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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:
Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 23:28

If the issue is for one day, could you not re-book flights for at least DS and one parent to return a day earlier? If it is Ryanair it shouldn't cost the earth for two tickets and you were prepared to pay quite a lot to try to use the express passport service.

It is not a day. Because ds' passport expires 22 Jan, ds and the parent would have to come home on 22 Oct which is the first day of our holiday. So effectively no holiday.

OP posts:
Ouchiehelpneeded · 16/10/2021 23:28

I don't understand the all the hate on this thread. Our 16 yo agrees to come on holidays with us, but would fairly pleased to be able to spend a week with friends instead. I'd be gutted, but it is a mistake. People sometimes cock things up! It's not proof that they're terrible, selfish parents.

The OP, like the rest of us, is human. She's made a mistake and is trying to fix it and/or make the best of the situation.

I hope you manage to get the passport sorted OP, but either way, I hope you all enjoy your week.

Yourstupidityexhaustsme · 16/10/2021 23:28

This thread cannot be real.

Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 23:29

workinghard and pumpkins sorry for your experience Flowers

OP posts:
MouseholeCat · 16/10/2021 23:32

I'm not pearl clutching at the leave DS at home thing but I do find it weird that OP would go to that over cancelling the whole holiday when it's their fuck up.

Some 15 year olds would love staying with friends, but others would prefer the family holiday. I'd have been in the latter group and really upset and angry at my parents at that age if this happened.

zoemum2006 · 16/10/2021 23:32

I haven’t read the whole thread but if people are being mean it’s because it’s yet another unnecessary pointless Brexit cost.

shinynewapple21 · 16/10/2021 23:33

Maybe the posters who feel strongly the family should cancel have younger dcs? My other dc is 18, so perhaps I see ds as more grown up and worldly, and he is objectively. He can weigh up pros and cons.

Nope . My DS is now 20. At 15 he may have considered himself 'grown up and worldly' as do most teenagers . Luckily for him as parents we could see beyond the facade .

XelaM · 16/10/2021 23:33

I honestly think no one will be bothered by the close expiry date as long as the passport is valid. Just go all together as planned

Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 23:33

I am not blaming Brexit just myself (and trying not to say dh). But the whole reason why I have to check passport expiry in the first place - which I did not and clearly should die in a ditch for it - is because of Brexit. I feel like I am missing something.

OP posts:
balernobetty · 16/10/2021 23:36

It's very unfair that your son has to miss his holiday because of your fuck up then watch you swan off us awful.
The fact your making out how exciting sleeping on others sofas is going to be for him actually takes the biscuit.
That poor boy

TasteTheMeatNotTheHeat · 16/10/2021 23:37

God, I'd have loved to find out that I couldn't go on family holiday at age 15 and would have to stay with mates instead. Jackpot lol. Although I appreciate that all teens are different and some would be very upset, so it really depends on the individual DC.

I'm really sorry if I'm rehashing stuff that you've already gone over, but I'm just struggling to understand why he can't get his passport renewed if you go in person to the passport office? I've had to do this before, and so have many friends and relatives. It's a right of passage for those of us who are not great at organisation. I'm really surprised to hear that this isn't an option.

I'd be tempted to just turn up and see what happens, although I appreciate that's potentially wasting a day of your annual leave and it might not work.

Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 23:37

Thanks, Ouchie

OP posts:
FinallyFluid · 16/10/2021 23:37

I had a long post planned, it comes down to this.

Your attitude is VILE

freckles20 · 16/10/2021 23:38

@XelaM

I honestly think no one will be bothered by the close expiry date as long as the passport is valid. Just go all together as planned
That is honestly not the case. The days of getting waved through without having your passport checked, or it just given a cursory glance are well behind us.

There may be exceptions but these days passports are registered when you check in online or in person, scanned by security etc etc.. the systems are able to flash up day issues etc..

Again there may be exceptions but the teams don't have the authority to make exceptions, rules are stuck to rigidly.

Silverswirl · 16/10/2021 23:38

@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.

This. Day I 1 and possibly 2 will be exciting. At some point the realisation will hit that they are all together having a lovely time abroad without him. The last time he will have gone abroad may have been when he was 13 and 2 years is a fairly long time in the loft of a 13-15 year old. OP will never realise the hurt and upset he might feel because she will be away abroad and he may never say. One thing is for sure is that he will never ever forget that week. Makes me sad.
SallyWebsterr · 16/10/2021 23:39

People saying that a 15 year old would love to spend time with their mates...I think the issue is more that he didnt choose it. Yes it would be nice but he clearly chose to go to Crete. He is making the best of a bad situation but hes being left behind due to a mistake his parents made.

