GShockNZ

I had an interesting experience renewing my expired passport recently.

First I live in NZ and had to do it online, I read that you cannot renew the old black or blue passports but there is nothing to say how old any other passport can be before you have to apply as First time.
My passport expired 6 years ago, I applied online and it gave me forms to apply for a first time passport, I could not select renewal it seemed to automatically determine I needed to apply as first time.
I phone the help line and spoke to a very unhelpful guy who said no, you passport is to old, you didn't read the guidance notes where it says you passport can't be older than a certain date before you have to apply first time.
I had read the notes and read the notes again and there is nothing saying how old a burgundy passport can be.
I called back to ask where in the guidance notes if says anything about the age of passports and spoke to a helpful lady this time, she said yes I should be able to renew my passport despite being a bit old, just get someone to counter sign the photo and give proof of address and include birth certificate.

In the mean time I'd received an email reply from HMPO say once again NO because my passport expired "sometime" ago I had to apply as first time, even phone the NZ British consulate they said if it's expired for more than 2 years they wouldn't have renewed it.

What is this, "expired some time ago" where is an exact time frame written where it states past what date you can't renew an expired passport?

Anyway, looked like I wasn't going to get a refund so invested further in the courier fee to send my application off anyway as nothing much to lose and on the hope of only one person saying it could be renewed I posted it.

Status online changed to "declaration received, processing" for about 5 days and next status was "Dispatched"! and I received my new renewed passport within about 3 weeks of sending it off.

I couldn't find any other stories online about this kind of problem renewing so decided to post my story, passport issued 16 years ago was renewed.

Thanks to the one lady on the helpline who was actually right.

BritInParis

Was your old passport issued in the UK or NZ?

GShockNZ

It was issued in new zealand, I also didn't send my birth certificate.

Would where it's issued make a difference?

BritInParis

If it was issued circa 2000 in New Zealand then your passport records may have not contained a digital image which might have caused the confusion. As it turns out the passport examiner was happy to issue so presumably the records were sufficiently complete. Did you have your new photos countersigned?

GShockNZ

Yep would have been issued in 2000 and it had a photo laminated in.

Yes I got my new photo counter signed by a friend in NZ who also has a British passport, wanted to give myself as much chance as possible to get it renewed, plus my old passport was mint condition never used.

If all of this make a difference why can't they explain it online, explain the various factors of expired passports that make them able to be renewed or not rather than the online thing just spitting out a First time passport declaration.

scrubbedexpat094

Sorry to butt in but I keep thinking this thread is about wine

GShockNZ

Maybe my passport wasn't renewed and was actually issued as a First time Passport, I just assumed they needed all the documents and photos and ID it wanted for issuing a first time passport(which i didn't send because I didn't have) but maybe an expired passport countersigned and some parents info is enough for a First time passport to be issued?

BritInParis

No, you'd need to send at least your birth certificate for a first time application.

GShockNZ

I asked HMPO again when the cut of for renewal was and they just gave the exact same standard reply, I have now asked how long "some time ago" is How can you run a system like this, maybe some time ago means We will decide but that's not fair on the consumers

"If your passport expired some time ago or was an ‘old blue’ style passport we need you to apply as a first time applicant. You’ll need to send the passport to us together with the supporting documents that are shown in the next steps document that you print off after you have paid."

BritInParis

The problem is there simply isn't a universal cut-off date. It would depending on where and when the passport was issued. As such they are essentially reserving the right to treat you as a first time applicant, even if you have a 'new' burgundy passport because the relevant records may be missing or incomplete, particularly if it was issued overseas.