keeny

Hi all. Been a long time since I visited and posted this site. I know there are probably a thousand other posts/threads about passports expiring and renewing, but I just need someone to give me an answer/their opinion rather than reading other peoples..

Husbands passport expires end of December this year, we had planned a visit back to the UK mid Nov through to early Dec to attend a wedding. Can he return to the UK on his passport in mid november and renew it at a passport office in person whilst back there, then return to NZ in december on his new one?

Have lots of other questions and things getting in the way... but if someone could help me out with this it would be much appreciated!

Thanks

kitti

I thought you had to have six months on a passport when you travel? Any less and you can hit problems. I'd get it renewed before you went.

pixiewink

Yes that's what I would do to be on the safe side.....you have plenty of time...

cappuccino

You will be fine as long as the passport is valid for travel. I think it's only if you are transiting in Asia that you need the extra 6 months.

It would be good to get it renewed in the UK as it will be cheaper however it might take longer than the time you have available. If you renew it here in NZ, it will only take about 10 days via the Post Shop (although it costs a lot more!) and don't forget you also need your permanent resident visa sticker put into the new passport (here in NZ it cost me $110 for the privilege)

MrsFychan

yes you would have to factor in that need to get the visa put in the new passport or they might not let him back in the country. you would need to get the new passport then go to NZ Immigration to get the visa transferred into the new one and pay. I think

keeny

Thanks for your replies. Yes I thought also you had to have 6 months left on a passport when you travel, but wishful thinking wondered if because he would be returning to his own country maybe it wouldnt matter there was only a month or so left before it expired!

So we are resident with that 2 yr travel condition thing I forget what the proper name is. That runs out October this year. we have to get the new visa then in October. So should we renew his passport now/asap (almost $400), then get the new visa sticker put in the new passport ($110?) Can we book flights now using his current passport that he wouldnt actually be travelling on when the time came? Oh if only he could travel back on the existing one and renew there it would only be less than £100 instead of $400. But then we would have the problem of not having his visa in the correct passport.

pixiewink

I would get it done here... it will cost $337.69 according to the NZ Post website..plus your returning resident visa.... Do you have indefinite returning residence visa or just a returning residence visa?

Check this link for info on what to do....
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...nts/rrvholder/

Persephone

Hi Keeny
How are you getting on? Not seen you for a while

Countries differ in the amount of time that they require you to have remaining on the passport, there is not a worldwide 'must have 6m left' requirement. It's why it's always best to check each individual country beforehand.
If you hold a UK passport then there is no time requirement on entering the UK. I could be wrong of course but there is no reason why there should be-you have the right to live there permanently!

Personally I would renew here, before applying for the PRVs, any time remaining on the passport [up to 9m] will be added to the new one so he'll get a passport that lasts longer than 10y. You don't lose any 'time'

You need to get a permanent resident visa [PRV] once your current travel conditions expire in October-you can't apply before they expire. This will be issued if you have spent >184d in NZ in each of the previous two years. This allows you to leave and re enter NZ as residents indefinitely.

Have a look here, they suggest using the urgent renewal service if you're in the UK for 3w or less and it sounds like you'll be close to that. Plus you'll then need time to get the NZ visa in the passport.
https://www.gov.uk/passport-applicat...le-visiting-uk

So if you use the urgent service it's £103 [cheapest] plus £55 for the NZ visa, plus the worry of it not being done in time and the need to organise it when you should be having a good time
Compare this to the $337.69 cost to have it done in NZ and you're not saving anywhere near as much as you think you'll save. You can save the cost of the visa transfer fee doing it this way, as you'll be applying for a PRV in October.

You'll have to apply for the PRVs anyway so that cost doesn't come into it!

Persephone

Just a thought, but I think you can travel with an unexpired visa in an expired passport as long as you have your expired and current PPs with you. Would save you time as you wouldn't need to get the NZ visa transferred in the UK. You'd still have to do it in NZ though. Saves time but not money.

That is something you'd have to check on before relying on my advice!

All depends on how long you're in the UK and whether you want to take the risk of a standard PP application. Once you look at using the various urgent services and possibly cost of travel to the office to apply in person it doesn't look such a good deal

pippalonghorn

Hi, I know this in Keenys question but I wanted to pick your brains everyone. My daughters passport runs out in sept. she is only 4 and so it only costs £45 at home (England) to get it renewed as its for 5years. Will I be better off sending my application home. I'm sure the lady at the post office said it will be around $300 here.

Sorry Keeny for butting in. Didn't want to create another thread.

MrsFychan

you would still need to get the visa transferred into at additional cost. I do know someone who sent their childs back to a family member and got them to sort and send back. that does leave you with the additional time and no way to get your child out of the country until it is returned.

Stormer999

I recently had to renew my European Union UK passport and have the visa transferred. The process is quite quick and simple here in NZ as long as the mug shot has not altered too much then no signatures are required by any "officials". The forms are downloadable off line and the Post Office do all of the form checks and after payment send your old passport and forms off for you. When your new issue arrives pop the two passports into a registered envelope and again together with a simple downloaded form and cash send off to immigration.(the queues are too long!)
It can take 3 weeks to renew in the UK and up to 10 days here in NZ. If you try to renew in the UK and hit a snag......?

pippalonghorn

Thanks for your valid points. We're not going home til after the summer and so time is not important. I can't afford to pay $300 at the moment. All my family live in England and I have a friend who can sign the photo. She was a baby when her last passport was done and so there is a big change in her appearance (no longer bald!). Thank you.

keeny

Thank you Persephone, your answer seems so clear so thank you! Explained all to husband and he agrees yes it makes sense now. We now just have to wait another few weeks to find out whats happening with his job - whether or not he will still have one by October! He works for the doomed Solid Energy.

keeny

No worries Pippa - will have to face this next year myself. DD was also only a newborn (9 days old, we drove down to a passport office and got it rushed through as we had to travel asap, she was meant to be born in NZ but came early) when her passport was issued in UK. She is 4 now, so hers will expire June next year, if we are still here then I would be asking the same question again.