Entry in Australia on EU passport but Australian citizen

[nickykim]

My 83 year old mother who lives in Auckland has fallen and fractured her hip and may have had a stroke either immediately before the fall or during the period before my brother went around to do his routine (every second day) "welfare" check. She was admitted to hospital last night and my sister reports that my mother appears to be becoming increasingly confused. We think it is likely that she will continue to deteriorate and probably die within the week. So back to the title - I will be flying over as soon as I am able (probably Tuesday or Wednesday), my daughter has not yet applied for an adult australian passport (she has an expired australian child's passport). She does however have an EU passport (British by descent). She is currently in Queensland with her father and will be back tomorrow (Monday) evening so the earliest she will be able to get into a post office and apply for an Australian passport is Tuesday which even with urgent processing make it unlikely that she will be able to get to Auckland in time to see her grandmother before she dies.

I am thinking that my daughter would be able to travel to NZ and back on her EU passport, I think she has to get a electronic visa. If she also carries her expired australian child's passport as proof of citizenship, do you think this is a viable alternative?

 

[nickykim]

I just read Reggies post from Feb this year - guess she can't travel on the EU passport as the timelines for an ADV is about the same as priority processing of the passport application. Bit sad really - I told her multiple times to get the passport application in for this very reason.

 

[Sprucegoose]

So the question is can an EU passport travel ex AUS and return as a visitor ?

 

[OzEire]

This question seems to come up every so often and there are threads that cover the general points.

Im sympathetic to the OP's situation, indeed I expect that most people who find themselves in an urgent passport situation are probably going through something, and would rather not deal with frustrating passport issues (or searching threads I guess).

Nickykim, if a new/renewed passport is the only option try the Passport Office in Brisbane (or the State capital where you are) rather than a post office, you may have more luck there.

Is it essential that you travel together? Could your daughter catch a flight later once the passport comes through?

The rest of my post assumes you dont get a new passport in time.

Im not 100% sure but doubt your daughter needs a special visa for NZ as a British citizen, surely she would be able to get a Visa-On-Arrival when you land in AKL ?

But first you have rightly considered the potential issues (1) checking in; which should not be a problem if she has any passport that will allow entry to NZ and (2) Australian officials as she departs/returns to Aus.

The Customs/immigration will probably know that she has an Aus passport anyway even if you didn't mention it, and could have concerns about eligibility for a British citizen residing on Aus without an Aus visa if you don't mention it... So be up front with them.

In the end Australian officials don't solely rely on your passport to check if you can leave/return to Australia (they have databases, etc). But having a valid passport makes things go a lot smoother. If you try, be prepared to change flights if they don't allow it (but they should).

Hope this helps. Sorry about your mum, I hope you and your daughter get the issue sorted out and can have some quality time with her.



OzEire

 

[kelvedon]

A British passport does not need an advance visa to enter NZ. It is issued on arrival.

 

[ric_melb]

I would have thought the main issue is returning to Australia without a current Australian passport. Being an Australian citizen you should be entitled to enter, but without a current passport, at the very least there will be delays and questions. A British or EU passport would be no good as it would not have a current re-entry visa. Hope it all works out.

 

[opusman]

A British or EU passport would be no good as it would not have a current re-entry visa

It would work as a form of ID though. They would have to check eligibility for entrance which would definitely cause delays but without ID it would certainly take even longer.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

But first you have rightly considered the potential issues (1) checking in; which should not be a problem if she has any passport that will allow entry to NZ and (2) Australian officials as she departs/returns to Aus.

The Customs/immigration will probably know that she has an Aus passport anyway even if you didn't mention it, and could have concerns about eligibility for a British citizen residing on Aus without an Aus visa if you don't mention it... So be up front with them.

In the end Australian officials don't solely rely on your passport to check if you can leave/return to Australia (they have databases, etc). But having a valid passport makes things go a lot smoother. If you try, be prepared to change flights if they don't allow it (but they should).

When checking in at BNE/SYD/MEL on your outwards flight to AKL checkin would need to see a valid passport for entry to NZ (British one okay) plus an onward air ticket out of NZ (Australian passport holders excepted).

However when you go through outwards Customs in Australia they may be curious about the lack of visa (for Australia) in the UK passport & would ask to see the Australian pp. Definitely contact Dept of Immigration before you get to the airport to ascertain if travelling on the UK passport will be okay.

On the return flight to Australia you wouldn't get past checkin in NZ without valid documentation for Australia (see below) so it's not like you'd arrive in Australia & then get to do the explaining then as it needs to be sorted before you depart NZ.

It would work as a form of ID though. They would have to check eligibility for entrance which would definitely cause delays but without ID it would certainly take even longer.
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Even though any passport would confirm someones ID what the NZ checkin agents would want to see is either a valid Australian or NZ passport or a foreign passport with a valid visa for Australia. They would not be able to check the person in without getting some kind of approval first from Australian Immigration. Even if you get it sorted with Aust Immigration before you depart NZ, give yourself a minimum of 2 hours when checking in because it won't be straight forward.

 

[OzEire]

OzBB is right about the situation at the NZ check-in desk, the airline must make sure you can enter the destination country or they have to bear the cost of returning the pax (commercial incentive).

However, NZ check-in will know that a British passport holder can obtain a VoA in Aus so should allow boarding on that basis alone.

While the expired Aus passport may help, it will cause confusion so allow extra time (as others have said).