Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Has anyone been through this process recently? How long did it take from sending the form away to receiving the lovely little red book in your mailbox?

The process seems very complicated, not to mention more than twice as expensive as doing it in the UK. Most annoying thing is that they apparently (not 100% clear on the ambiguously-worded form) require you to send any other passports you hold away with the application for (???) weeks/months. For that reason I'd be particularly interested to hear from anyone with joint citizenships.

Cheers

DC

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Are you talking about renewing a UK passport or is this a first time application.

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Good question. First time, so possibly most likely to be relevant to children

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

I'd like to know too, I'm just about to send the kid's passports off as they have just expired and need renewing. Over $800 it costs for 3 of them inc. new photogs! :frown:

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

you can do much of it at the postshop - well hand over all the forms, etc
I think our last one took about 3 weeks
make sure your signatures are from a NZ citizen - I've been asked a few times to do that but had to say sorry.
you may get a letter asking you to confirm the status of the kids - ie that you are not separated.
I'm about to get a new one fore Si. L wants me to do it now but I was going to hold out for our NZ passports early in the New Year. But I'm always wrong!! :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

My signature is not from a citizen but she's been here as long as I have from the UK! Please tell me I don't have to do all that too?? I'm just going to send them as they are ;)

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Surely a British referee will do/be even better?? I was thinking of sending my documents to an accountant friend in London as countersignatory...

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

I've sent mine this arvo. $721 later... (plus $60 for passport photogs :frown:)

British person living in NZ who is a company director was acceptable as I asked this at the postie, she signed it off, took my money (:homy:) and put them in a huge envelope addressed to the BHC.

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

I had to get 6 passports :eek: and found it was super quick it took a week and a half for them all to come back.
I did have to send one of them back as they had put the wrong date of birth in.
Just make sure when you get your photos done that you tell them it is for a uk passport as the nz passport photos are a different size.

We are now all going to be eating bread and butter for a month as the price for all the passports and photos were a 100% rip off.But thats okay at least I have lovely scenery to look at every day.:o

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

well I think you are OK, I'm getting confused in old age that was all to do with Kiwis and their kids applying for passports. sorry. :o:o:o

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Got a replacement 18 months ago for my son, took about 2 weeks from posting it off to getting it back

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

:eek: but :lol: at the scenery comment!

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Just received 2 of the 3 kid's passports back from the UK! WOW they're very different from the last ones...! 10 days ago I posted them to Wellington, and now they're in my possession.

Now to get the blue stickers put back in them :blink:

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

:eek: $90 each for the new stickers to go in! $1000 for new passports and we're not even booked to fly anywhere :sneaky:

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

It does sound quite efficient then, if expensive.

My other problem is not knowing any "professional" witnesses in this part of the world

So I think I'm going to make do with my Aus one until I'm next in the UK for a few weeks, then take advantage of the £77 fee over there :thumbup:

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

What's to stop them being done by family, in the UK and then posted on to you??

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

I'm guessing nothing to stop you doing that? Do you mean to post them with photo's back to family and they send them off in the UK and then post them back to you in NZ?

Can anyone provide the difference in $ vs GBP to do this? My two youngest need both UK and NZ replacements passports?! Groan ... :blink:

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Mine will be a first time passport, which means attending an interview if done in the UK

Not sure whether or not renewals could get away with it - maybe

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

I tried to renew whilst on holiday in the UK - they immediately knew I wasn't a 'UK resident' and refused to renew - directing me to do it in Australia via NZ!

It's much cheaper in the UK but they may know you don't live there (although I used my Mum's address I guess they checked immigration records or something).

Mine took only 15 days from Aus.

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Did you have to pay up front and lose the cash when they refused or did they refund your payment, with the refusal? We lived with my Mum for 3 months, before coming over here, so, hopefully we won't refused....

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

I lived with my Mum too, made no difference, they were adamant that as an overseas resident I had to apply through the right channels. Lost the fee (90 quid?) and also they kept the passport. That meant I had to do a 'Lost or Stolen' application for my renewal and it was a pain in the bum. Lots of extra ID and forms.

I'd not risk it again. Double fees are painful!

Re: Applying for British passport from NZ/Aus
 

Thanks. Will follow the right channels!!