Pollyana

I had more problems with the Aus one than the UK one, biggest problem was not having a Qld driving licence which meant I needed an extra set of certified photos

di90

Hi all,

quick question to save me reading all 20 pages of this thread.....due to the huge cost of renewing here in oz. Is it illegal/possible to send my DD expired passport to family in the UK (all documents included+payment) to renew on my behalf and send it back to me here?

thanks guys

Pollyana

I think its theoretically possible but I don't think anyone has actually done it and reported back.
You'd have to get someone there to send you the forms, and you need to put their UK address as your current address - if you put down an Aussie address you'll be told you should renew it here.

di90

Thanks Pollyana. That all sounds easy enough to do. If anyone has done this, please let me know.

Just a couple of thoughts have come to me.......
We don't have a sticker in my DD passport to say we are PR, but when they scan it at the airport - it comes up. Would renewing in the UK remove the PR from the passport?
Also, wouldn't the uk passport office notice that we haven't entered the UK when i send it?

Swerv-o

I almost did that, but I applied in the UK, and then left about 2 days later in the end. My folks brought my new passport with them when they came to visit.

The only problem that you face with applying like that is if they decide to summon you for an interview - you obviously won't be able to attend. This risk is apparently reduced significantly if you use the UK Post Office Premium Checking Service, though I am not sure if somebody can do that on your behalf.

It would be a nice experiment to see if it could be done this way, particularly as the fees seem to work in the opposite way to the exchange rate movements!

However, it is possible to enter and leave the UK without going though passport control, particularly from Europe. The authorities don't track the entry and exit dates like Australia does.


S

Pollyana

Your PR is of no interest to the UK Passport Office. When you get the new (and old) passports back you take them both to your local DIAC office and they'll put a new sticker into the new passport for you Otherwise you might need to carry both passports in case of queries.

di90

I think i might give it a try and let you know how i get on.
My DD turns 11 in sept, so think i will do it nearer then, so it will last me 5 years. And then it will need doing again when she's 16 - which will require an adult passport.

I worked it out that renewing in the uk, with all the registered postage back and forth within uk and oz, including passport it was approx £72 = $109 at current exchange rate.

Renewing here its approx $230 (inc post office fee). This is equivellent to £151. TOTAL RIP OFF!!

Tubbs2Oz

Just put mine in today, and I am really worried that Auspost have not done my photos very well. I think the shadowing is ok, but they are really close up! Looking at the template on the homeoffice website my face is more than the minimum 29mm and I think less than the 34mm, but it just looks weird with no shoulders at all and I think the background is white instead of cream/grey. Oh well, fingers crossed.

Tubbs2Oz

Well, it was fast and no problems with the photo. Less than two weeks from submitting my application to getting my passport back. It seems that the extremely close up photos are OK. The only thing I noticed was that on the UK passport page it talks about the new style passports where they're putting the info page at the front again and changes to the chip, my one seems to be the newish but not that new style. As long as it works!

crispybacon

I hope someone can give us some advise on this. My partner had to go back to the UK last week. He only had 2 months left on his UK passport, Emirates let him back to UK on this but he was advised to get a new passport whilst there. That done he now has the problem of not having a visa label in his new passport - HE DOES STILL HAVE HIS OLD PASSPORT WITH VISA LABEL. Just spoke to Immig here in Aus and they say he should go to London to get new visa label in the new passport prior to his return or he may be delayed at check in and people have been known to miss their flight because of this - alternatively he could get there extra early to avoid any delays with check in but they are unsure about how he will be affected at Bahrain and Singapore whilst in transit. Has anyone ever known people not be able to board due to traveling on an old and a new passport?

markbhx

They don't give you visa labels anymore, it's all electronic. He will need to go to aus embassy and have his new passport associated with his old visa.

Pollyana

He should be fine to board with both passports and the old label, but allow time at check-in in case the staff want to verify with DIAC. When he gets back to Aus if he wants a label just take both passports to a DIAC office and they will put one in the new passport. Not essential but handy!

lonndongeek

In the unlikely event that anybody is wondering how long applications are taking, I handed my renewal application over to a post office here in Adelaide on 24th May and got it back today.

For the $236 I would've expected it to be delivered on a silver platter. Alas, I had to make do with it arriving in an express post platinum mailbag.

Cheers

LG

Tubbs2Oz

Is it cheaper in Adelaide? Mine was $267, admittedly it arrived back a few days quicker

lonndongeek

Ooops. $263.45 according to credit card statement.

Wondering if I got a $4 discount because it takes an extra day for the passport to get out here into the sticks