Passport Expiry
 

Hi Everyone

My wifes passport is due to expire in 6 months and we are not sure what the process is for renewing from here as well as how this affects her residency visa which is on her current passport?

Any advice is really apprciated

Re: Passport Expiry
 

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

I think you can still use current visa in old passport until it expires ?...someone may know different ?.....travel with both passports. ?

Re: Passport Expiry
 

Just found this in one of my emails from my kids School from The British Embassy here in Dubai.

CHANGES TO BRITISH PASSPORT SERVICES IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
We are making important changes to the way we deliver British passports. The UK government’s goal is to ensure that all British nationals living overseas receive a consistent, trusted, secure and efficient service whilst keeping the costs as low as possible. In order to do that responsibility for issuing passports overseas passed from the Foreign Office and its posts overseas to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) – and Agency of the Home Office, which already handles all passport applications from people living in the UK.


From 11 February 2013, British nationals in the United Arab Emirates will submit passport applications to IPS in the UK for processing. All the information needed to complete the passport application process will be available on the website at https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports. You should avoid leaving applying for your passport until the last minute. You can apply to renew your passport at any time. Any remaining validity up to nine months will be transferred from your old passport to your new one. If you are renewing your passport, you should allow at least four weeks from the date the fee is taken and all the correct documentation has been received. If you are applying for the first time or you are replacing a lost or stolen passport, you should allow at least six weeks. Your application may take longer if IPS needs to request further information. Travel should not be booked until the new passport has been issued and received by the customer. The British Government cannot accept responsibility for costs incurred if travel is booked and subsequently cancelled before the passport has been received. The new passport and supporting documents will be delivered separately by DHL to the address given by the customer.

If you need to travel urgently but your normal passport is not available, you should contact the nearest Consular Assistance team the United Arab Emirates. In certain circumstances our staff may be able to issue an Emergency Travel Document but this is not a substitute for a full UK passport. So the best course of action is to apply as early as possible, and to make sure that you follow the new guidelines.
Please note that our Embassy is not able to take calls about individual passport applications

Please note that our Embassy is not able to take calls about individual passport applications. If you cannot find the information you need on the gov.uk website, please contact the Passport Information Contact Centre or the IPS Customer Service Centre. Details for both will be published on the website at https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports.

Re: Passport Expiry
 

thanks so it looks like its the usual process for applying for a passport but what about the residency visa? you know how things work here and i just want to make sure we cover ourselves correctly

Re: Passport Expiry
 

..as I say...not 100% certain, someone else will know for sure but I 'think'you hang onto old passport with current visa in until it expires and travel with both x

Re: Passport Expiry
 

Here you go pal...Google finds almost anything..

http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/...to-retain-visa

Re: Passport Expiry
 

that great thanks

Final question. Does the rule apply about having 6 months validity to travel to the UAE? I want to book flights home today for July. When we fly back in July my wifes passport will only have 3 months validity left so will she still be able to enter the UAE given that i have read you muct have at least 6 months validity on your passport to enter. Or is this not an issues since she has a residency visa?

Re: Passport Expiry
 

This happened to me a few years ago. Passport expired by visa was still valid. What they do is they give you your old passport back (with a clipped corner) along with your new one. You should keep these together and then when you travel you hand over both and just say the visa is in the old one. Travelled on it many times with no problem.

Re: Passport Expiry
 

If your going to the UK just get a new one. You can get the whole process done in a day.

Re: Passport Expiry
 

yea i was thinking that but will there be any issues travelling back on my airline with a different passport? passport number, expiry etc all diffeent?

Re: Passport Expiry
 

Not if you have your old one with you.

Done it myself.

Re: Passport Expiry
 

Staple your old and new passports together - one of my friends had problems at the airport and they only gave her a visit visa. Once home she stapled them together then did a visa run.

It's also an idea to use paperclips to mark your visa page, last entry stamp etc.

Why not get your wifes passport renewed now - they will add any unused months (up to 9) to the new one by extending the expiry date.

Re: Passport Expiry
 

gotta be careful with that. Once I renewed a passport with over a year left (it was full) and the new one arrived with a validity of 10 years +. Tried to get into South Africa and they refused as their systems could not cope with longer than 10 years!!! Fortunately I carry two valid passports and they accepted the other one.

Re: Passport Expiry
 

Had no problem with my 10-and-a-half year passport in Jo'burg last year.

Re: Passport Expiry
 

This was about 2+ years ago so maybe they updated the systems.