[Urgent] Visa on Old Passport, Traveling for first time on Resident Visa

[mikenorth]

// posting on behalf of a friend, please guide him

Hello

We are in a situation where we urgently need help. We are currently in United States

As per our approval, we have to be inside New Zealand on or before 21 Oct 2016.
We got our stamps for (resident visa under skilled migrant category) in London and all set for our travel on Sept 09, 2016 (which is 10 days away from now).

Meanwhile since our passports were expiring we sent them for renewal. Now we have a situation. We have Resident Visa label on our old passport but we also have a new passport. What does this mean?

- Our old passport is cancelled, but it clearly says that “Old Passport Cancelled, Valid Visas in the Old Passport not Cancelled”.
- We have a new passport

I called Immigration New Zealand Contact Centre in London and the lady told me that this might be an issue at the border since your label is not on the new Passport.

Do you think this is an issue? Because the it is already stamped the old passport saying that the valid visas are not cancelled.?
I am seeking help because even if I send the visa transfer application now, it will not be completed before our travel to New Zealand (Sept 09, 2016).

Please help us in this situation

[JandM]

Yes, it is definitely an issue. Airlines are not allowed to admit people onto their flights with a visa on an old passport. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...a-new-passport These people will need to change their flights if they can't somehow arrange to have the visas transferred in time.

[mikenorth]

the passport (old) did not expire, still has some months, but it got cancelled (since the new one was issued). It still means the same thing, right?

[JandM]

It's still the same. The visa that will let you into the country has to be IN the passport that will let you into the country.