RRV Blues

[kokopeli]

Not sure if this is the right thread....... but here goes.

Mrs K has got a nice new passport from the British Consul in Welly. Her Residency Permit is still in her old (now expired and corner-clipped-off) passport, along with her 2-year Returning Resident's Visa, which doesn't expire until September this year.

When I rang the Immigration Office to ask how to get the Residency Permit and RRV transferred to the new passport, they told me to send them the old passport and the new passport together with a covering letter and a cheque for $100.

When I explained that the RRV expires in September and asked if Mrs K could apply for a Permanent RRV (which costs $140) I was told that you are not allowed to apply for a new visa until your old one expires. Duh!?!

Mrs K says she'll wait 'til September and just take her old passport with her if she goes out of the country beforehand. Seems like a sensible plan, but I've got visions of her being escorted out of Arrivals and back on to the plane. Any ideas?

[catt]

My Kiwi hubby got his new passport 2 years ago his old one has the "permanent right of abode" in it (corner clipped off) and the British Governement want £250 to put a stamp in his new kiwi passport. he said not likely (although he will need one before we move on to NZ so that he can get back in and out of england) He hasnt had any problems showing both his old one and his new one when we have been abroad, even coming back from NZ last November they just looked at his old one and new one stamped it and said on your way. Maybe its the same for NZ customs and immigration?!?!

[Taffy]

I'm pretty sure your visas need to be in your current passport for them to be legal, but if you're not going anywhere so therefore not needing your passport, I would wait and take the cheapest option

[MotherBear]

We've had this problem on occasions and have used both old and new passports without a problem BUT the 'old' passport was still current i.e. it was changed because it was full rather than it had expired. You can still use an old passport as long as it's still valid and has time left on it.

This won't help KP though if his wife's passport has expired.

[MotherBear]

I've been snooping about a bit and all I can find is that you need to transfer the RRV over to the new passport. I did spot something that said the fee was $40 rather than $100 if applied for within NZ but that was dated 2006 so looks like those days are gone if INZ told you it would be $100.

If Mrs KP can hold off jetting around the world until the RRV expires and she can get her IRRV in September it might be a better idea although that still leaves the PR to be transferred over or does it come over with the IRRV? I don't think I'd risk trying to leave the country with my visas in an expired passport without first checking thoroughly that it can be done.

I think I'd be inclined to advise anyone who is expecting to have PR and the RRV and only has a year or two left on their current passport, to invest in a new one beforehand. It might be worth it to save on hassle and expense of swapping them over if you have the visas put into a brand new passport.

[kokopeli]

If it was me, I'd wait 'til the end of the year. Unfortunately, it looks as though I'll have to cough up because Mrs K has said we're having a week in Oz when the cold weather arrives....