Cherry Allen Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Hi Hoping to return to Australia next year, I am an Australian born citizen with an Australian passport, I have 4 kids (3 UK born, 1 Aus born) all have British passports but also have Aus citizenship. Am really loathe to pay out for 4 passports (nearly £400!) when we have current British ones, plus am guessing we would have to go to Aus House in London to lodge (we are way up in the Scottish Highlands). Plus the whole guarantor, get suitable photos (as they are fussy) etc... Obviously if needs be then we will have to get Aus passports, but am wondering if it is possible for them to enter on their British passports if they carry their Citizenship papers? Seeing I will be travelling on Aus passport, would there be a problem? Info on Australian High Commission website states: I have an Australian passport and a British passport; which passport do I use when entering Australia? If you hold another country’s passport, seek advice about how it should be used. Take your Australian passport and use it to depart from and return to Australia. An Australian citizen cannot be granted a visa for Australia. When entering Australia, all Australians, including those who hold dual nationality, must be able to prove that they are an Australian citizen. An Australian passport is conclusive evidence of a person’s identity and citizenship and provides the holder with right of entry to Australia. An Australian citizen who arrives without an Australian passport may be delayed until their identity and claims to enter Australia have been checked. If a foreign passport holder claims to be an Australian citizen, immigration officers must confirm and verify this through official databases, which will cause delays. International airlines have an obligation to ensure that they only carry appropriately documented passengers to Australia. In the absence of an Australian passport, airlines are unable to verify a claim of Australian citizenship at the time of check-in and may refuse boarding. The airline may have to make inquiries with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in Australia seeking approval to carry the passenger, which takes time and may cause delays. Which seems to suggest it might be possible but cause delays..Has anyone done this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proud Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I wouldn't chance it. My friend took their family for his Australian wife's mother's funeral and they had to arrange for an emergency passport. They were treated very badly and no one in the department had any empathy for their situation. They also had their child's citizen papers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherry Allen Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 I wouldn't chance it. My friend took their family for his Australian wife's mother's funeral and they had to arrange for an emergency passport. They were treated very badly and no one in the department had any empathy for their situation. They also had their child's citizen papers. Ah OK, thanks. Its not so much even the cost of it, its the hassle of getting down to London (about 1100 mile round trip) to lodge applications *sigh* Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proud Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Yes, Its not like popping down to the post office, thats for sure! A word of warning.. I would bring the kids with you as they are so picky on the photos as you said. I am in Ireland and had to travel from the South of Ireland to Dublin with 2 sets of photos and neither were acceptable. We had to go and get more done while we were up there and hand them in. There was a shadow under my sons earlobe!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Getting a passport is one of those inconvenient facts of life. I don't know why you would have to apply in person in London though, not that I have ever tried. You (well they) probably won't be allowed on the plane without a suitable visa or passport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proud Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Yes you have to apply in person since 2014. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherry Allen Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 Getting a passport is one of those inconvenient facts of life. I don't know why you would have to apply in person in London though, not that I have ever tried. You (well they) probably won't be allowed on the plane without a suitable visa or passport. According to the Australian High Commission, all passport applications have to be lodged in person at Australia House in London (appointment only) Three of my children have had previous Aus passports but because they have been expired more than 3 years its not counted as a renewal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Oh dear. Well perhaps make a long weekend of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amibovered Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 The thing is you would have to get a visitors visa for them to enter Australia on a British passport, but the Australian government won't issue a visa to an Australian citizen, so without a visa it's unlikely the airline would allow you to travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 (edited) Yes, Its not like popping down to the post office, thats for sure! A word of warning.. I would bring the kids with you as they are so picky on the photos as you said. I am in Ireland and had to travel from the South of Ireland to Dublin with 2 sets of photos and neither were acceptable. We had to go and get more done while we were up there and hand them in. There was a shadow under my sons earlobe!! Get the photos done professionally. We have a photographer that guarantees Australian passports. Never had a photo rejected. (In burgess hill, not much help for op). I have to make the trip up from Brighton. I regret the day I got the kids citizenship. Pain in the bum. Need to get mine done next month. Plus its 123 quid, plus another £50 for foreign application, plus a day off work and the train fare. Bloody nightmare. Why can't aussies enter under a visa if they are visiting. Bloody stupid that it's easier for a foreign national to enter than a citizen. Edited July 30, 2015 by newjez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherry Allen Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 Get the photos done professionally. We have a photographer that guarantees Australian passports. Never had a photo rejected. (In burgess hill, not much help for op). I have to make the trip up from Brighton. I regret the day I got the kids citizenship. Pain in the bum. Need to get mine done next month. Plus its 123 quid, plus another £50 for foreign application, plus a day off work and the train fare. Bloody nightmare. Why can't aussies enter under a visa if they are visiting. Bloody stupid that it's easier for a foreign national to enter than a citizen. Is it definitely another £50? I read that on the Aus High Commission website as meaning if its lodged overseas (as in