Renewing British Passports from Australia

[Moosh]

OK, I'm in a bit of a dilema. I need to renew my British Passport from Oz. I have been to the correct website at the British High Commission http://ukinaustralia.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/renewing-your-passport/

 

I have downloaded form C1 and completed it.

 

Who do I get to countersign the form for me? It has to be a British Citizen of standing (ie., JP, Doctor, Lawyer, Police Officer etc) who has known me for 2 years. The thing is, I don't know anyone with these particulars who have known me for 2 years or more.

[Rachiegarlo]

You can also get an Australian citizen (ie commonwealth ) of same standing to sign it. So if you know any teachers, doctors etc, anyone on the list you can get them to sign it.

[Moosh]

Bugger yes, and she was only round doing my Aussie Passport 2 nights ago! Grrrr

[Guest Jo&Phil]

Have you asked at work if anyone has a UK passport? There are a number of true-blue Aussies in my workplace who have one courtesy of British parent so they might be able to sign it for you.

A good reminder ... I need to do mine soon too

[Guest norah battie]

oh had to send form and photos back to UK to get them signed and then back again......know them for at least 2 years and be British Citizen...we were in same dilema as you and this was what we had to do!!

[Rachiegarlo]

The countersig person does not have to be a UK citizen at all only a commonwealth citizen or if you can't get hold of one of them then some citizen of equaql standing as those occupations on the list. Your only prob is if you haven't been here long enough to know a teacher, doctor, MP or whatever then you will have to post back to UK.

[Guest Fancy a Beer]

I cant get over the cost of renewing them!! All 4 of us need new passports within the next 6-10 months!!

[Guest soggy]

Hi,

I am just renewing my passport now and thought I would share what I have found, as mentioned it can be any commonwealth citizen ( of suitable standing) to countersign it, if you have not been hear 2 years it is not a problem, I spoke to a nice lady on the helpline (at $3.52 a minute) who said they understand the problem faced by people that have lived here for less than the 2 years but be sure to get someone of the correct standing.

 

There had been a recent change to the way you apply though, you no longer send you application to the consular in Sydney, you have to make an appointment at a Australia post office, not any office, the one at marion, westlakes, 2 in the city and 1 in the north east and they will check you application and then accept it and send it to sydney the cost will vary with the exchange rate but at the moment around $317 for a standard adult passport:shocked:.

 

I have my appointment with Aus post in the morning, if I learn anything I will share, this site may be useful. http://ukinaustralia.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/renewing-your-passport/renewing-in-australia

 

Simon:)

[Rachiegarlo]

ah that would be to stop people sending incomplete applications, wrong photos etc. This means they arrive in Canberra with all correct info and wont hold everything up while they send a letter back etc. Aus passport aps work this way.

[Guest theforrests]

How long did it take for your new passport to be returned to you?

 

thanks

Sarah

[Guest daude]

Just a quicky to say that we managed to renew our passports recently at the post office in Marion a new thing they have started to do. As long as you have all the original documents for them to send off they check everything before sending it as well. It took only a few weeks to get back. Got a new British passport for my baby too.

[Guest Messua]

We have let our British passports stay out of date for years as we didn't have the spare funds at the time. Is it easy to get new ones? Our boys are getting older and may want to travel when they have finished with school and university.

[Moosh]

I decided to travel on my Australian passport in the end. May renew my British one another time but in no hurry to.

[Guest Messua]

This is also an option, but the beauty of a British passport is that we don't need to get visas for those fussy places in Europe.