Also, you mention a different house each night. Are you not concerned about covid? How many families will your son be staying with? Also, with covid being prevelant at the moment, who is going to take care of him if he shows symptoms? There is no way I would be leaving my 15 year old in a different country to traipse from house to house in the current climate.

Could a grandparent/someone not stay at your house to give him a base at least? A main carer.

Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 23:40

@TasteTheMeatNotTheHeat

God, I'd have loved to find out that I couldn't go on family holiday at age 15 and would have to stay with mates instead. Jackpot lol. Although I appreciate that all teens are different and some would be very upset, so it really depends on the individual DC.

I'm really sorry if I'm rehashing stuff that you've already gone over, but I'm just struggling to understand why he can't get his passport renewed if you go in person to the passport office? I've had to do this before, and so have many friends and relatives. It's a right of passage for those of us who are not great at organisation. I'm really surprised to hear that this isn't an option.

I'd be tempted to just turn up and see what happens, although I appreciate that's potentially wasting a day of your annual leave and it might not work.

Absolutely, TasteTheMeat. Ds and I are going in person to the passport office on Monday morning to try and get it renewed on the spot. That is not an option stated anywhere on the government website, but we will try it anyway, whatever the cost. It is worth a go.
OP posts:
freckles20 · 16/10/2021 23:41

@blueshoes

Ds will be given spending money over the time he is with his friends, which he will probably use some to buy even more clothes, trainers and accessories online. He will be hanging out with a succession of buddies - he got some many takers to have him that he does not want to do more than one friend a night. I have to square it with his friends' parents after Monday morning where we are planning to stalk the passport office to take pity on us and renew his passport on the spot.
Lovely. Throw some money at him and fuck off on holiday. He can spend nights at his mates anytime! It sounds like time together is few and far between!
Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 23:42

Also, you mention a different house each night. Are you not concerned about covid? How many families will your son be staying with? Also, with covid being prevelant at the moment, who is going to take care of him if he shows symptoms? There is no way I would be leaving my 15 year old in a different country to traipse from house to house in the current climate.

These are his mates that he spends time at school with. They have been giving each other covid left, right and centre. He does not want relatives at home. He prefers his mates and is in fact now more and more looking forward to it.

OP posts:
balernobetty · 16/10/2021 23:43

@SallyWebsterr

People saying that a 15 year old would love to spend time with their mates...I think the issue is more that he didnt choose it. Yes it would be nice but he clearly chose to go to Crete. He is making the best of a bad situation but hes being left behind due to a mistake his parents made.

Also, you mention a different house each night. Are you not concerned about covid? How many families will your son be staying with? Also, with covid being prevelant at the moment, who is going to take care of him if he shows symptoms? There is no way I would be leaving my 15 year old in a different country to traipse from house to house in the current climate.

Could a grandparent/someone not stay at your house to give him a base at least? A main carer.

@SallyWebsterr makes a very valid point re covid. Who are you expecting to look after him if he catches covid from one of the 7 houses he'll be staying at?
FuckingFabulous · 16/10/2021 23:46

@blueshoes

I am not blaming Brexit just myself (and trying not to say dh). But the whole reason why I have to check passport expiry in the first place - which I did not and clearly should die in a ditch for it - is because of Brexit. I feel like I am missing something.
You're definitely missing something if you think it's fine to go without your son
Original poster
blueshoes · 16/10/2021 23:46

Lovely. Throw some money at him and fuck off on holiday. He can spend nights at his mates anytime! It sounds like time together is few and far between!

I am no doubt minimising but in the grand scheme of things, we are only talking about 8 days apart. He does not get to spend nights at his mates much, especially since schools only just re-opened and it is pretty full on with homework now that he is into the GCSE years. We will find time together on holiday as a family again soon. He has only had one sleepover since September.

OP posts:
Warmduscher · 16/10/2021 23:47

He prefers his mates and is in fact now more and more looking forward to it.

You just keep telling yourself that.

Though tbf he probably prefers them to you now he knows you’re happy to ditch him because of your cockup.

ThatsWhatI · 16/10/2021 23:47

Our holiday was cancelled last year and afterwards we realised DS 14 passport was out of date so he wouldn't have been able to go. He said he'd have been quite happy to have been left behind as he's not that particularly bothered about going on holiday or not. He'd have had to have waited for the grandparents to pick him though

Blankspace4 · 16/10/2021 23:47

Chances are if he catches covid he’ll be asymptomatic like the vast majority of teenagers!

However I do wonder, OP (and as you know I’ve been very supportive of you here and don’t get the hysteria), whether he would be better staying with the one mate all week. No I saw him seeing other mates but wouldn’t it feel more comfortable for all concerned if he was settled somewhere for the week (that is if you can’t sort the passport out). Does he have mates where you know the parents and could leave some money for keep?