not as Aus House). Thats going to be another £200 on top for us then, so total for passports and trip to London now looking like £800 ish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Tom Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 According to the Australian High Commission, all passport applications have to be lodged in person at Australia House in London (appointment only) Three of my children have had previous Aus passports but because they have been expired more than 3 years its not counted as a renewal. Hi, We recently did this a month ago, the Australian High Commission organise a drop in day, we travelled to Bristol for our one to one, have look to see if they do any further north? Hope this helps? Cheers MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherry Allen Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 Hi,We recently did this a month ago, the Australian High Commission organise a drop in day, we travelled to Bristol for our one to one, have look to see if they do any further north? Hope this helps? Cheers MT Thats interesting, how did you find out about it? I cant see anything on the website, did you ring and ask? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Tom Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Thats interesting, how did you find out about it? I cant see anything on the website, did you ring and ask? Thanks We found out on the High Commission website, we were informed they will be doing another one before Christmas, but I would ring and speak to them. Cheers MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherry Allen Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 We found out on the High Commission website, we were informed they will be doing another one before Christmas, but I would ring and speak to them. Cheers MT Thanks very much, I will ring them tomorrow. Even a bit nearer would make a huge difference. Every penny counts when you are saving to go to Australia lol x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Tom Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Other half just said, there was three locations, Bristol, Derby and Edinburgh. Cheers MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairystar32 Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 My husbands work collegues family are now citizens and they rushed home on british passports for family issues, they had to get an Australian passport to get back in. You no longer have a visa once a citizen, so need a visa or a Australian passport too enter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 My husbands work collegues family are now citizens and they rushed home on british passports for family issues, they had to get an Australian passport to get back in. You no longer have a visa once a citizen, so need a visa or a Australian passport too enter. but if you applied for an e-visitor visa for a short trip quoting your British passport, would they know your actually an Aussie ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 but if you applied for an e-visitor visa for a short trip quoting your British passport, would they know your actually an Aussie ? Yes. It happened to us. In fact we found out that our kids (Aussie citizens by descent) needed Australian passports to travel to Australia because when we applied for an e-visa for them it was refused on the basis that the system had identified them as potential Australian citizens. This was about 9 years ago so the systems are probably even more sophisticated now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainC Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 (edited) I saw a blazing argument at Brisbane airport between two British/Australian passengers and Immigration. The two passengers were trying to enter on British passports. Not sure of the final outcome, but in amongst the colourful language I did hear that an Australian must enter on an Australian passport. I presume that DIBP have some kind of procedure for that scenario as they can hardly refuse entry or deport a citizen.....I wouldn't have thought so anyway. However, I'd definitely want to avoid that situation if I were you. Edited July 31, 2015 by CaptainC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuffythetugboat Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 My daughter came to Australia for a holiday and entered with her Australian passport. When she left 3 weeks later she showed her Australian passport again. After looking at the passport the Immigration Officer then asked to see her other passport. How did they know that she had another one? Probably because the information is linked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Is it definitely another £50? I read that on the Aus High Commission website as meaning if its lodged overseas (as in not as Aus House). Thats going to be another £200 on top for us then, so total for passports and trip to London now looking like £800 ish Not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 My daughter came to Australia for a holiday and entered with her Australian passport. When she left 3 weeks later she showed her Australian passport again. After looking at the passport the Immigration Officer then asked to see her other passport. How did they know that she had another one? Probably because the information is linked. Could depend on the information the airline have. I guess when you apply for a passport they ask you if you hold other citizenship . to the OP. Are your children citizens? As in did you actually apply for it and do they have certificates? I'm sure someone on here said they could get e visas if they had not yet actually applied to become citizens, but I am not sure this is right. Also people have managed to travel by taking their proof of citizenship with them, although be prepared for delays and a frosty welcome! I'm not sure I would risk it. Easier just to get the passports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairystar32 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Yes, it comes up on the systems i think? but if you applied for an e-visitor visa for a short trip quoting your British passport, would they know your actually an Aussie ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amibovered Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Could depend on the information the airline have. I guess when you apply for a passport they ask you if you hold other citizenship . to the OP. Are your children citizens? As in did you actually apply for it and do they have certificates? I'm sure someone on here said they could get e visas if they had not yet actually applied to become citizens, but I am not sure this is right. Also people have managed to travel by taking their proof of citizenship with them, although be prepared for delays and a frosty welcome! I'm not sure I would risk it. Easier just to get the passports. The problem with that would be getting on the flight, the airline have an obligation to check that you have the right to enter Australia, you might get away with it, but I wouldn't want to take the chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.