Vias label

[phils47]

My wife got a new Philippine passport recently. It is biometric.

INZ told uswe had topay $110 to transfer her permanent resident visa label to her new passport.

I then saw on INZ website the words “There is no fee to replace a physical visa label in your old passport with an evisa associated with your new passport”

I now wonder if we were misinformed.

Anyone have an idea on this?

Thank you.no fee.jpg

[JandM]

But I don't think INZ issue Permanent Residence visas as eVisas.

[phils47]

Well they don't say that. They just say people can replace a visa label with an evisa at no cost. There is no statement that says it does not cover any particular type of visa label.

[JandM]

As far as I've seen up till now, INZ will ONLY issue SOME visas as eVisas, and this doesn't include Residence and Permanent Residence. So what you've found on the website means that if you get a new passport and need an existing visa which CAN be issued as an eVisa transferred, it would be cost-free.

But if in doubt, since it's not specifically stated on the INZ website, ask INZ themselves.

Apart from the issue of cost, I don't see the advantage of eVisas to the holder. If you have one, you always have to carry the letter of authorization with you as well as your passport, whereas a visa label stuck in your passport can't get lost.

[phils47]

Thanks jandM. $110 for a stickylabel is a very big amount (they are only meant to recover costs, not make a profit)

[JandM]

Every member of the public facing this issue can see the point. But they're the government. They're the ONLY people who can do the necessary with your passport, and you need your passport. Captive audience? - charge what you like.

This reminds me of sorting out the Probate for my mother's Will. I found out the fee online, and sent off the cheque with all the papers. Everything was actually ready on the Friday, but I kept it back and checked everything again over the weekend, then sent it on the Monday, so then it arrived on the first of the month. They sent the cheque back, saying it should be for double the amount. I phoned up to query that. 'What a shame you didn't send it last week,' said the woman. 'The fees went up on the first.' DOUBLE, and it wasn't cheap in the first place. But there was nothing to be done but pay, or I couldn't have finalized the inheritance.

[phils47]

Yep...captive market gives them the power.