Margaret3

Need to renew my daughters passport, do we have to take any precautions with the photos (obvious answers not allowed), i.e do we have to specify they are for a u.k passport, and is the best place the post office for this.

Also i believe they offer a service to check the forms etc, is it reliable, i just cant imagine them being experts at the uk passport thingy. I can see alot of heartache for me regarding that service, as my experience with the post office here is that they never understand my scottish accent, therfore when i make the appointment for passport check can i request a person who's first language is English (ok i'll take the scottish cant speak english jokes...... i wait with anticipation, lol)

Thanks all

HelenTD

You need to book an appointment at an Australia Post Office that deals with British passports, there's a link to the ones in Victoria on this website: http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/...pply/australia.

Pollyana

Had the pics for mine done at Aus Post and they told me their camera does the UK specs - in fact the ones they did for Aus and UK were in the same batch. I did end up getting the Supervisor to look over my application in the end cos the woman doing it (who has a personal hate of me anyway!) was trying to make problems like telling me it was illegal to have the same photo on two passports) but the Supervisor did know what she was doing, and they have a proper list to check depending on what type of passport you're after (mine was just changing the name).
As HelenTD says though, make sure you check with the Post Office that they will do UK passports. The Aus Post enquiry number sent me to two non-starters before I found one that did it.

As with most things involving Aus Post - expect the worst, then you can't be disappointed

HelenTD

I had the photos done at the Australia Post-British passport outpost, but messed up one set when my countersignatory signed the British ones the same as the Australian ones. I went to the chemist I normally use and they had the special instructions for the sizes for British ones and had them re-done, so that might be another option if you can find the right chemist or other passport photo place near you. There aren't too many British passport post offices here in Perth.

There were people turning up without an appointment, especially for the photos. Really useful to have the appointment for putting in the forms, though, as there can be long queues. I think they must place these post offices in suburbs where it's Little Britain and with the exchange rate, there's so many people travelling back to the UK.

The Australia Post people were very good, checked all the sections and attachments, to avoid any delays and extra courier fees if it all got sent back from NZ.

roaringmouse

We found Teds to be a good place for passport photos.

Pollyana

My local one won't even do appointments for the Aussie ones, which is really annoying if you end up in the queue behind a couple of people wanting them! Only place in north Brisbane that does the UK ones is Chermside, if anyone needs to know.

Rambi

I thought you had to do the application through AusPost since they started processing them in NZ?

Pollyana

You do have to do the application through Aus Post, you can get the photos done elsewhere though.

ozhappy981

To find your nearest Aus post office that does UK passport applications, go to this section of the AusPost website: http://apps.nowwhere.com.au/austpost...r/default.aspx

Click on "Post Office". Under "Find a location" choose your state and put in your post code. Next, click on the red label that says "Application & Form Lodgement". Next click on "British Passport Application". Finally click on the "search" button at the bottom of the page.

You'll now get a list with map of the five or so nearest post offices to your postcode that offer the British passport application service.

(When I do it with my Perth post code, I get 5 post offices that are all close by. Hopefully there are plenty in Victoria as well.)

Rambi

When I did my Aussie passport I did the photos myself. This meant I could take lots of photos of the kids until I got one I could use and it also meant that I could get the picture size just right to pass the photo tests.

smartiees

Renewed all our UK passports early last year at Aus Post in WA. Booked a time for photo's (at the Aus Post Office) then a time to go back to hand forms in once they had been filled in (you need to get the photo's countersigned). Had an "Interview" they took the forms and sent them to whereever they needed to go.......3 weeks later we had new (very expensive) UK/Euro passports.

Pretty stress free. Made all of the appointments online via the AUSPost website.