cobbieftw

hi, im hoping to renew a lost passport, the application and personal information was not a problem but because ive only been in australia for a year i have no one to countersign my photos etc

ive seen this question asked a hundered times for renewing an expiring passport in which the information says that countersignatorys are not a big deal because the old passport is sent with the application. but because i obviously cant send my old passport with the application is it neccecary for me to send my photos / application back to the UK in order to get it countersigned?

just wondering if there is any way around this? the problem i have is that my 1 year visa runs out in a couple of months and post to and from the uk has been taking weeks to arrive so the process of sending and recieving the photos/forms will put some pressure on my time-frame

thanks guys!

-steve

hatters04

Hi everyone.

I am about to renew my British passport application with Australia Post at a cost of $280.00. My existing passport expires in June and i am planning a trip back to the UK in April for 2 weeks.

As my existing passport has a residents return visa inside will i need to apply for a new one to go with my new passport or could i just travel with both passports as the visa is still valid??

I hope the above makes sense

Lok forward to hearing from the experts

Pollyana

You can travel with both passports and just show the RRV in the old one, or you can go to you local DIAC office and get a new sticker put in the new passport - no need to apply for a new visa

hatters04

Thank you Pollyana.

I guess i'll get a new sticker and do things properly, i'll need one anyway after June.

Cheers

Pomster

You are a delight.

The website does not say appointments are needed, nor does the phone messaging system. So pull your head in - or perhaps you work at Aus Post?
People like you are just the sort they like to employ....no interpersonal skills.

Hino

Both the UK Government Passport renewal site and the linked Australia Post site both clearly state that appointments are required and that only certain offices can handle the applications.

Your original post which I've posted below and highlighted in red. Wrongly accuses AP staff of "unilaterally" declaring that appointments are necessary, it then goes on to accuse them of being "lazy ignorant people who cannot be bothered".

When it comes to "lazy ignorant people who cannot be bothered"....... personally I think you take the cake

Despite the information on both websites, you decide to "unilaterally" take time of work to attend a post office that doesn't process the applications and then come on this site to try to blame AP for the inconvenience you caused yourself by your inability to follow simple instruction.

Mate, before responding to this post, please take the time to revisit both the UK Passport site and the Australia Post site. I'm sure that once you have checked your facts, you will be only to happy to apologise to Australia Post

Now you know why they need to check all those documents themselves before posting...........sometimes people make mistakes



"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

Does make it a bit easier than having to carry both passports and explain things

kettle8632

Hi everyone,

I'm a British citizen living in Tassie, and in January my son Charlie was born.

Can somebody direct me in the right direction of a application form for Charlie to get his first British Passport, while living abroad.

Cheers

Steve

Hoola

http://ukinaustralia.fco.gov.uk/en/h...als/passports/

follow the site to the form you need

Pollyana

Threads merged

sarahnorman

Hi,
I have just had the pleasure of being granted my PR (big cheer). My UK passport is due to expire soon. I will use Aus Post to renew it. Just wondering how the PR visa bit works as it is connected to my current passport. Do I have to contact someone in immigration to tell them I am changing my passport?
thanks for help in advance

Jan4kids

O.K, so I've read and reread this thread, followed the links etc and am STILL unsure lol! I don't want to stuff up as this will be costly (4 renewed U.K Passports plus one new Australian one!!)

We are up to having had the photos done and the forms all filled and ready to go...

Countersignatures is the next step. We have teachers for my 3 eldest kids (their appearance has changed alot) but no one to sign for my Husband (also changed a fair bit) or my youngest (his first passport)

Can a Justice of the Peace Countersign if you take heaps of documentation...despite not knowing you??

Anyone know the answer? We really need to get these done and dusted.

Jan

Pollyana

Yes, they can, JAJ has posted about this in the past. Explain that you haven't known anyone here long enough and they ought to do it. All they are signing for is to say that they are satisfied that you are who you say you are, from the ID you have produced, and they may annotate the paperwork to that effect

Pollyana

If its validated you don't need to tell them (I'm guessing it is, as you are using Aus Post). ALl you do with the visa is take both passports to your local DIAC office and they will put a ticker in the new passport for you - I think they may record the passport number at the same time.

lauren_r

Hey guys!

I just thought I would share my experience incase somebody is using the Australia Post method!

Ok so I downloaded the forms, filled out all the details, got my parents passport details etc etc. Went to my local Australia Post just to clarify exactly what I needed to do because I wanted it to be as stress free as possible

I spoke to a lovely lady who was very helpful, especially over the stupid rule over the size of your head!!!! She recommended I just pop in and get my photos done there, make an appointment in person (rather than wasting my time on the phone at crazy expensive rates) and I left thinking fabulous! And what were all these people whinging at about the process! Haha ... if only I knew then!

So last week, the saga began! It was Tuesday, I was in town having lunch and thought I'd just nip in to Australia Post and get the pics done so off I went and paid my $13.95 left them out for 2 mins as requested then popped them in my bag and went on with my day. I went to meet my fiance from work and get some shopping done, showed him the pics and notice not only are they off centre, they little booklet they have been in has imprinted on the pictures! Luckily I was at the local shopping centre so I popped in there and once again staff were extremely helpful but the camera wasn't working so they advised I go to Diamonds to get a new set of pics. Went there, done that and was assured by the staff that she just had to stand a bit further back than she would for Aus ones. Next morning i went to collect them and took them to the post office to check the size and was told these were also unusable! So off I made my appointment to submit my application on Friday and began my trek to yet another Australia Post to get more photos! Got them taken and asked the girl to measure them, was told they were fine so got them countersigned and waited for my appointment to submit my application.

Friday morning comes, I get to the post office take out all the stuff the lady takes one look at my photos and asks where I had them done. I say it was Australia Post, she tells me they are far too small. :curse: She then starts blasting the other branch and starts ranting about a memo as I stand there counting to ten and wondering why it is so bloody difficult to get British passport taken competently in Australia!!!! The lady was again beyond lovely and attempted to take 4 more sets of passport photos with the broken camera! Bless her! And a gentleman in the queue offered to be my countersignatory if we got a set that worked! No joy! After suggesting Diamonds and being told by one of the other members of staff that she sent me there the other day and they screwed it up she booked me in for a new appointment at opening time before the full day of appontments they had on Tuesday because Monday was a bank holiday

So luckily (and I'm being sarcastic) I had to go to the city to drop off some thing at the immgration office so I went to Australia Post and had 3 more sets of photos taken until the size was correct and the photo centred! Oh and this time the pics were left out all around the mall and not closed until I got back to the house 3 hours later!

I went to my friends and got the new pics signed as I told my novel of a story to her we had some drinks and a chuckle!

Today Tuesday the 9th of March I got my apllication for renewel finally sent away! Hopefully now that its gone, it'll be back quickly and with NO MORE DRAMA!

I think next time I'll just go back to the UK and get it done! Apart from being crap at taking photos all the Australia Post staff were helpful! And I'm slowly coming to terms that all up I paid over $50 for passport photos