Buzzy--Bee

My wife's father has died suddenly and we have to travel to NZ for the funeral. I have just become an Australian Citizen but have not yet applied for my passport. I am going to have to travel on my British one but I understand Australian Citizens must travel on an Australian Passport. I have no time to apply for one before I leave.

Does anyone know what will happen at immigration either out or in?

Thanks

Simon

Kiwikaye

If you have your citizenship certificate - take that with you. They will probably ask you at immigration why you are not travelling on your Oz passport, but just explain the circumstances - they can't refuse to let you back in if you're a citizen. OH and I have 5 passports between us. While I've mainly travelled on my Oz one since getting citizenship, we've never had any problems.

So sorry about the reason for travel - hope everything goes ok.

Buzzy--Bee

I do have it. Thank you.

Simon

Pollyana

Moneypenny20 and Mrs Soapy both had to do it - citizenship certificate, extra time at check-in and you should be fine

soapy©

sorry to hear yir news

iamthecreaturefromuranus

How would they know you're an Australian Citizen?

My wife and son both recently went back to the UK on British passports, despite both being Aus citizens. No questions asked at immigration at all. Admittedly both passports still had valid PR visa stamps in them.

Wol

Don't see how they could be valid - isn't it automatic cancellation of a PR when you get citizenship? The fact that nothing was entered in the passport to cancel it physically doesn't come into it.

My take on it, anyway.

bcworld

When you say recent...have they come back yet???

iamthecreaturefromuranus

All took place within the last few week.... and yes, they are back. Left Oz on a British passport and arrived back on the same. No issues at either end of the process. As I said earlier, "how would they know?"

bcworld

Because in order to enter Australia you need to be an Australian citizen or have a visa. People get denied check in for their flights because they don't have a visa. An Australian citizen can't hold an Australian visa or apply for one (give or take the odd special case?)- your visas should now be cancelled - the stamps and sticky labels don't really matter - the visa details are accessed electronically.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Well none of that happened and they both breezed through customs without an issue.

ozzieeagle

Whats the worst that can happen....Get locked up in a detention center and claim compo

bcworld

Well it's surprising that they had no issues. They will of course get let into Australia once DIAC are satisfied of who they are but the risk you run is not being let on the plane in the first place where DIAC can't really help you.

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sh...5documents.htm

Permanent residents (migrants) cannot travel on their migrant visas once they have been granted Australian citizenship. This is because the migrant visa ceases to be in effect when Australian citizenship is acquired, even though it may not yet have reached its expiry date or been physically cancelled.

I don't think Buzzy will have a problem travelling back from NZ with other documents.

Buzzy--Bee

By other documents do you mean just the Australian Citizenship Certificate or do you think I will need anything else?

Thanks

Simon

Dorothy

Just bring your citizenship certificate and you should be fine. It may take a bit longer at check in, but you'll be ok.