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Original poster

Child’s passport only has 2 months on it. Flying to Spain on Saturday!

668 replies

olympicsrock · 15/02/2022 10:39

Help!!!
Just discovered that my 10 year old son’s passport only has 2 months left on it. We have flights booked to go to Spain on Saturday. .

Has anyone travelled to Spain on this situation recently? What happened?? Were you refused permission to board the plane?
I have phoned the passport office . There is absolutely no way to get a passport for him in the next 10 days as need to do face to face for child renewal , no appointments til next week abs then a week to deliver by post.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
SmorgasBorb · 16/02/2022 06:43

Hang on OP you asked quite specifically what happened when someone turned up with not enough time on their passport. Helpful PPS 'kindly' told you the rules and that you would be turned away. Many with direct expertise on those rules. They were of course right.

Other helpful and kind PPs suggested emergency appointments. You and they all agreed it doesn't happen anymore
This wasn't good enough for you and you were quite rude about it. You said you knew the rules already so didn't want that spouted back at you. No you wanted actual real life experiences.

People told you actual real life experiences which backed up the rules you said you'd read. Many many have sympathised and then you blamed Brexit. Yes its a factor, yes it's annoying and yes the change in rules means it's worse for you but 'being kind' isn't going to change that. No one can pull strings for you here. I don't know what you were expecting? An immigration officer to offer a dodgy deal?

Yes the 'it's your fault you should have done x' posts aren't particularly helpful but it's one of those learning experiences. The point is that there is nothing that can be done and it's not anyone else's fault. In these situations you take it on the chin and move forward. 99% of people on this thread have shared their knowledge and experiences and tried to be helpful but because no one (except one person who offered a fanciful story of pilot begging) said 'yes darling we pitched up with a whole family of expired passports and they don't look so go for it, you'll be fine babe' you have assumed everyone has been 'unkind'. It's far kinder to say to you early as possible 'no, make other arrangements, here's the rules' than string you along with fanciful possibilities of inattentive gate staff or bribable pilots.

Toanewstart23 · 16/02/2022 06:56

I’ve read the thread
It’s been a bit sparky at points
But bloody hell Op… good job you’re not going abroad because your skin is so thin as to almost be transparent - so for the best you’re not in any sun

Alexandra2001 · 16/02/2022 07:36

@HelloFrostyMorning

Were we still in the EU, this thread wouldn't exist

Yes it would. The denial is bizarre. Brexit has absolutely NOTHING to do with the OP's issue. It's people not checking their passport expiry dates!

Sorry of course it would prebrexit (not) OP writes "i ve checked passport dates and have found that we can ALL go on holiday wha hey!" thread closes with 2 replies.......

And as I said, this NEVER happens to people in real life. (Not to anyone I know anyway!)

Well, you don't know 67m people, me and my friend were on a road trip to Southern france in 2006, she presented her passport to the customs guy at Plymouth and he told her "your passport expired a year ago, we can let you leave but you might have a problem getting back in" (she had no idea) we went on holiday and no one noticed on our return.

Rules on that sort of thing tightened before Brexit but just because you voted to turn the UK back to an insignificant island on the edge of the worlds largest trading bloc (with which we have a v poor deal with) don't pretend it doesn't have real world consequences.

Marvellousmadness · 16/02/2022 07:40

Just say bye bye to your kid and enjoy your holiday Grin

Delatron · 16/02/2022 07:44

They seem to check a lot less at ferry/tunnel/land borders. As we’ve seen on here. Airports more strict.

You’d probably make it if you were prepared to dive to Spain..!

Delatron · 16/02/2022 07:44

Drive!

Louisianagumbo · 16/02/2022 07:47

don't pretend it doesn't have real world consequences.

Real world consequences. 😂 For goodness sake, just check your passport. You'd check it when going to Turkey or Egypt or Tunisia. It's not difficult. You just open the little red booklet up and look at the date.

notimagain · 16/02/2022 07:51

Red????

Are you trying to wind people up ? Wink

Alexandra2001 · 16/02/2022 07:58

@Louisianagumbo

don't pretend it doesn't have real world consequences.

Real world consequences. 😂 For goodness sake, just check your passport. You'd check it when going to Turkey or Egypt or Tunisia. It's not difficult. You just open the little red booklet up and look at the date.

err the passport is in date. Many people do not realise that the rules changed due to brexit.

Several posters have mentioned that the 3 month rule have caught them or friends out as well, as travel opens up, this will become much more of an issue, as well travel with pets & the 90/180 rules - FB caravan/touring pages are up in arms about this, as are 2nd home owners.
People believed BJ when he said "nothing will change" in Parliament.

sageandbasil · 16/02/2022 07:59

If you've got an app Friday and you're flying out the following Saturday can't you just get a later fight and meet your family there with your son?

Peregrina · 16/02/2022 08:13

You just open the little red booklet up and look at the date.

