British passport for Australian entry Help!
Dec 30th 2007, 5:31 am
#1
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British passport for Australian entry Help!
Hi,
I was wondering of anyone could tell me how long your British Passport has to be valid for in order for you to enter Australia? I have read that it has to be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry but is this difinite? Can you enter on a passport valid for just under 6 months?
It's very annoying but 2008 happens to be the yr my Brit passport expires and it also happens to be the yr I've decide to move to Oz (on a Working holiday visa). Quantas Air and other sites have said that you have to have a passport valid for the intended length of stay (or I can't fly)..........for me 1 yr, but as I said above it is due to expire. I arrive in Oz on the 7th of Feb and the passport expires on the 4th of August........I wasn't worried about it because I read you can just renew it at the British High Commission and they say that it is only "recommended" that you have a passport valid for at least 6 months and no where did it say anything about having to have one valid for the intended length of stay. I'm confused and I have a month to sort it out!
Any info is much appreciated!
Mimiky
I was wondering of anyone could tell me how long your British Passport has to be valid for in order for you to enter Australia? I have read that it has to be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry but is this difinite? Can you enter on a passport valid for just under 6 months?
It's very annoying but 2008 happens to be the yr my Brit passport expires and it also happens to be the yr I've decide to move to Oz (on a Working holiday visa). Quantas Air and other sites have said that you have to have a passport valid for the intended length of stay (or I can't fly)..........for me 1 yr, but as I said above it is due to expire. I arrive in Oz on the 7th of Feb and the passport expires on the 4th of August........I wasn't worried about it because I read you can just renew it at the British High Commission and they say that it is only "recommended" that you have a passport valid for at least 6 months and no where did it say anything about having to have one valid for the intended length of stay. I'm confused and I have a month to sort it out!
Any info is much appreciated!
Mimiky
Dec 30th 2007, 5:54 am
#2
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 78
Re: British passport for Australian entry Help!
Re-new your passport before you leave, save any problems when you arrive.
Although has your working visa been allocated on your current passport or have you not applied yet? if it has been allocated to that passport number, then you should be okay?, but if not I would get a new one now.
Although has your working visa been allocated on your current passport or have you not applied yet? if it has been allocated to that passport number, then you should be okay?, but if not I would get a new one now.
Dec 30th 2007, 7:01 am
#3
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Re: British passport for Australian entry Help!
Thanks, Yeh it has been issued to my current passport, but I think it is pretty easy to change it over. It's sounding more and more likely that I will have to renew it now.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Dec 30th 2007, 9:44 am
#4
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 104
Re: British passport for Australian entry Help!
I agree with the above! I think you would be best to renew your passport now. Like you say it's easy to change over the visa into a new passport. I imagine most airlines, and probably the immigration dudes, will want your passport to be valid for at least 6 months, and probably the duration of your stay. Remember you'll most probably need a valid, in-date passport to travel back anyway. It'll be your form of ID also.
Dec 30th 2007, 12:12 pm
#5
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Re: British passport for Australian entry Help!
Hmmm I am going to call the british high commission tomorrow Or shoudl I call the Oz government services?.
You see my other little problem is that I live in the Cayman Islands and in order to get a new passport so quickly I will have to fly to Jamaica for a day or 2, (to the British HC there) which is a) expensive on such short notice and b) Very dodgy. Kingston is a dangerous place. I would like to avoid that, but I'm an idiot and didn't remember about the 6 months entry rule when I booked my ticket and what makes it ironic is that I'm literally 3-4 days short of 6 months......and that would probably be ok if the airline did go ahead and say that you had to travel with a passport valid for the entire intended stay (even more ironic!).
I have my Cayman Passport which will be valid but the visa (which is valid til Feb 09) will be in the expired passport........
You see my other little problem is that I live in the Cayman Islands and in order to get a new passport so quickly I will have to fly to Jamaica for a day or 2, (to the British HC there) which is a) expensive on such short notice and b) Very dodgy. Kingston is a dangerous place. I would like to avoid that, but I'm an idiot and didn't remember about the 6 months entry rule when I booked my ticket and what makes it ironic is that I'm literally 3-4 days short of 6 months......and that would probably be ok if the airline did go ahead and say that you had to travel with a passport valid for the entire intended stay (even more ironic!).
