and cost $280. I was told 4 weeks processing time. Why do they try and make it so hard with 8 post offices around Melbourne being the only place to process and with opening hours Mon-Fri 9-5? Very convenient if you don't work I guess.

Our post office runs an appointment system too. I prefered that as I could make the appointment around my other commitments (and yes I work too!) and then managed to jump the queue and was seen bang on time by a friendly and helpful member of staff. To my mind much less inconvenient than the time I had my passport photos returned 3 weeks before a travel date because the dimensions were wrong!