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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:
ppp4321 · 23/10/2021 19:34

Delighted to hear you did the near impossible.

On a tangential subject, I also only found out looking for something else that we needed to take the full (not abbreviated) and original (not copies) birth certificates if you take kids to South Africa. I can imagine that may catch a few people out as BA didn't inform us specifically of that requirement. Just in case it helps anyone...

Sexnotgender · 23/10/2021 19:43

@ppp4321

Delighted to hear you did the near impossible.

On a tangential subject, I also only found out looking for something else that we needed to take the full (not abbreviated) and original (not copies) birth certificates if you take kids to South Africa. I can imagine that may catch a few people out as BA didn't inform us specifically of that requirement. Just in case it helps anyone...

South Africa is wild. Particularly if you’re travelling with a child under 18 and only one parent! Had to get a signed affidavit off my dick head ex husband to say we could travel.
Bella43 · 23/10/2021 20:22

Renew in person asap. The passport office are inundated so don't post anything off. Please don't leave your son behind.

Bella43 · 23/10/2021 20:24

Just read the update. Fantastic news! Enjoy your holiday 😊

Wauden · 24/10/2021 00:03

Great news! Hope that you are having a good holiday.

mofro · 24/10/2021 09:12

@blueshoes yaay! Fab news well done you!

fridaynight · 13/12/2021 12:07

Has anyone managed to get these emergency fast track passports in the last few weeks ?

GinniMcGinface · 28/04/2022 00:49

Had to use Google to locate this thread as I remembered about it today (as I was sorting out DS expiring passport) and last read it when you had planned to head to the passport office. Am really pleased it all worked out for you in the end (even if it did thwart your son’s alternative holiday plans!)

TomPinch · 28/04/2022 01:53

The South Africans got pissed off a few years ago because a host of Western governments suspended visa free entry from South Africa. The reason was increasing corruption in the SA government meaning the passports couldn't be considered reliable. SA did a tit-for-tat response.

MiddleParking · 28/04/2022 07:03

This thread is awesome. I love the PP’s proposal to phone social services Grin

Queenoftheashes · 28/04/2022 07:24

Yup wild thread. I’m dead now. Glad it all worked out and OP didn’t have to have her 15 year old repossessed.

HTH1 · 28/04/2022 07:58

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.

This, with bells on. Your poor son!

queenmeadhbh · 28/04/2022 08:02

HTH1 · 28/04/2022 07:58

This, with bells on. Your poor son!

Show quote history

Check the date and read the OPs updates. He went to Crete Grin

Feckingfeck · 28/04/2022 08:26

🧟‍♀️

yellowsuninthesky · 28/04/2022 08:38

I can't believe that you would plan to go without your son, rather than renewing his passport now. Surely you can renew by October even with the current delays, it's six months away.

yellowsuninthesky · 28/04/2022 08:38

aaaaaaaagggggghhhhhhh!

yellowsuninthesky · 28/04/2022 08:39

GinniMcGinface · 28/04/2022 00:49

Had to use Google to locate this thread as I remembered about it today (as I was sorting out DS expiring passport) and last read it when you had planned to head to the passport office. Am really pleased it all worked out for you in the end (even if it did thwart your son’s alternative holiday plans!)

Grrrrr.

That said, I should have checked the date on the OP's post.

Copperpottle · 28/04/2022 08:46

Why are you leaving in less than a week for an October holiday? The queues aren't that bad.

Just get a new one, it's ages off.

Hersetta427 · 28/04/2022 08:47

Copperpottle · 28/04/2022 08:46

Why are you leaving in less than a week for an October holiday? The queues aren't that bad.

Just get a new one, it's ages off.

look at the date this thread was started !

ChocBloc · 28/04/2022 08:48

Copperpottle · 28/04/2022 08:46

Why are you leaving in less than a week for an October holiday? The queues aren't that bad.

Just get a new one, it's ages off.

🤣

Sswhinesthebest · 28/04/2022 09:02

I know this is a zombie thread, but can’t believe the angst on this thread.

The op seemed sane and logical in her reasonings.

Glad it all worked out op.

Herejustforthisone · 28/04/2022 09:18

yellowsuninthesky · 28/04/2022 08:38

I can't believe that you would plan to go without your son, rather than renewing his passport now. Surely you can renew by October even with the current delays, it's six months away.

😂😂😂

HenBob · 28/04/2022 09:33

Wow interesting read from last year. Proper pile on there was. OP was fighting them off expertly throughout. Was reading the updates anxiously wanting to make sure the family was still together and the son didn't have to check in to rehab the moment he was left behind. Thank goodness it all worked out for the best. Hope you all had a memorable break!

MiddleParking · 28/04/2022 11:07

Oh it’s got even better since people have started replying to the OP again Grin

MurmuratingStarling · 28/04/2022 11:23

Isn't it obvious this is a zombie thread from the fact it's go almost 900 bloody responses? People have hardly been posting on here since the site regenerated!