[NeilV]

Quote:

British citizens and other British passport holders who produce evidence of the right to reside permanently in the UK can visit for up to six months without a visa.

Anyone know if this would apply to a South African with PR in the UK?

[although I know I get 3 months anyway, I would like to find a way not to have to book and cancel the unwanted return-to-UK flights :mad: ]

Or does anyone know a way to book fully refundable tickets online [as I am in UK at moment, and currently headed to NZ on 1-way flights] {shh... don't tell ;) }

[neilw71]

Neil - tbh, I dount UK PR does offer you the same rights - I'm no expert though.

The alternative re flight tix, is to buy a budget one way flight out of NZ to Australia - just look at the budget airline web sites and find the cheapest ticket you can find out of NZ and know that it is money down the drain -but worth it in the long run :)

Good luck wth it

Neil

[anna_c]

.

[anna_c]

This only refers to people who hold a british passport - I'm assuming you don't. The proviso is there for people who are British Subjects which entitles them to a british passport but not necessarily the right to reside in the UK.

I don't know what it's like from SA but I found return tickets were cheaper than one way tickets, and I just ignored the unusued portion.

[NeilV]

Thanks

Anna_c - I'm flying out of London, and return are 40% more than single, :(

NeilW71 - as a South African, I need a visa for OZ, which takes 3-4weeks - so too late now :o

I can book a ticket FROM NZ return TO NZ and cancell it, but i was hoping to save the NZ$495 this would cost. ;)

Any suggestions?
:)

[Trigirl]

the uk PR route won't work. even uk citizens still need a return ticket - even though they have a 6 month visa.

i think you might just have to swallow the cost of the return.

[Moorf]

Is this a situation where he could get an onward ticket to, say, Oz instead of a ticket back to UK?

[JohnandCathy]

If you need a visa for Australia then the only alternative is to buy a return ticket and for go the cost, at least you have return should you need it.

Although, you can still book a flight to OZ without a Visa, it's only when you board the plane to oz you will need the visa, if you decide not to take the flight then the visa was a waste of time anyway.

I suppose you can always get OZ visa in NZ if you need it.

Cathy

[wiki]

If you need a visa for Australia then the only alternative is to buy a return ticket and for go the cost, at least you have return should you need it.

Although, you can still book a flight to OZ without a Visa, it's only when you board the plane to oz you will need the visa, if you decide not to take the flight then the visa was a waste of time anyway.

I suppose you can always get OZ visa in NZ if you need it.

Cathy

You can get the OZ visa in NZ pretty quick. My Dad (he's British but lives in NZ) stopped off in Perth on the way to England on one trip. He asked his travel agent about needing a visa for the Oz stop and they said no (even though he pointed out three times he was traveling on a British passport).

My sister took him to Auckland airport where they found he did need a visa, so they had to drive back into the city centre and get one last-minute (luckily he'd been early for the plane and they waited for him to get back)

I don't actually know why after 50 years in NZ he hadn't got dual citizenship, but he seems happy enough.

[neilw71]

Yep, Neil, don't worry about needing an Australian Visa to get the ticket - they are not bothered until you have to check in - which you will never do :) The visas are electronic now, so there would be nothing in your passport anyway. If they asked, you just say you are getting an electronic visa over the web just before you leave NZ. Its the normal way to do it now.

Take a look at:

http://www.flypacificblue.com/

http://www.freedomair.com/en/

These guys have the cheap fares - but book one asap as with all budget airlines, the price rises sharply the closer you get.

Neil

[urban78]

From memory (and correct me if I'm wrong :( ) but I believe South Africans can't get an electronic visa for Australia, they need to apply for a normal paper one.

Jen

[neilw71]

From memory (and correct me if I'm wrong :( ) but I believe South Africans can't get an electronic visa for Australia, they need to apply for a normal paper one.

Jen

OK - I'm no expert, so you are probably right :) I still don't think that would be a problem, as he would just say he was applying while in NZ ;)

Neil

[JohnandCathy]

Yes I agree, no one will know and it solves the problem, buy a cheap onward flight out to Sydney to show you intend to leave.

Don't need to get the OZ visa unless you intend to go.

Sorted..

Cathy

[veronica]

takes 48hours to process and $25 to get oz visa via internet according to the web site. depending on your fares whether its a better option to get a return or a single with an onward to Oz. there are some cheap deals going at the moment for nz to oz

[NeilV]

Has anyone done this themselves?

The Australian 1-way looks best, but the entry requirements to nz say
"have an onward ticket to a place you have the right to enter"

Wouldn't this mean I should already have the visa?

[khhill]

I did the one way ticket with onward ticket to Oz and the Air NZ staff did check the computer systems for my electronic visa to Oz before allowing me to board the flight to NZ. From my experience, I'd be careful trying the Australia route without a visa beforehand. Can you get an open ticket or a fully refundable return ticket?

[NeilV]

Still trying for a fully refundable one, but no luck yet, open ticket still cost, as I'm going with my Kiwi wife [for good] I have no need to return to UK at all :(

[NeilV]

AirNZ will give me a Business ticket for NZ$5000ish, which is fully refundable - do you thing immigration NZ will buy someone coming in on economy who holds a business 1-way flight to uk? :o

[khhill]

I don't see why that would be a problem. It fulfills all of their requirements. :nice1

[NeilV]

Follow -up, one way business to UK as return requirement of entry worked fine - though I'm not planning to cancel it till I officially have work visa here in case i need to still prove onward travel along the line.

HOWEVER there was an unknown 15 pound charge for changes, though nothing compared to the loss of a wasted economy return to UK :nice1