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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:
NavigatingAdolescence · 17/10/2021 08:50

[quote TattiePants]@blueshoes we also dropped the ball a few years ago with both kids passports. We’re close to Durham passport office so booked a next day appointment for first thing in the morning. They can’t do same day service for children’s passports but we received them in the post the following day. From realising the passports had expired to having new ones took about 3 days.[/quote]
It’s very different now.

I almost had to fly to Scotland to sort out DD’s (from South Wales) last month and with 2 weeks to go there were no appointments anyway. Lots of recent tweets from those with emergency appointments not getting the passport within the promised week as well.

The whole system is an absolute mess at the moment.

Whitefire · 17/10/2021 08:51

If one of my DC's friends was in this situation then I would be offering to have them for the full week. I'd try to ensure that the dc didn't break their leg, get lost or allow their head to fall off one of the other scenarios that will almost definitely happen when the parents are on holiday.

Bimblesalong · 17/10/2021 08:56

A friend’s plane was delayed flying out as a family had to be deplaned due to the child’s passport not having enough time left on it. The family hasn’t boarded but their luggage had to be retrieved.
So, unfortunately it does happen.
I hope you manage to fast track a passport.

Standingstilll · 17/10/2021 08:56

Let the 15 yr old stay at home. He'll party all week. Just make sure anything valuable is locked away and house insurance is up to date.

Alternative is to sort passport or not go.

Ginfilledcats · 17/10/2021 08:56

My brother went down to Peterborough from the Lakes on. The Wednesday before we flew on the Saturday to renew his passport. Booked it on like the Monday as he had less than 3m on his passport. Flew to Spain. Long day/drive and expensive but worth it.

Apparently it's at passport control and the company you flies with discretion but bro didn't want to leave it to chance.

Good luck

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 17/10/2021 09:01

I'd do one day or none of us would be going. No way I'd leave one of my children behind. I'd rather abandon the holiday and go camping instead.
Unless of course he's thrilled he's not going and wants to stay with a trusted friend.

MajorCarolDanvers · 17/10/2021 09:01

Phone both the airline and the Greek Embassy and ask them what their position is on this.

You may be able to get a waiver.

namechanged129456 · 17/10/2021 09:02

Very recently, I used the one week fast-track service. My appointment was on a Friday afternoon and I received my passport the following Tuesday (I am in London).

Keep refreshing the appointment page.

Good luck!

Pottedpalm · 17/10/2021 09:03

I’m sure the OP knows her child well enough to know whether he is just pretending to be OK. A grandparent or other relative can have the schedule and check on him regularly. If my son asked for his friend to stay under these circumstances I would ask for contact details of whoever was in overall charge and then make sure the boys had a good time. Definitely wouldn’t report to school (!); nothing to do with them, or the police, social services or the busybody next door.

PurpleOkapi · 17/10/2021 09:03

@Whitefire

If one of my DC's friends was in this situation then I would be offering to have them for the full week. I'd try to ensure that the dc didn't break their leg, get lost or allow their head to fall off one of the other scenarios that will almost definitely happen when the parents are on holiday.
Same. But the entire time, I'd be wondering wtf was wrong with the parents that the only thing stopping any of that from happening was the charity of some random person they don't even know. And I'd seriously consider contacting the authorities.
Smurf123 · 17/10/2021 09:04

Ryanair are offering free transfers on all tickets for travel before 31st December so you could change your flights to say feb half term which gives you a chance to sort the passport. Your hotel might be will to do the same if you explain the situation.
I'm not sure anyone would notice that close in dates though either. They aren't going to prevent him coming home on a valid passport and you have 3 months left at time of departure

Pottedpalm · 17/10/2021 09:05

@Whitefire

If one of my DC's friends was in this situation then I would be offering to have them for the full week. I'd try to ensure that the dc didn't break their leg, get lost or allow their head to fall off one of the other scenarios that will almost definitely happen when the parents are on holiday.
😂 you forgot the gouging out of an eye.. also a frequent occurrence!
rookiemere · 17/10/2021 09:07

We have a 15 year old, currently away in Tenerife and he is having an amazing time because his pal and DPs are staying in the same complex. If it was just us, I suspect he'd rather stay at home.

I mean it's a real shame your DS hasn't got a passport, but it sounds like he's happy at his friends and you're ok going without him. No point in wearing sackcloth and ashes and having a rainy family in the Lake District instead.

To make it up to him book a fabulous summer holiday which has activities such as Neilson or an adventure somewhere ( apologies if this has already been suggested I have skim read only).

whenthedoveslie · 17/10/2021 09:07

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ThePants999 · 17/10/2021 09:10

@blueshoes - in case you haven't twigged yet, you are in a place famed for pearl-clutching, and should take certain replies with rather more than a pinch of salt. Your parenting is fine and your plan is fine. Have a great holiday!

Abraxan · 17/10/2021 09:15

THTS HAS FUCKALL TO DO WITH BREXIT!

Prior to Brexit, we were part of the EU.
We did not need to have additional time in our passport to travel to other countries within the EU. It could run out the day after we landed back in the UK and all was fine.

