To have deliberately waited to renew my son's passport?

[CallMeExhausted]

We live in Canada, where adult passport is issued at 16 years old.

All of our passports have expired, and we live in a border town, so having them is very helpful for quick jaunts.

My ex-husband has been a royal pain regarding anything to do with our son, so while he did agree to sign the passport application, he has demanded that there be full notarized itineraries delivered by recorded post to him so that they may be approved before our son may cross the border.

However, once he holds an adult passport, this "custody requirement" becomes a moot point - not that it is official, we have no formal custody agreement, as that would require him to actually pay CM. He is just a blowhard bastard who likes to thump his chest and get loud and threatening when he thinks he isn't controlling everything.

Was I unreasonable to conveniently "forget" to renew my son's passport until, say, Monday - his 16th birthday? Yes, it costs more than twice as much, but it is valid for 10 years, and his father can't limit his travel.

yeah, gotcha, blowhard! Stop screwing with your son's fun

As long as your son agrees, then yes.

How sad that his dad won't pay child support. All the best to you.

Yanbu.

I can actually taste that sweet taste of long awaited revenge there love!

The 10yr passport and it's higher cost is proof that sometimes money can buy happiness!

:)

It is common practice and certainly legal in the UK to let your passport expire and then renew it later. There's no requirement that it be kept current, unless you're planning on using it. Plus, waiting for the adult one makes good sense.

So, YANBU and actually very clever. Hope your DS has fun on his journeys!

Absolutely, definitely hang on!

YANBU, I like it.

Definitely NOT unreasonable - simply smart!

CallMe couldn't you get the FMEP onto him?

MrsTerry in our province, it is the FRO (Family Responsibility Office) but over the years I have found that the best way to make life easy format son and me is to leave the ex alone. He loves to whine and moan about how much he misses his son, but has unilaterally reduced visits to less than 40 hours every 3 weeks (or less).

Son has to travel by rail (I pay) 4 hours each direction. He leaves Friday at the dinner hour and returns mid afternoon Sunday. Initially, the ex reduced visits from every 2 weeks to 3, then put him on an earlier train back. We have a 9 week summer vacation, no effort has been made for the ex to spend any more time with him at all.

My husband has raised our son as his own, and while we have never been rolling in money, we have actually struggled a lot, we are OK now. Our son has a university savings account that will ensure he can complete his undergrad studies, and he has our blessing to live here until he has completed his education.

While it might have helped in years past, right now I can honestly say I am happier having my son that fighting his sperm donor over money.

I think that even without the hassle of the ex, waiting the extra few weeks until he gets an adult one is just sensible. Presumably you would have been paying for a child's passport, then having to pay for an adult one, so waiting is just common sense.

sounds reasonable to me.
especially if you are paying for it.

Like MidniteScribbler said, it seems like a perfectly sensible idea to wait until he is old enough to get an adult passport. Especially if it's only a short time and there isn't any need for travel until then.

My DD1's passport has expired over a year now and I'm waiting until DD2 turns 3 next month to apply for both passports together, as the 3yo passport lasts longer than the under 3s. Purely practical.

It sounds like the best thing you could do.

What an excellent idea. Good luck to you and your DS.

Good one OP

You're doing your son a huge favour, he now won't have the hassle or expense of a new passport until his mid 20s.

Sounds entirely reasonable to me!

Definitely, good on ya!

Nice one.

CallMe good for you. It's sad, at least Canada makes a tiny effort to get idiots who won't pay to pay. In your case, sounds like your son has a great family.