Visa vs Passport renewal

dilby00

Hi all -

I'm a dual citizen of both the UK and Australia, and am going to be going home to Australia for Christmas. My Australian passport is out of date and needs renewing (UK one is fine) but after looking at the price it's cheaper to just get a visa as I only go once every 2 years or so.

A visa is $20aud whereas a passport is $254. Given a passport lasts 10 years, I'd need to visit more than once a year to make the passport better value, which I won't be.

It seems wrong to be paying to visit a country I was born an grew up in, but has anyone else been forced to make this choice?

Thanks!

Heliflyguy

As an Australian citizen you cannot apply for a Australian visa, you will need to enter using an Australian passport.

Its not clear if a expired one can be used, it probably could but would incur delays when you get to Australia and aside from that it will definitely be a major problem at check in.

http://uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/pptsfaqs.html

Gloomendoom

I thought a visa with a UK passport cost nothing.

dilby00

Thanks Heliflyguy - I called the consulate in London and they confirmed that even if I have an expired passport, then I can't get a visa. Makes me wonder why the passport is all of a sudden valid in some way - very confusing system! They said it catches people out all the time. I've had to book a meeting next week for a priority passport £££££££

Thanks a lot!! Moral of the story - never let your passports expire!

Heliflyguy

Its not that your expired passport is suddenly valid its because your Australian that you cannot get a visa and is most probably the same for every nationality entering their country of citizenship.

You probably would not be able to get a visa for the UK either.

I wasn't clear but I meant using your expired passport to enter Australia rather than being able to get a visa because the passport had expired.

Anyway a few dollars lighter but at least your travel without issue.

Have a good time, the weather should at least be better

eDicky

Your Australian passport may have expired but your Australian nationality has not. Visas are not issued to their own citizens by any country.

glentoran99

If you get to Australia and the passport has expired would they refuse entry?

lisa110rry

eDicky wrote: »

Your Australian passport may have expired but your Australian nationality has not. Visas are not issued to their own citizens by any country.

So you say, but in 2005 I entered the US on my naturalised UK passport...kind of depends on where one's accent sits I believe, rather than on "lieu de naissance" if you see what I mean. I could have been born in the US (as stated on my UK passport) but not be a citizen and having lived here since 1977 when I was 21, no one noticed my voice.

Westin

glentoran99 wrote: »

If you get to Australia and the passport has expired would they refuse entry?

I doubt you would get that far to have that "discussion" with Australian immigration.

Likelihood would be that the airline would not accept the OP for travel if he/she was not holding the correct travel documentation in the first place.

glentoran99

Westin wrote: »

I doubt you would get that far to have that "discussion" with Australian immigration.

Likelihood would be that the airline would not accept the OP for travel if he/she was not holding the correct travel documentation in the first place.

They could travel on their british passport though, Then at immigration present the Australian one?

unforeseen

glentoran99 wrote: »

They could travel on their british passport though, Then at immigration present the Australian one?

Not without a visa to get through the the checks this end