[Moorf]

My passport (British) is due to run out in a few weeks (ooops!). What do I need to do to renew it and what will I need to pay?

If it costs more to renew UK one than it will cost me to get NZ citizenship (which I became eligible for last September) then I may just get the NZ passport instead (or is it the citizenship fee PLUS a passport fee??)

I want to retain both passports in the long term.

Is there a time limit on how long I can be in NZ without a valid British or NZ passport as that will be situ in a few weeks! :confused:

[madmungo]

I just recently renewed my UK passport in London and it cost around £100 - the extra money is to pay for the new RFID chip in the back, another wonderful government IT invention that it took a researcher an hour to hack!

I'd imagine the embassy in Welly can advise: http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/our-offices-in-new-zealand/contact

http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/renewing-your-passport suggest it's over $300 for the UK one

[Georgebulldog]

My passport (British) is due to run out in a few weeks (ooops!). What do I need to do to renew it and what will I need to pay?

If it costs more to renew UK one than it will cost me to get NZ citizenship (which I became eligible for last September) then I may just get the NZ passport instead (or is it the citizenship fee PLUS a passport fee??)

I want to retain both passports in the long term.

Is there a time limit on how long I can be in NZ without a valid British or NZ passport as that will be situ in a few weeks! :confused:

Ooh I didn't know you had to keep your passport up to date, I would have just left mine until I needed to travel then get a new one :yes

[Derv]

The citizenship fee doesn't include the passport fee. When you get citizenship, you're presented with your certificate along with an application form for a passport which you have to send off to the DIA with the fee. Even more money to the NZ Gvmt!

[mylesdw]

Ooh I didn't know you had to keep your passport up to date, I would have just left mine until I needed to travel then get a new one :yes

I don't think there is any requirement to have a passport until you want to travel.

NZ passport fees are IN ADDITION to the citizenship charges.

If you get your UK passport renewed you need to make sure that the NZ Visa gets replaced too; it is not done automatically. We had a rather worrying experience at Heathrow a few months ago when they noticed that we didn't have NZ visas, then more hassle at Christchurch and so on...

[jubjub]

Passports from here... http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/ cant remember how long AJ's took to come through...

AFAIK you dont have to have a passport unless you want to travel, but personally i would hate to be without one and unable to leave the country if I had to...

NZ passports are very quick to be issued (faster than UK embassy ones) but it could take you a year to get citizenship (I think thats how long it took for Singel).

[Marie P]

Hi Helen

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13941

I got mine sorted very quickly Just cost $$$

Marie x

[Moorf]

Thanks everyone :nice1

Whoa, will be the first time I don't have a valid passport since I was born (travelled to live in Gib within weeks of being born!) Like JubJub said, it's the not having one handy that gets me, it's not a requirement as such.

Well, better start saving :roll

[Caroline and Dave]

I don't think there is any requirement to have a passport until you want to travel.

NZ passport fees are IN ADDITION to the citizenship charges.

If you get your UK passport renewed you need to make sure that the NZ Visa gets replaced too; it is not done automatically. We had a rather worrying experience at Heathrow a few months ago when they noticed that we didn't have NZ visas, then more hassle at Christchurch and so on...

2 questions on this,
I have now been asked 3 times since I have been here to show my passport with the PR visa in. If this was to expire then surely I would have to renew it and get the PR visa put back in whether or not I was flying out of the country?

When your passport expires, I take it you would have to send it to Wellington immigration to get the visa put back in?

Thankyou in advance for advice on this

[mylesdw]

2 questions on this,
I have now been asked 3 times since I have been here to show my passport with the PR visa in. If this was to expire then surely I would have to renew it and get the PR visa put back in whether or not I was flying out of the country?

When your passport expires, I take it you would have to send it to Wellington immigration to get the visa put back in?

Thankyou in advance for advice on this

Good question but my guess is that although the passport is expired (ie you can't travel on it) the visa remains current; it has been issued for X years rather than until the passport expires. That's only my guess, I don't actually know!

Yes, you need to get the new passport and the old one along to the passport office. I have an NZ passport so it didn't affect me but the rest of the family got new UK passports BUT because they had been granted citizenship it did not occur to me that we needed visas any more. No one noticed on any of the UK bound flights but when we turned up at LHW to come home there was quite a problem!

