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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Son's passport expiring - family hols in ruins

828 replies

blueshoes · 16/10/2021 21:00

Dh and I were looking forward to our family holiday in Crete, Greece for the October half term. We watched the covid-19/PCR situation closely not realising that my 15 year old son's passport has less than 3 months. Just found out today. This is our first foreign holiday since covid struck.

The government website says that for entry to Greece, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave Greece, or any other Schengen country.

We leave on 30 October and my son's passport expires just short of 3 months on 22 January 2022. It is too late to renew his passport as we are leaving in less than a week.

Ds cannot come with us, can he? Sad We f_ked up.

Anybody recently travelled to Greece with Ryanair with less than 3 months left on their passport? Is it a bad idea to turn up and chance it or bite the bullet now and plan on the basis ds cannot go.

OP posts:
AliceinBorderland · 16/10/2021 21:01

Can't you renew it in person before then?

rainyskylight · 16/10/2021 21:01

Go to the passport office and pay for express service. It’s same day.

SunndyD · 16/10/2021 21:03

It’s about 200 for the next day/ same day service…. You’ve no choice

AliceinBorderland · 16/10/2021 21:03

"Get a passport urgently: 1 week Fast Track service - GOV.UK" www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently/1-week-fast-track-service

funinthesun19 · 16/10/2021 21:03

Can you not fast track it? You can get it done in a day.

AliceinBorderland · 16/10/2021 21:04

It's expensive but not as expensive as losing the holiday cost.

The airline might let you on but immigration in Greece might not let him in

Wazzzzzzzup · 16/10/2021 21:05

Ds cannot come with us, can he? sad
I think you mistyped and wanted to say "We can't go, can we"...

Pay for express as pps suggested

nancy75 · 16/10/2021 21:05

Ive just renewed mine, got it back in 5 days (normal service) I wouldn’t risk that but fast track should be doable

Brollywasntneededafterall · 16/10/2021 21:06

Ds got his at the face to face fast track for 180 quid ish.

purplesequins · 16/10/2021 21:06

nothing to do with the airline.
but with the entry requirement of a non-eu resident into a eu country.

TheWeatherOutside · 16/10/2021 21:07

This is our first foreign holiday since covid struck.
The horror!

Are you just going to go without him? Confused

DanielRicciardosSmile · 16/10/2021 21:07

You're not planning on going and leaving him behind are you?!

Clymene · 16/10/2021 21:08

I went to Turkey with a week less than whatever you're supposed to have and it was fine but a) it was ages ago and b) pre Brexit.

I'd suck up the emergency passport cost. You're obviously not going to leave your son behind because you made a mistake are you? Hmm

dancingdolphinsagain · 16/10/2021 21:08

We once realised that DH passport had less than 6 months to go to Egypt. We went to the airport and they got us to sign a waiver that it wasn't their fault if he got sent back etc. It was fine. But obviously risky!

MrsCardone · 16/10/2021 21:08

You’ve got time! Renew it in person. Don’t leave him behind - that would be cruel.

Somebodylikeyew · 16/10/2021 21:09

Get yourself to the passport office on Monday, surely?

AliceinBorderland · 16/10/2021 21:09

@Clymene

I went to Turkey with a week less than whatever you're supposed to have and it was fine but a) it was ages ago and b) pre Brexit.

I'd suck up the emergency passport cost. You're obviously not going to leave your son behind because you made a mistake are you? Hmm

What does Brexit have to do with Turkey.

Turkey isn't in the EU Confused

Cuddlyrottweiler · 16/10/2021 21:09

Express, DH got him same day. Dropped the paperwork off, went shopping, picked his passport up.

FredaFox · 16/10/2021 21:09

This isn't a new thing to be honest (ex travel agent) though it doesn't help you now.
Just suck up the cost and get an emergency passport, you will get one.

Lotusmonster · 16/10/2021 21:10

I paid abt £145 for a 7 day service. Went on a Monday and got the passport back Friday. You book the appointment online and take a prefiled paper form in, photos. You need one photo to be witnessed and the application witnessed to. I went to London Victoria and took son with me. Was fast

Notimeforaname · 16/10/2021 21:10

You pay for an emergency passport?

He's 15. A child.

The passport renewal is the parents responsibility. Pretty shitty to fuck that up and then leave him at home for an adults mistake.

legalseagull · 16/10/2021 21:12

Are you actually planning on leaving your teenage son behind because YOU messed up? Express the passport or move the holiday

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 16/10/2021 21:12

Go to the passport office and renew in person

Ds cannot come with us, can he? sad
I think you mistyped and wanted to say "We can't go, can we"...

^^
This! You absolutely cannot go without him. It’s your fuck up, not your child’s. It would be incredibly cruel to leave him.

Either sort it out in person or none of you go.

yellowmoon487 · 16/10/2021 21:14

Greece is.

Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 21:14

Appreciate the replies.

We looked into the one week fast track. I understand we have to book an appointment and then it is one week from the appointment. The earliest appointment we can get is mid-November, which is no good to us.

Anyone got their passport recently faster than that? rainysky, sunndyD, when you say same day, was that recently?

Agree that cost is not the issue compared to the cost of the holiday. It is whether it is do-able to renew within 4 working days in the first place.
T

OP posts: