Travelling while waiting for passport renewal

peteru on 03/10/2015 - 15:08

I need to travel overseas within the next week, stay away for 2 weeks, then return back to Australia for about 2 weeks, then travel overseas again for a few more weeks. Both of my destinations require that my passport is valid for 6 months after I plan to depart the foreign country. That requirement will be "just" met for the first destination, but not for the second one, since my passport expires in April.

So, at some stage soon I need to renew my passport. To save the extra cost of express passport processing, I would like to apply for a normal passport renewal. I would like to do this before I leave on the first trip and use my existing passport to travel to the first destination. Hopefully by the time I return, the new passport will be issued and I can use the new passport to visit the second destination.

However, I can't find an answer as to whether I can actually do that. Will my existing passport remain valid while the renewal application is being processed? I assume that once a new passport is issued, the old one will be cancelled, but how would that affect things if this happens while I am overseas?

Travel

Comments

  • sparkles on 03/10/2015 - 15:35
    +13

    I'd assume the minute a new passport is issued, the old one becomes invalid. I'd just pay the priority processing fee with the renewal done as soon as you return to Australia between your trips. The priority fee might seem a bargain if you are refused entry on your existing passport. It's a gamble.

  • peteru on 03/10/2015 - 15:52
    -6

    I take your point about the priority processing, but the OzBargainer in me would rather not pay extra. ;-) However, I suspect you are right, once I apply for the renewal, I'm likely to be "passportless" until the new one arrives.

    As far as being refused entry on existing passport, if you mean at the destination, then yes, that's a possibility. It wouldn't be the case on re-entry to Australia though. There may be some hassle, but being an Australian, my country can not refuse my return home.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/10/2015 - 16:27
    +4

    Call 131 232 within the next 30 minutes, or tomorrow between 8.30am and 5pm.

    Australian Passport Information Service
    Monday to Friday: 8.00am-9.00pm (EST)
    Weekends and non-national Public Holidays: 8.30am-5.00pm (EST)

    • peteru on 03/10/2015 - 16:31

      Thanks for the tip.

      Who would have thought that govt. would not operate on weekends!

      • peteru on 03/10/2015 - 16:46
        +4

        Spoke to a nice lady who explained that the old passport is cancelled by the post office when you lodge the renewal form. They do this by cutting off the corner of the passport.

        So, my options are pretty simple.

        1. Lodge first thing Tuesday and pay for priority processing, then collect the passport from the Sydney CBD office a few days later. Can't have it mailed, because registered post would take too long. Then travel to both destinations on new passport.

        2. Travel to first destination on old passport. Upon return, lodge renewal and pay for priority processing. Wait for the passport to be delivered via registered mail in time for second trip.

        Bottom line, once you take your passport renewal form to the post office and pay the fee, your existing passport is cancelled on the spot.

        • iridiumstem on 03/10/2015 - 17:27
          +3

          My personal opinion on this is, don't take risks on passport, since it's the one of the few things that proves who you are when you are not in Australia.
          Besides, if there is a mess up, the chances are, you'd be paying more and it'd cause more hassle. So my personal opinion is, you should ignore the cost attached and go with the safest option.

          I'd think second option would give you more room for renewal. Though I am not sure how the visa process would go with the country you are planning on going to.

  • Marcsie on 03/10/2015 - 17:12
    +4

    Don't take the risk, I would get my passport renew before leaving Australia :)

    • peteru on 03/10/2015 - 20:24

      Renewing before the first trip would probably be the best option if I had another couple of days up my sleeve. With the public holiday on Monday, here in NSW, getting a new passport in time for my planned departure is cutting it fine.

      This kind of last minute rush isn't how I would usually orchestrate things. I thought I had plenty of time up my sleeve to renew my passport for the November trip, but just before midnight on Friday, work asked me to go and take care of business in a hurry. :-(

      I think the lowest risk option is to travel on existing passport next week, then pay up and get it renewed between trips.

      Luckily I don't need a visa for either destination, so at least there isn't that complication.

  • Randxyz123 on 03/10/2015 - 23:49

    You need to pay for priority processing. We are all OzBarginers here but it is the best option.

    First thing Tuesday morning go to the passport office and get photos, then get someone to guarantor the photos (maybe someone at work?) then submit your application with priority processing and you should be good to go by Friday at Midnight.

    The reason I suggest using the passport office for photos is because they'll take them and won't be able to reject them. If you can find a chemist or something open tomorrow even better

    That way it is done.

    • peteru on 04/10/2015 - 00:09

      Yep, pretty much figured that the $111 surcharge for priority processing is the only option. I'll see if I can get that back from the employer, since it was their idea that I need to travel with a weeks notice.

      I've got everything ready to go, including photos with a 36mm chin-to-crown portrait with a plain uniform white background. Being a renewal, I don't need to go through the same wringer, such as guarantor signed photos, as new applicants do. We'll have to deal with all that for a child, but there's a month to get that sorted and we've got everything in order and ready to lodge as well, including the photos.

      My plan is to catch a bus to the CBD on Tuesday morning and take the application to the people at the passport office and discuss with them the finer points. I suspect that if I lodge and pickup at the Sydney CBD office, I should be good to go by Friday, but I'll get it confirmed.

      I just hope that the airlines or travel insurance companies don't need my passport details, because I won't know those until pretty much the last minute.

      • Randxyz123 on 04/10/2015 - 01:25

        Being a renewal, I don't need to go through the same wringer, such as guarantor signed photos, as new applicants do.

        Well that's good at least

        I just hope that the airlines or travel insurance companies don't need my passport details, because I won't know those until pretty much the last minute.

        Where are you going?

      • ms_caz on 04/10/2015 - 07:45

        I had to get a passport renewed and still had to get guarantor signatures on the back. I also had my passport pics rejected THREE times (so three separate appointments with the Post Office) before I finally relented and had them taken by the Post Office staff. I bear no resemblance to myself - I look like a bloated corpse, which is apparently the look they are after. Anyway my point is, even though you have your own pics and apparently they meet the requirements, be prepared for them to be rejected.

        • Randxyz123 on 04/10/2015 - 12:25

          Anyway my point is, even though you have your own pics and apparently they meet the requirements, be prepared for them to be rejected.

          This.

          The passport office have facial recognition now so if they can 'scan' it and make sure it meets the requirements. Annoying thing is they charge you like $20 for 6 photos which I don't want because I just look pissed off. By the time I get a new passport they're gonna be out of date.

          I had to get a passport renewed and still had to get guarantor signatures on the back.

          Was it a renewal or a entirely new passport? Anyway OP maybe give the passport office a call today or tomorrow to double check. From their website it seems you don't need a guarantor but It'd be a shame not to have that sorted if you did.

        • peteru on 06/10/2015 - 14:26

          I have heard plenty of horror stories like that, but I guess I either got lucky or did everything right. I did not stick the pictures down on the paper and told the lady at the post office that I hope they were OK, could she please check them. She took a quick look at the pictures and said they were fine, then proceeded to stick them down on the application form. It was all pretty painless and reasonably quick as far as visits to the post office go.

          Fingers crossed, I'll get an email from the passport office in a couple of days telling me to come and pick up the new passport.

      • Geewhizz on 04/10/2015 - 12:16

        I'll see if I can get that back from the employer, since it was their idea that I need to travel with a weeks notice.

        At the very least I'd say you'd have a strong case for it being a cost incurred in the process of earning your income, come tax time. Just make sure if you go that way that you have a letter from your employer stating the short notice given for the trip.

      • jenki on 05/10/2015 - 00:05

        Airlines require your passport details at time of booking an international ticket.

        • peteru on 05/10/2015 - 21:52
          +1

          I checked with two travel agents today. They actually don't need to see your passport until check-in, but they like to collect those details. It may be that self-booking through a website may not allow you to proceed without passport details, but a travel agent can get you a ticket even without the passport details.

        • jenki on 05/10/2015 - 22:02

          @peteru: That's great news, what a relief!

