chippy

We are going back for our first visit to the UK soon. However one of my daughters only has about 3 months left on her passport. We will be back in Aus just before it runs out.

However, this business about having to have 6 months left on your passport when travelling abroad....surley you don't need it when travelling to your 'own' country? And surely that applies when returning to Aus, right?

gdcollectables

I'm sure it'll be fine for entering the UK, but why not renew it while you are there - it'll be a lot cheaper, quicker and less hassle.

You have to keep the original with the visa in, to show when you get back!

chippy

Possibly. We are there for 4 and-a-bit weeks. The risk is will we get the new one back in time if we aply for it whilst there? Also, I think you have to send your old passport back when re-newing (although they return it).

LittleL

They do a fast track service in the UK I think ( 1week turnaround)...that may be an option for applying for it in the UK.

gdcollectables

We had about 18 mths left on ours before we came to Oz and decided it would be better to get the visas put into new ones and not worry about them for 10 yrs!

They will carry over 9 mths if you have time left, we sent them off and the new ones came back within 5 days and they were delivered by courier.

Just put a note in to make sure you get the old one back - I'm sure you do anyway!

Bella3

They do a fasttrack service in Canberra. If you would rather renew it before you go - safer I would think. You can send it to them together with the application you can download off the website, and pay an extra fee to get it fasttracked.

gdcollectables

By the way - we didn't pay extra for fast tracking!

LittleL

I am not sure if they do that anymore. I applied two weeks ago for my new passport,I was kinda in a hurry to get it back and they told me on the phone that they do not have a fasttrack service available anymore. The only way to get it done quicker is to take it to Canberra personally. Even then i am not sure if that saves much time.

However they did tell me that if i wrote when I needed it/date of travel they would do their best to get it back on time.

chippy

Thing is folks, we're leaving in two weeks. Re-newing before then is not a viable option methinks.

Ceri

You can travel to Britain on it, that I know - My hubby had only a few weeks in his left years ago when we were going home for a holiday - not sure about coming back though ( this was when we living in Sing) as he renewed his passport in the Uk in Newport. Just went there and queued - took most of the day, but the passport was issued there and then I seem to recall.

I think you can - both ways. Why don't you phone the immigration here , the numbers in the phone book ( you may take a while to get through to them as the line is always busy , and be hanging on the phone for a while - it's best to phone early morning) and ask them about re entering

chippy

Thanks all. Haven't been on here for a while....forgotten what a helpful bunch you all are

JAJ

Some countries in the Far East do have this 6 month rule - I don't know if this applies to transit passengers as well, but check it.

Once your daughter has a new passport, go to a DIMIA office to get them to put a new visa stamp in it. Don't believe the 'you can carry the visa in an old passport' thing they may tell you as this has been known to cause check-in hassles.

Jeremy