Returning Resident's visa

General Discussion
1

Hi,


I have a British passport but have lived as a permanent resident in New Zealand for many years. For one reason and another I never became a NZ citizen, but I do have a Returning Resident's visa stamped in my passport. It says that I should request this to be transferred to any new passport.


This would be easy in NZ, but we are currently in France and I wonder if anyone has any experience with getting this done in France as I can't find the necessary information on the British embassy/consulate site or on the forms you complete to renew your passport.


The reason I ask is that my hubby is Dutch and renewed his passport last year at the Toulouse office, and they were unable to transfer this visa to his new passport. He must carry both passports with him now.

2

OK - feeling a bit like 'the world is a circle without a beginning' here.

A continuation of the issue -

1 I have all the papers in order to renew my passport, but I am really unsure about which address it needs to go to - there are several options on the British Embassy Paris webpage...

2 how do I make it clear I need my old passport returned in order to get my visa transferred from old to new passport? There doesn't seem to be a space on the application form for this and info on the website does not say how to do it, and there is nothing in the accompanying notes

3 what is the best way to send the passport to Paris (when I figure out where it has to go)? registered mail?

btw - I have tried emailing 3 different places with my queries and noone is able to respond - an automatic reply tells me to go to the websites I've already visited... sigh

Thanks if you can help further

3

Thank you - yes I was looking in the wrong place as the NZ embassy (Paris) were not able to help.

4

Dear Pamela,
Here is the link you need.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/templates/Custom/OfficesAndFeesPopup.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7b5DACAEC6-F0FF-44D9-9C1C-0B8E1A707CE5%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fmigrant%2fgeneral%2fformsandfees%2fofficeandfeescalculator%2fLinkAdministration%2fToolboxLinks%2fofficeandfeescalculator%2ehtm%3flevel%3d1&NRCACHEHINT=Guest&level=1

5

Hi Pamela,
I think you are searching in the wrong place.
The only authority that can renew a NZ residents visa is the NZ Government.
The British are unable in any way to assist.
Its a staight forward process and whilst their is a NZ Embassy in Paris, they do not undertke this function.
You need to contact the NZ High Commission in London and send then your old and new passports and fill our the requested form (available from their website) authorise payment, credit card is easist, stipulate the collection method, (I assume if you are in France you will want thm couriered back) then thats it.
Regardlesss of your British or Dutch passports the process is the sMe and vi the NZ High Commission in London.
That is how we do it for my wife and it works well.
Best Regards
Peter