I have my Cayman Passport which will be valid but the visa (which is valid til Feb 09) will be in the expired passport........
Dec 30th 2007, 12:17 pm
#6
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Posts: 34,649
Re: British passport for Australian entry Help!
Hmmm I am going to call the british high commission tomorrow Or shoudl I call the Oz government services?.
You see my other little problem is that I live in the Cayman Islands and in order to get a new passport so quickly I will have to fly to Jamaica for a day or 2, (to the British HC there) which is a) expensive on such short notice and b) Very dodgy. Kingston is a dangerous place. I would like to avoid that, but I'm an idiot and didn't remember about the 6 months entry rule when I booked my ticket and what makes it ironic is that I'm literally 3-4 days short of 6 months......and that would probably be ok if the airline did go ahead and say that you had to travel with a passport valid for the entire intended stay (even more ironic!).
I have my Cayman Passport which will be valid but the visa (which is valid til Feb 09) will be in the expired passport........
You see my other little problem is that I live in the Cayman Islands and in order to get a new passport so quickly I will have to fly to Jamaica for a day or 2, (to the British HC there) which is a) expensive on such short notice and b) Very dodgy. Kingston is a dangerous place. I would like to avoid that, but I'm an idiot and didn't remember about the 6 months entry rule when I booked my ticket and what makes it ironic is that I'm literally 3-4 days short of 6 months......and that would probably be ok if the airline did go ahead and say that you had to travel with a passport valid for the entire intended stay (even more ironic!).
I have my Cayman Passport which will be valid but the visa (which is valid til Feb 09) will be in the expired passport........
Just be clear here. Are you saying you have both a British citizen passport (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) that expires in August 2008 and a British overseas territories citizen passport (Cayman Islands) that expires in February 2009?
If that's not the case then please say exactly what you mean by your Cayman passport.
Dec 30th 2007, 12:57 pm
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Re: British passport for Australian entry Help!
No no. I have a British (UK & Northern Ireland) passport which expires 4th August 08'. My Caymanian Passport (British overseas territories citizen passport) was just renewed and is valid for another 10 yrs, perfectly fine. My problem is my British one. The visa is linked to that one and when I got was issued the visa the passport was still valid for 10 months, however I am not travelling til the 5th of Feb (08) which ends up being a few days shy of the 6 month entry requirement (if that is applicable to UK citizens??). Oh and can't link the visa to the Caymanian PP as it is not eligible.
Even if I could enter the country (which i really think I should be allowed! come on now!) My return ticket is dated October 08 (another long and pointless story about the stupid airline policies and rule!) and obviously my passport expires before that, so I don't think the airlines will let me fly knowing that my passport expires before my return date. Even though my visa is still valid....... god now Im getting confused.
Even if I could enter the country (which i really think I should be allowed! come on now!) My return ticket is dated October 08 (another long and pointless story about the stupid airline policies and rule!) and obviously my passport expires before that, so I don't think the airlines will let me fly knowing that my passport expires before my return date. Even though my visa is still valid....... god now Im getting confused.
Dec 30th 2007, 1:25 pm
#8
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Posts: 34,649
Re: British passport for Australian entry Help!
No no. I have a British (UK & Northern Ireland) passport which expires 4th August 08'. My Caymanian Passport (British overseas territories citizen passport) was just renewed and is valid for another 10 yrs, perfectly fine. My problem is my British one. The visa is linked to that one and when I got was issued the visa the passport was still valid for 10 months, however I am not travelling til the 5th of Feb (08) which ends up being a few days shy of the 6 month entry requirement (if that is applicable to UK citizens??). Oh and can't link the visa to the Caymanian PP as it is not eligible.
Who's telling you that you need 6 months? Your travel agent or airline?
Your problem isn't going to be entry to Australia but rather the fact that it's not a great idea to have your British citizen passport expiring while you are there. Although you could do a straightforward renewal at the British High Commission in Australia.
How long do couriers (eg DHL, FedEx) take to bring documents from Kingston to the Cayman Islands and vice versa?
