Jump to content

PR VISA WHEN SA PASSPORT EXPIRES


celeste

Recommended Posts

I have just realised that my SA passport will expire several months after I expect my PR visa to be approved. what happens in such cases to the visa? Does home affairs automatically transfer it into your new passport or is it possible to apply for a new passport before the old one expires (of course not if you only end up with the same expiry date as some countries work it out).

Anyone have a clue?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just realised that my SA passport will expire several months after I expect my PR visa to be approved. what happens in such cases to the visa? Does home affairs automatically transfer it into your new passport or is it possible to apply for a new passport before the old one expires (of course not if you only end up with the same expiry date as some countries work it out).

Anyone have a clue?

I would first wait for the visa grant and have it stamped on the current one.

When done, i would apply for a new passport. From there, i would ask them to transfer the visa to the new one.

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does home affairs automatically transfer it into your new passport

Fortunately Home Affairs has got nothing to do with it. Just carry your old (expired) passport with visa in it, together with your new one. If you really want to, get VFS to put the same visa sticker in your new passport. The cost to get this done will be the same as the initial exercise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Celeste

If you are working thru a migration agent /lawyer- I would ask them.

I would be hesitant in keeping my Australia Visa in an Expired Passport - what if Home Affairs looses your passport when you had it in for renewal?

Home Affairs has cannot transfer your Australian Visa to a new passport, that can only be done by the Australian High Commission.

Cheers

Enrica

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would suggest you apply for your new passport and advise DIMA then you can get you visa put in your new passport if it has arrived or I am sure you can just get a copy put in your new passport there has been a thread about this previously just do a search.

Good Luck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, although we are paying the agents a huge packet i sometimes feel bad to phone almost every day with a question as they are so helpful and polite but swamped by clients all the time. But I know I should just phone as it's not like we arent paying them enough!

I will search for the old thread but in the meantime have decided the best route seems to be that I should apply for my new SA passport before old one expires as the passport agent in durban informs that it will have a ten year expiry date. Seems like the safest option. There is no way I would want to cough up another +- R11 000 for the visa to be put in the new one.

When will these questions end ??? :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would be hesitant in keeping my Australia Visa in an Expired Passport - what if Home Affairs loses your passport when you had it in for renewal?

Relax Enrica, HA don't take passports in for renewal (unless you still have a passport that was only valid for 5 years initially).

Passports with a 10 year validity are not "renewable". When you apply for a new passport in this case you don't hand in the expired one.

Celeste, the cost for "evidencing" of your visa in another passport by VFS is < ZAR 100 per passport.

Edited by JJV
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Relax Enrica, HA don't take passports in for renewal (unless you still have a passport that was only valid for 5 years initially).

Passports with a 10 year validity are not "renewable". When you apply for a new passport in this case you don't hand in the expired one.

Celeste, the cost for "evidencing" of your visa in another passport by VFS is < ZAR 100 per passport.

Thanks JVV

I am relaxed , I sent my SA Passport to Canberra as it has expired ( that was 6 months ago!!!)and still waiting. Good thing I have other passports to travel on, but boy oh boy to explain that to South African Immigration - well dit was nou n ander storie!!!

No worries ,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi thanks JJV

Are you sure it's just R100 to get the stamp/sticker in the new passport? Is that payable to the aus immig dept?

Anyway, i called the immig agents today and was told (as someone correctly posted recently) that they are 100% sure that all one has to do is travel with the old expired (visa containing) passport and the new passport ie. no need to get the visa put in the new passport.

Of course for those of us who like everything to be perfectly in order with these things if it only costs R100 then it's worth doing just for the sake of it.

thanks for the input.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you sure it's just R100 to get the stamp/sticker in the new passport? Is that payable to the aus immig dept?

Hi Celeste, yes, it is payable to VFS, an agent for the Australian High Commission. Following this link and get in touch with their helpdesk for the exact fee for this service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyway, i called the immig agents today and was told (as someone correctly posted recently) that they are 100% sure that all one has to do is travel with the old expired (visa containing) passport and the new passport ie. no need to get the visa put in the new passport.

http://www.ptlabs.com.au/visas/faq.php#vl002

Australian Customs officers will have no issues if you travelled with both your old expired passport (with the valid visa label) and your new passport.

When checking in at the airport, some airline check-in staff may be confused, but if this happens, a quiet chat with the supervisor should normally do the trick.

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...