Great British rip off

[matt]

I just had the pleasure of renewing one adult and one child passport with the high commision in Wellington, And the total cost for this was $550. Plus I now need to have visa's transfered to the new passports at a cost of $80 each.

So I know I should not work things out in pounds but......... $550 x 0.474 pence =260.70 pounds. But If I was to get the same passports in the Uk the going rate for a adult passport is 77 pounds.

Does anybody know if the passports issued in NZ are made from the finest paper avalible and and written with the most expensive ink or is the commision trying to milk ex pats for extra money,

[JandM]

Ouch... makes you think, doesn't it? Has anybody ever written to the British government about this blatant unfairness?

[newarrival]

I guess it is because we indirectly pay for the people in the embassy etc., it is the same in our case, we had our German passports renewed- had to travel to Christchurch because of the fingerprints (before that, the papers could be verified by a notary public, now it has to be done at the embassy or the honorary consul's office), then payed around 200$ for each passport, plus a fee for the Honorary Consul plus, of course, the passport photos plus the fee for the visa transfer......

[sophiedb]

I just had the pleasure of renewing one adult and one child passport with the high commision in Wellington, And the total cost for this was $550. Plus I now need to have visa's transfered to the new passports at a cost of $80 each.

So I know I should not work things out in pounds but......... $550 x 0.474 pence =260.70 pounds. But If I was to get the same passports in the Uk the going rate for a adult passport is 77 pounds.

Does anybody know if the passports issued in NZ are made from the finest paper avalible and and written with the most expensive ink or is the commision trying to milk ex pats for extra money,

If it makes you feel any better, hubby was full of the fact that his NZ passport renewal was £76 while my UK passport renewal was £77.50... until he realised that I came out of it with a 10 year passport, while his only lasted 5 years

He also decided that carrying around the old NZ passport (complete with UK visa) as well as the new passport was better than paying £200 for a new sticker. (though we didn't eventually fork out £700+ for his UK citizenship)

Sadly, everyone plays this game. Just because we already jumped through visa hoops doesn't exempt us from exorbitant charges later on.

[incredible hulse]

Plus I now need to have visa's transfered to the new passports at a cost of $80 each.

Yep - total rip off but the above is the one that really gets me. $80 to stick a piece of paper

[Sun777]

Sounds familiar...I guess its same with all passports at the moment, hear similar stories on couple of other countries as well

[Mamee & Co]

I'm lucky as I can apply for NZ citizenship before I have to renew the UK passport, but everyone else in the house will need to renew the UK passport first...the question is do I only want an NZ passport thereafter?

[colindp]

Ours need renewing in Feb 2011, I am in Perth, Australia and thought that I would have to perhaps send to Canberra....Nope, I have to send them to Auckland and Pay $275 AUD each! So again given current exchange rates 168.50 GBP.

[LAsmith]

I feel your pain.. i need to renew my British passport in the States before i jump through all the other hoops to move to NZ (its going to expire AND its in my Maiden name of all things) when I complained about the exorbitant cost I was informed that all embassies and consulates MUST completely fund themselves without dipping into crown or domestic revenue and I should be thankfull for all the wonderful services they offer me while i live abroad.... Has anyone ever found a use for them? as far as i can tell thy work three days a week, take long weekends and don't actually help with anything except reading off the web address for everything very clearly. after youve been on hold for an hour.