In the case of this holiday, Brexit has made a difference as to whether the 15y can travel there or not,

antsinyourpanta · 17/10/2021 09:18

As an aside does anyone know why you need 3 or 6 months left on a passport?
As I said in previous post we renewed DS passport last year (as it turned out, unnecessarily) as it has exactly 6 months left from day of departure (which was meant to be December) . So renewed in October to allow for any covid related delays...but then I effectively wasted oct 20 - June 21 of that 5 year passport....as well as a year of the next one. In the grand scheme of things its not a huge cost compared to a holiday but why do you need that much time still valid? Effectively you are getting a 9.5 year passport, or a 4.5 year passport for kids.

Also have a 15 year old and I'm pretty sure she would be gutted if we went away to crete without her. (She'd be less bothered if it was somewhere she considered boring, like the peak district for example) I think she'd feel she shouldn't make a fuss about it but I know she would be disappointed. And I wouldn't want her to stay with people I didn't know well.

Abraxan · 17/10/2021 09:19

I seriously doubt a 15 year old only child is going to love the idea of being on holiday with their parents

We are going in holiday next week. Dd is 19y and is coming back from university to go with us - just the three of us, she lives our holidays abroad together, she chose the destination. Although she also enjoys a holiday with her mates, she also enjoys spend a week or two away with us too.

To be honest, why wouldn't she? We get in well. We go to destinations she wants to go to. She gets an all expenses paid holiday to long haul (and short haul) places she is keen to explore.

Not all teenagers and young people want to spend their time avoiding their parents or enjoying things as a family. Most of DD's friends growing up were similar. All enjoyed family holidays throughout their teens and still now.

Clymene · 17/10/2021 09:21

@antsinyourpanta

As an aside does anyone know why you need 3 or 6 months left on a passport? As I said in previous post we renewed DS passport last year (as it turned out, unnecessarily) as it has exactly 6 months left from day of departure (which was meant to be December) . So renewed in October to allow for any covid related delays...but then I effectively wasted oct 20 - June 21 of that 5 year passport....as well as a year of the next one. In the grand scheme of things its not a huge cost compared to a holiday but why do you need that much time still valid? Effectively you are getting a 9.5 year passport, or a 4.5 year passport for kids.

Also have a 15 year old and I'm pretty sure she would be gutted if we went away to crete without her. (She'd be less bothered if it was somewhere she considered boring, like the peak district for example) I think she'd feel she shouldn't make a fuss about it but I know she would be disappointed. And I wouldn't want her to stay with people I didn't know well.

In case you overstay
Grilledaubergines · 17/10/2021 09:23

@Abraxan

THTS HAS FUCKALL TO DO WITH BREXIT!

Prior to Brexit, we were part of the EU.
We did not need to have additional time in our passport to travel to other countries within the EU. It could run out the day after we landed back in the UK and all was fine.

In the case of this holiday, Brexit has made a difference as to whether the 15y can travel there or not,

We’ve needed 6 months left on passports for years, well before Brexit.
PyjamasAndWellies · 17/10/2021 09:27

I think this is totally fine...some people seem to baby their 15 year olds! I would maybe try and keep it to him staying at just one or two houses and would definitely speak to the parents seeing as this isn't a normal sleep over because you will be abroad....but other than that I'm sure this would have been totally normal when I was 15. I wasn't much older than that when I was left to fend for myself! I did have some house parties though Grin

BertiesShoes · 17/10/2021 09:28

@blueshoes

Slightly off topic, but do you still have valid EHIC cards?

Ours had expired Sept 20, but it didn’t cross my mind to check if we still needed them as I thought we didn’t, plus no intention to go abroad on holiday until next year.

In Sept, I booked a trip to Ireland to see relatives, for this coming Friday, checked the EHIC situation, and found that I need one (or the new GHIC)

Fortunately, if the residence checks are completed electronically, the card comes in 2/3 weeks (including mine). If for some reason that doesn’t happen (as with my son) and docs need to be emailed to them, it takes longer.

Quartz2208 · 17/10/2021 09:28

Because we are no longer in the Schengen Area due to Brexit (so yes this is due to Brexit) we are allowed visa free travel to those within it (in effect Europe) for up to 90 days within a 180 day period (in effect the 3 months and the 6 months) and therefore you need a valid passport to cover this. And the 90 days is for all countries.

It also has to be less than 10 years old which is why time cant be added on

Abraxan · 17/10/2021 09:30

Have you actually contacted Ryan Air and asked them. For the sake of 1 week, it may well be possible for him to still go. There may be a way round it. It's not like it runs out within a day or so if him getting in a plane.

I don't know how much flexibility they have these days but they did in the past, even for non eu countries where we needed passport time left, especially for children.

It might be worth a phone call before you give up entirely.

dontblamemee · 17/10/2021 09:31

I'm having passport issues for my youngest 2 kids. One renewal and a first passport for the baby. Flying on Monday 25th still no sign of the passports. (It's been weeks) I'm thinking DP should still go with the older 2 (teenagers) and I'll stay home with the little ones as DD has said there is no way I'm going without her. Definitely wouldn't leave them with friends 😂