  • altomic on 04/10/2015 - 03:07

    i had to get my passport r-issued as the country I was going to would not accept a passport with less than 6 months validity (apparently).

    ordered a passport renewal and it only took <5 days to get a new passport.

  • [Deactivated] on 04/10/2015 - 23:25

    I paid for priority processing of my New Zealand passport on Monday and had the new passport Wednesday afternoon.

    It was couriered not sent by registered post.

    I live in Melbourne and the passport was made in Sydney, so if you live in Sydney I don't see how your Australian passport could take longer to renew than my New Zealand one.

    • peteru on 05/10/2015 - 00:25
      +1

      Presumably a New Zealand passport would be processed by a completely different set of people than an Australian passport. Probably with different policies, costs and service levels.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/10/2015 - 08:24
        -1

        You've missed my point.

        A foreign passport would presumably take longer to get than a local one.

    • Randxyz123 on 05/10/2015 - 02:08

      Have you ever used Australia post? They took 6 days to get a parcel from Byron Bay to Melbourne…

  • CVonC on 05/10/2015 - 01:02

    I had a housemate apply for a passport renewal using the priority service on a Monday morning - she had an 11AM online booking done the previous night but she decided to go early on Monday morning anyway to see if she could somehow lodge it earlier at the Martin Place PO HQ (saves delivery time). By Wednesday (so the PO had the full 2 days of Monday and Tuesday to process it) she still didn't hear anything back from them. Apparently they "lost" the application………… So she rocked up again and had to re-apply on the spot. By 4:30PM that day they had it done for her -_-

    Priority service can be refunded if they don't fulfil the 2 day guarantee. She hasn't applied even though she should imo.

  • matt_will_fix_it on 05/10/2015 - 07:57
    +1

    My tip is… don't apply for your passport at the post office. Go directly to the passport office in your state and apply there. Also request to collect from there. It will shave a few days off the issuing time.

    • MATTDAMON on 05/10/2015 - 09:40
      -1

      Bingo, was about to post this.

      If you pay for priority, and get it done first thing in the morning, you can normally pick it up the same day (esp if its just a renewal and not a full application) I used to do passport applications years ago.

      If you get it done at the post office, they have to send the application off (which is normally overnight depending on the location of the post office vs passport office) and it gets mailed out (which is usually overnight as well)

      • peteru on 05/10/2015 - 21:45

        I called the passport office to make an appointment, because they say you can't just rock up. The earliest time slot they could get me was on Thursday afternoon. They reckon that lodging at Australia Post on Tuesday morning will probably result in a faster turn around time. I plan to pick up the passport from the passport office as soon as it is ready. I'm not going to wait to have it returned by registered mail.

  • ropdoh on 05/10/2015 - 11:13
    +1

    Maybe this can help:
    How To Renew An Australian Passport In 4 Hours
    http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/06/how-to-renew-a-passport…

  • grasstown on 05/10/2015 - 16:05

    Hopefully you havnt booked any permits, visas, sponsorships etc using the old passport numbers. There is no way to rely on old passport, cannot be cross checked

    • peteru on 05/10/2015 - 21:53

      Nope, luckily my first destination is simple enough when it comes to short visits. Just rock up with an Australian passport with at least 6 months validity after planned departure date and don't smile at people.

  • Shamdog on 05/10/2015 - 18:28

    Your current passport will be invalid as soon as you lodge your passport renewal form. If you lodge this renewal at a post office for example, they will (and should) snip the bottom of the photo page of your current passport as soon as you lodge the renewal with them. This will obviously render your current passport invalid.

    • peteru on 06/10/2015 - 14:31

      they will (and should) snip the bottom of the photo page of your current passport as soon as you lodge the renewal with them

      Yep, they did. And a lot more than just the bottom of the photo page. The lady at the post office must really enjoy taking her scissors to passports. She cut off the bottom of the front page, the corners of the front page, one corner of the back page, all of the machine readable section of the photo page and a corner of the first two visa pages. She had a bit of a smile on her face as she was doing that! ;-)

      There is no mistake to be made there, that passport is definitely not good for travel now!

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