British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Jan 14th 2014, 12:49 am
#1
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British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Instead of Wellington, you'll now have to send your paperwork to Liverpool instead...
Story here on the Dompost.
Since many people would send their applications by tracked and/or registered mail, I guess this might push the overall cost up, having to send the forms and other bits and pieces back to the UK, as well as increasing the processing time.
Anyway, just a heads-up.
The British High Commission has announced its Wellington office will no longer process passports for British nationals in New Zealand.
From this week, British passport applications will need to be posted directly to the United Kingdom, as it is expected to be more efficient to process all passports together in the UK, a Commission spokeswoman told Fairfax Media.
Applicants can complete the paperwork and payment online. They must then print and sign a declaration sheet which must be sent, with photographs and supporting documentation, to the Liverpool Application Processing Centre.
"In simple terms, all this means is that British nationals in New Zealand will need to send their applications to a different address," British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell said in a statement.
From this week, British passport applications will need to be posted directly to the United Kingdom, as it is expected to be more efficient to process all passports together in the UK, a Commission spokeswoman told Fairfax Media.
Applicants can complete the paperwork and payment online. They must then print and sign a declaration sheet which must be sent, with photographs and supporting documentation, to the Liverpool Application Processing Centre.
"In simple terms, all this means is that British nationals in New Zealand will need to send their applications to a different address," British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell said in a statement.
Story here on the Dompost.
Since many people would send their applications by tracked and/or registered mail, I guess this might push the overall cost up, having to send the forms and other bits and pieces back to the UK, as well as increasing the processing time.
Anyway, just a heads-up.
Last edited by Purrball; Jan 14th 2014 at 12:52 am.
Jan 14th 2014, 1:42 am
#2
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Last time I re applied the PostShop just took a fee and handled everything, checking, posting etc and the new issue came back by courier. Is that service still active? Not that I will be needing another.
Jan 14th 2014, 4:43 am
#3
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
we got DD's passport renewed last month at the post shop. $280 odd, bloody cheek. they don't even send it to the UK. goes off somewhere here old ones gets sent back first then the new one arrives a couple of days after.
glad we got it sorted
glad we got it sorted
Jan 14th 2014, 5:02 am
#4
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
I expect it might actually counterbalance the obligatory Pommie Premium, as it used to cost about twice as much to have your passport renewed in Wellington as it did in the UK.
Jan 14th 2014, 3:31 pm
#5
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Am I being unrealistically optimistic?
Jan 14th 2014, 3:46 pm
#6
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Current fees for those in New Zealand as follows:
By comparison, a New Zealand passport from the NZ High Commission here in London, ten day turn-around, £91 incl postage.
Adult standard 32-page passport: £147.86
Adult jumbo 48-page passport: £174.36
This includes the courier fee to send the new passport to you, but excludes the initial cost of sending the application form, photos and old passport to Liverpool. Not sure if that works out cheaper or not.Adult jumbo 48-page passport: £174.36
By comparison, a New Zealand passport from the NZ High Commission here in London, ten day turn-around, £91 incl postage.
Jan 14th 2014, 5:39 pm
#7
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Current fees for those in New Zealand as follows:
By comparison, a New Zealand passport from the NZ High Commission here in London, ten day turn-around, £91 incl postage.
Adult standard 32-page passport: £147.86
Adult jumbo 48-page passport: £174.36
This includes the courier fee to send the new passport to you, but excludes the initial cost of sending the application form, photos and old passport to Liverpool. Not sure if that works out cheaper or not.Adult jumbo 48-page passport: £174.36
By comparison, a New Zealand passport from the NZ High Commission here in London, ten day turn-around, £91 incl postage.
Jan 14th 2014, 6:12 pm
#8
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
For now, I've decided against permanently returning to New Zealand and am going to apply for British citizenship sometime in the next year or two, holding dual nationality. Think I've changed too much to contemplate returning. Apart from family, there's little in NZ that appeals to me or is realistically practical in my situation, and
Jan 14th 2014, 6:15 pm
#9
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Jan 14th 2014, 7:21 pm
#10
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
HMG claimed that the overseas price would come down in line with the UK price in April as it could no longer justify charging a higher price for the same service. We shall see.
Jan 14th 2014, 7:24 pm
#11
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Lovely to see you in here.
Jan 14th 2014, 9:53 pm
#13
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
The 5 year passport does seem a bit unneccessary, doesn't it?
The cynics amongst us might think that it's a bit of a hidden tax. Just a rouse to bring in a bit of extra cash from the NZers here and all over the world.
After all did the NZ government spend a load of cash on new passports and the technology behind them in recent times? My OH worked for the DIA, issuing passports at NZ House in London so I'll ask her to clarify.
The cynics amongst us might think that it's a bit of a hidden tax. Just a rouse to bring in a bit of extra cash from the NZers here and all over the world.
After all did the NZ government spend a load of cash on new passports and the technology behind them in recent times? My OH worked for the DIA, issuing passports at NZ House in London so I'll ask her to clarify.
Jan 14th 2014, 10:24 pm
#14
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
The 5 year passport does seem a bit unneccessary, doesn't it?
The cynics amongst us might think that it's a bit of a hidden tax. Just a rouse to bring in a bit of extra cash from the NZers here and all over the world.
After all did the NZ government spend a load of cash on new passports and the technology behind them in recent times? My OH worked for the DIA, issuing passports at NZ House in London so I'll ask her to clarify.
The cynics amongst us might think that it's a bit of a hidden tax. Just a rouse to bring in a bit of extra cash from the NZers here and all over the world.
After all did the NZ government spend a load of cash on new passports and the technology behind them in recent times? My OH worked for the DIA, issuing passports at NZ House in London so I'll ask her to clarify.
Jan 15th 2014, 5:15 am
#15
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Re: British High Commission no longer processing UK passports
Oh OK. Didn't know that. Interesting. Think last time I renewed my Kiwi passport it was around the £75 mark, so it's gone up.
For now, I've decided against permanently returning to New Zealand and am going to apply for British citizenship sometime in the next year or two, holding dual nationality. Think I've changed too much to contemplate returning. Apart from family, there's little in NZ that appeals to me or is realistically practical in my situation, and wouldn't mind an EU passport to cap off my Indefinite Leave to Remain status so I could have a range of potential European destinations in the future, er, have a deeply-held need to pledge allegiance to the Queen, I mean.
For now, I've decided against permanently returning to New Zealand and am going to apply for British citizenship sometime in the next year or two, holding dual nationality. Think I've changed too much to contemplate returning. Apart from family, there's little in NZ that appeals to me or is realistically practical in my situation, and
LOL
The time I travelled back here before I moved permanently I was so annoyed about the five year passport that I just travelled on my British passport. You don't need a visa to enter. The only disadvantage is the queue will be longer but otherwise no problem. I explained it to the nice immigration lady and she was fine with it. She said, if I decided to stay to let immigration know so that I didn't go down as an overstayer. I wonder how many other kiwis do that. It's just not worth getting a 5 year passport if you only go home every 3 or 4 years like I did.
Yeah - as a minimum, get a UK passport. It will get you in all sorts of place. NZ passport is only really good for getting into Australia!