My passport expired in October 2008. Because I wasn't planning to go anywhere until the end of June, I hadn't gotten around to renewing it. After Rob rang me early yesterday morning, I had to scramble to get it organised. I rang the New Zealand Passport Office in Sydney when it opened at 9am and found out what I needed for an urgent renewal. I knew I had to get the paperwork in the express post box by 6pm, so yesterday constisted of:
- sending an email to Rob to arrange the funeral home to fax our circumstances to the passport office
- getting hair and eyebrows done (way overdue so figured getting them done for the passport photo was as good a time as any)
- having passport photos taken and picking up an Express Post Platinum envelope
- reading and filling out 13 pages of forms
- finding someone that met the strict criteria to verify my photos
I managed to get photos verified by 5.30pm, then it was off to the post box.
Had a call at 2.30 this afternoon to say that they had received the paperwork and fax BUT... my marriage certificate wasn't an official one (just the presentation one they give you at your ceremony) so if I wanted my new passport ASAP they would just issue it in my maiden name again, and I could put it in my married name when I renewed it again in five years. I said YES, so they are couriering it to me overnight and I should have it in my hot little hands tomorrow.
***Lesson: renew your passport as SOON as it expires - you never know when you might need it!***
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
God Bless the New Zealand Passport Office
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2 comments:
WHEW!! I am glad you got it in time without battling too much red tape! I doubt the US Gov't would have been able to get one of ours done in that speedy amount of time!
Good lesson learnt - I have let mine expire but as you say you never know when you might need it!
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