Stonehead wrote:Annpan wrote:I don't know what immigration thought or who had grassed us in
They don't think!
I'm Australian with UK right of abode and have lived here for more than 10 years. But, I can't travel outside the UK and have the ever-present concern of immigration officials descending on us.
Why? Because of stupid bureacratic rules here and in Australia.
As I've lived in the UK for so long, I can't renew or replace my now lapsed Australian passport as I don't know the type of professional Australians who can vouch for my identity. Whenever I've spoken to the Australian High Commission, their response has been that I should return to Australia for two years, develop contact with a suitable professional for that period of time and then use them to vouch for my ID.
Of course, you can't do that if you don't have a current passport or want to stay with your family in another country.
I've looked into becoming a British citizen but the problem with that is that I'd require a current Australian passport first with a valid right of abode entry. My now lapsed Australian passport does, of course, have the right of abode sticker but even though that's on file it's no longer valid for getting citizenship - even though it still entitles me to be here.
Add in all the new "anti-terror" legislation both here and in Australia, and there's no chance of me getting a passport from either country thanks to the ID requirements. (Although I used to know a couple of people who could have sold me a passport illegally and I could then have travelled on that!)
On the plus side, it does mean that I'm effectively banned from doing long-haul air travel so being stateless is a very "green" position to be in!
That's really tough!
To renew a British passport (abroad) you are allowed to use said people who are either British, from a Commonwealth country or a citizen of the country in which you live.
It's still hard finding someone 'professional' though, who you have known for the required period of time. I sent mine back to my mum's accountant in England last time to have the photo ID'd and signed!
P.S. Can't Nev do it for you? He'd be professional enough wouldn't he? And he must have 'known' you for nearly two years by now.
