Son's passport expiring - family hols in ruins

[blueshoes]

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? 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.

[Thehop]

He’s 15. If he doesn’t get a passport, he might love being left with friends.

[FuckingFabulous]

Oooh, OP. You suck. Your 15 year old won't forgive you for this, no matter how "excited" he is to stay with his mates at the last minute. He'll never forget that you didn't check his passport when you undoubtedly made sure your own were fine, that you didn't even consider staying home with him or calling the passport office and booking a one day fast track appointment. He was immediately "out" in terms of the holiday. I cannot adequately express to you just how much you suck for this. I hope it rains every day you're there.

Sincerely, a 37 year old who was left behind at 16 when her parents jollyed off to Malta for a fortnight.

[HHSchultz]

FGS, the drama of some people, why couldn't they go without DS, I'm sure they are not planning on leaving him home alone!

[2lsinllama]

So, in the space of one evening your son has gotten over his disappointment at not going on the planned holiday and found 7 friends who can host him for a night, feed him and drop him off to the next friend. I hope all the parents are aware this is happening. Have you spoken to them all?

[Amandasummers]

I am gobsmacked that you plan to go without him. Horrible

[23minutesfromTulseHill]

I would not have done it, even if that 'child' was 21!
Then the more fool you. At that age, passport validity would be the 'child's' responsibility.

[Notimeforaname]

sandragreen I was thinking the very same thing..

[Coogee]

We were (and are) working so hard that we dropped some plates.

Quite appropriate if you are going to Greece.

[NavigatingAdolescence]

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

You can do it in a day. I did once. Expensive, and a lot of hanging around, but worth it.,

Not for a child you can’t.

[SallyWebsterr]

Another one here who got left behind at 16 due to a similar issue. DM, stepfather and older siblings went away for 2 weeks and I went to my grandparents. I enjoyed myself there but have never forgotten it and would never do it to my own DC. Also now I'm quite happy to not invite DM along to special holidays I go on with my DC and justify it in my head with the memory.

[Yuppie20]

Wow people are not being very nice about this OP. I think a 15year boy would love a week away fro the parents. I hated going on holiday with my parents at that age!
Don't let a bunch of strangers guilt you. Not going and loosing a whole family holiday after such stressful and depressing times is stupid. Only you know how it will affect your son, if you think he will be OK then go.

[LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood]

You do know don’t you that it is really, really a shit thing to do to go on holiday and leave your DS because you made a mistake?

I am not “Pearl clutching” about a 15 year old not going on holiday. But he was expecting to go and the passport was your responsibility. How would you feel if it was your passport with insufficient time left and DH and DS went without you?

[Blankspace4]

@Coogee that really made me chuckle 🤣

I’m sure OP is going to make every effort to get him along on the trip, but I still think peoples hysteria is overblown. In a years time the boy could legally live independently!!

It would be a nice gesture, if he does end up staying, that he chooses the summer hol destination and gets made a fuss of then (and perhaps take the mate he’s staying with?!)

[Warmduscher]

He probably knows you fucked up and is saying he would love to stay with a friend rather than go on his first holiday since covid, because he doesn’t want to make you feel bad.

And what would be the point in objecting when you and his dad are obviously going anyway, despite it being entirely your fault that he can’t go? What a horrible thing to do to your child.

[2lsinllama]

@LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood

You do know don’t you that it is really, really a shit thing to do to go on holiday and leave your DS because you made a mistake?

I am not “Pearl clutching” about a 15 year old not going on holiday. But he was expecting to go and the passport was your responsibility. How would you feel if it was your passport with insufficient time left and DH and DS went without you?

I thought that - imagine the comments on here if it was her passport and DH suggested going without her!

[Method]

You can't do same day for a child though, it's one week from the in person appointment.

[blueshoes]

@Thehop

He’s 15. If he doesn’t get a passport, he might love being left with friends.

Actually he does. Lots of friends messaging back wanting him to stay with them. He seems to be Mr Popular and looking forward to couch surfing.

Dh and I may just be kidding ourselves to salve our guilty consciences. To answer some posters, dh is ds' other parent.

[blueshoes]

I don't think we will go down the normal route of renewal after all as the site says it takes 6 weeks and we have to surrender ds' passport to do that.

We will stalk the appointments page as suggested and try to see if an appointment comes up on Monday.

[whatausername]

@blueshoes

highland, blankspace thanks for the support. Dh and I totally balls-ed up. We were (and are) working so hard that we dropped some plates. I know it is not an excuse.

If it's not an excuse, why mention it? You and DH messed up and even worse than the cock up are your attitudes to your son. Really questionable parenting. You're playing pass the parcel with your teen.

[CaptainHammer]

I don’t think you’re a bad parent if you go without him if he is happy to stay with friends. I remember trying everything I could to get out of holidays with my parents at that age!

[blueshoes]

If it was my passport that expired I would not want to prevent the rest of the family from travelling and would wave them off. I would quite enjoy being alone with myself for one week but that is just me.

Ds said he would not want the rest of the family to lose their holiday because it is an even bigger 'waste of money'. It is a Ryanair flight so we won't be getting anything back I assume. We might get some of the hotel back. I don't think he is that gutted.

My bigger fear is he gets a taste for this and won't come with us on our next family holiday. Blankspace good idea to suggest the next holiday will be his choice.

[Warmduscher]

Actually he does. Lots of friends messaging back wanting him to stay with them. He seems to be Mr Popular and looking forward to couch surfing.

He’s looking forward to sleeping on other people’s sofas for a week while you and his dad get to go to a beautiful country, probably eating out every night and generally having a lovely time?

Sure.

[2lsinllama]

@blueshoes
And you have checked with all the other parents that they are happy with this arrangement?
I’m in Safeguarding so always go to worst case scenario. Say he trips on a kerb and needs to go to A and E. who is legally responsible for him? Last nights parents of the ones having him that night?
At least you have a week to sort it all out.

[FeatheredHope]

You’re not actually going to just leave him to couch surf at random though, are you?