[KerryS]

2 questions on this,
I have now been asked 3 times since I have been here to show my passport with the PR visa in. If this was to expire then surely I would have to renew it and get the PR visa put back in whether or not I was flying out of the country?

When your passport expires, I take it you would have to send it to Wellington immigration to get the visa put back in?

Thankyou in advance for advice on this

I had a period with no passport as my UK one had expired and I hadn't applied for my NZ one. I didn't encounter any problems, but I've never once been asked to show my passport and PR anywhere. Not even when applying for jobs.
When the UK one expires you send it to the UK High Commission in Wellington for them to issue a new one, and if necessary you get another PR visa put in by NZIS. (I didn't bother with doing this as I got my NZ one instead, which was cheaper.)

[Moorf]

So, will there also be a cost for them to put my already paid for IRRV in to my new British passport??

[Moorf]

Caroline - apart from when job-searching, when have you been asked to provide your passport with your visa in it? It's never happened to me, that's why I ask, and am now wondering whether Sod's Law means I will come across this situation now my passport is invalid!!!

[Jo Jo]

So, will there also be a cost for them to put my already paid for IRRV in to my new British passport??

Yup!

I think it's $80 (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/templates/Custom/OfficesAndFeesPopup.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fmigrant%2fgeneral%2fgeneralinform ation%2fcontactus%2fLinkAdministration%2fToolboxLi nks%2fofficeandfeescalculator.htm%3flevel%3d1&NRNODEGUID={B211316F-4201-42C8-82D5-6B4EF5ADCB9D}&NRCACHEHINT=Guest&level=1)...

[wiki]

I got my new British passport back on Tuesday.
Cost $328 (including $7 for the courier cost).

I only sent the application off on July 31 so it was away just 13 days.

Bit of a relief because we fly on Sept 28 and that passport is the only thing that'll get me back into England. They said to allow at least four weeks, but I'm very glad to have it back so soon :)

[Caroline and Dave]

Caroline - apart from when job-searching, when have you been asked to provide your passport with your visa in it? It's never happened to me, that's why I ask, and am now wondering whether Sod's Law means I will come across this situation now my passport is invalid!!!

Recently changed GP and they asked for it.
Recently opened new bank account. they asked for it
Solicitor asked for it over opening trust.
I suppose it depends on how long you have been here for, as we have been here less than a year this maybe why. Mind you I suppose even if your passport has expired, if the visa in it is still valued then you could show the expired passport with the valued visa?I feel an email to the powers that be coming on.

[Moorf]

Mind you I suppose even if your passport has expired, if the visa in it is still valued then you could show the expired passport with the valued visa?I feel an email to the powers that be coming on.

Hmmm, you could have something there. Perhaps I could save the $80 to transfer the visas and just carry both passports round ;)

Ok, so far it's going to cost me $328 (wiki quote) to get a British Passport from within NZ plus $80 to get my IRRV transferred - $408 total

Or $150 for a NZ passport providing I pay $460 and wait a year to get citizenship - $710 total

But.. I can't send it back to the UK and get it done for 72UKPounds ($190) and then pay ($80) to get visas transferred - therefore costing just $270 excl postage????

[Jo Jo]

Hmmm, you could have something there. Perhaps I could save the $80 to transfer the visas and just carry both passports round ;)


That's what my husband does with his NZ passports and visa for UK (I think his passport with the visa in ran out about 5 years ago!)

[Caroline and Dave]

Helen,
I have had the reply back from immigration and this is what they said
Quote:
Thank you for taking advantage of our Online Help facility.

There is no need to transfer your labels into a new passport or apply for a new passport untill you want to travel as long as you are in NZ your permit is still valid.

Kind Regards,
So as long as you keep your old passport, you do not have to get the visa transferred, just keep the old one and apply for a new one when you need to.

[Angela]

Moof Ithink they have stopped you been able to send your passport back to uk to renew it you need to apply in the cournty you are residing I read it somewhere but cant remember where angela

[Moorf]

Thank you all for your info... think I'll keep old one with stickers in and get new UK one for now.... :)