ssinnige

Hi,

I've got my parents over for a short period and they want to go to NZ for a small trip and want me to go with them. I'm a OZ permanent resident and my passport is still valid for another 5 months. I don't have the time to request for a new passport on such a short notice as the wait is too long and my parents might have left when I get my new passport.

I've been googling for a while and I think I'm safe because NZ requires that your passport is still valid for 3 months after your stay (which mine will be) and I can't find anywhere about a restriction of that kind for when I'm going back as a permanent resident to Australia. They only state that it should be a valid passport and visum. I'm not planning to go to any other country whatsoever, only a direct flight between australia and new zealand.

Am I right or not?

Cheers

Pollyana

I think your best route to the correct answer is via the NZ forum, so I'll move you there.
What passport do you have though? Is it a UK one or somewhere else?

j19fmm

Hi there, when my kids passports had 4 months in them, and we were only away for 2 weeks in NZ I checked with NZ House here in London. Sure no problem they say, only needs to be 3 months past your leaving date. HA tell that to the check-in desk at Heathrow!!! Honestly you'd have thought I was trying to smuggle the Queen out.
Apparently it depends where you are going enroute. There was a major discussion with at least 6 people from check-in, phone calls made etc etc. All with me getting more peed off. And finally...of course you can all travel, no worries.ARRGH
We were going via Hong Kong, just transiting, if I was in same position again I would check with their Embassy and get an email from them clarifying the situation.
Was that any help???

BEVS

What passport do you have ?

From the NZIS guide & form 1018 D5 to D12

Of course you should check the conditions of your PR visa for Australia as a returning resident to ensure you can re-enter Australia.

JAJ

Operations manual says:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/4839.htm

A2.5 Criteria for acceptable travel documents

Acceptable travel documents must be:

1. authentic and not unofficially altered or tampered with; and
2. valid in the country of issue; and
3. issued by an official source recognised by the New Zealand Government; and valid for travel to and from New Zealand; and
4. in the case of people coming to New Zealand permanently, valid for enough time to allow them to travel to New Zealand; and

5. in the case of people coming to New Zealand temporarily, valid either:
1. for at least 3 months beyond the date they intend to depart, or
2. for one month beyond the date they intend to depart, if the issuing government has consular representation in New Zealand that is able to issue and renew travel documents.

ssinnige

I have a dutch passport which means I do not have to have a visa butI have to conform to the validity rule, which is fine.

I'm only worried about returning back to australia. I have a permanent residence status and a visa that is valid printed in the passport. I guess, sicne I'm a resident in Australia, my passport would just have to be valid without any limitation on the number of months - since I'm not passing through. I guess they only have the minimum amount of months valid in place for those who wish to holiday in Australia as they want to be sure that you leave with a valid passport. I only see on the immigration websites and others that for Australia, you would just need to have a valid passport - that's all.

JAJ

As long as your passport is valid when you return, that's enough.
Your visa re-entry facility also needs to be valid, read the label.

Is your spouse an Australian citizen? If so, then as far as I am aware you may be able to become an Australian citizen yourself, and keep your Dutch citizenship.

ssinnige

Thanks for that. I was guessing it would be fine.

I am aware of the dual citizenship and am planning to do that. Would make all the hassle with visas go away. However, I'll be serving two queens then