The start date and then do some arithmetic, because on a lot of people's passports the printed end date is now a total fiction.

People believed BJ when he said "nothing will change" in Parliament.

Which was a foolish thing to do, given BJ's track record for honesty.

Louisianagumbo · 16/02/2022 08:20

Many people do not realise that the rules changed due to brexit.

But the op did know the rules had changed, she just forgot to check.
Warnings have been being given for years. It's been in the newspapers, on the Web and on the telly. We've been out of the EU for two years and warnings were given well before that. It's been a year since this came into force and there were warnings before and during the last year. Unless you live in a blindfold with cauliflower florets stuck in your ears, how can you not know?! Everyone knows Brexit has happened so if you don't take the opportunity to check when you book a holiday, it just shows poor reasoning.

notimagain · 16/02/2022 08:26

@Louisianagumbo

“ Many people do not realise that the rules changed due to brexit.

But the op did know the rules had changed, she just forgot to check. ”

I most of us get that, and understand the unfortunate situation the OP is in..

OTOH there seems to be a cohort of posters who seem to somehow be trying to argue that the three month validity requirement for UK passport holders entering the UK is not a consequence of Brexit…

So the thread runs and runs..

WombatChocolate · 16/02/2022 08:26

Op, interesting you’ve pulled out of thread, because you’re disappointed in the response of many.

I’d say your response to many would have been disappointing to them. They tried to help and you told a number they were unhelpful, and others to no longer comment on the thread. That’s hardly a positive experience for them is it? But somehow because you’re stressed it’s okay to be rude and it’s MN and everyone else that’s to blame.

MN is a brilliant resource. So many times I have found answers to questions and have been awed by how many people have tried to help me or shared huge expertise. But as in life, you have to communicate well and behave decently, or people don’t like it….and why shouldn’t they pull you up on it. If you’ve asked for help and people give it, you don’t say ‘shut up’ but ‘thanks’. You understand that on an open forum anyone can comment. When you’ve messed up you say that at the start, not only 17 pages in….if at all. People are glad and happy to help, and strangers are often incredibly kind. If it doesn’t feel that way to you here, have a look back at the first few pages of your replies tethers and just consider it from their viewpoint and you might see it a bit differently.

Hope you get your family holiday at some point and also enjoy MN in future.

Peregrina · 16/02/2022 08:31

... and because the Government itself has done the minimum to advertise the rule changes, plus not being able to travel much for two years.

Now if the Govt had said "Because of the way we negotiated Brexit, we have b*ggered up passport expiry dates, travel with pets, touring with motorhomes, staying in EU second homes...."

Louisianagumbo · 16/02/2022 08:31

The start date and then do some arithmetic, because on a lot of people's passports the printed end date is now a total fiction.

Oh, yes, that terribly difficult arithmetic of adding 10 to the year. 🙄 All this has been warned about everywhere as well. We expect people to check items that can/can't be packed or taken on in hand luggage. We expect people will look at what counts as liquid. We expect people to take luggage that is within the weight limit. We believe that everyone is capable of doing that, and indeed people are responsible and do find out the correct details. But for some reason you think they're not capable of checking if their passport is valid! You do British people a disservice.

Louisianagumbo · 16/02/2022 08:38

[quote notimagain]@Louisianagumbo

“ Many people do not realise that the rules changed due to brexit.

But the op did know the rules had changed, she just forgot to check. ”

I most of us get that, and understand the unfortunate situation the OP is in..

OTOH there seems to be a cohort of posters who seem to somehow be trying to argue that the three month validity requirement for UK passport holders entering the UK is not a consequence of Brexit…

So the thread runs and runs..[/quote]
OTOH there seems to be a cohort of posters who seem to somehow be trying to argue that the three month validity requirement for UK passport holders entering the UK is not a consequence of Brexit…

Actually I think most people were saying that her not checking her son's passport was not the fault of Brexit. Just poor organisation. (I actually expressed sympathy over this because it once happened to me re Australia. And I also said I thought she was being light-hearted over saying bloody Brexit. And I also said that I thought she was getting a rough ride for being a bit sharp when she was panicky, stressed and upset.)

Peregrina · 16/02/2022 08:40

Oh, yes, that terribly difficult arithmetic of adding 10 to the year.🙄
You do British people a disservice.

Sadly not - the mathematical knowledge of a lot of people in the UK is not terribly good.

As for people checking this, that and the other - has no-one stood in the queue going through Security and seeing the bags which get diverted and then opened? An awful lot of people get caught out.

dementedpixie · 16/02/2022 08:47

Ah but you need to add 10 years to the start date and then deduct 3 months to get the date its valid up to.

Coka · 16/02/2022 08:52

It happened to my cousin. He showed up at the airport not knowing the requirements and was denied boarding as his passport had less than 3 months on it.

harriethoyle · 16/02/2022 08:59

@olympicsrock

Right I’m out. Thanks to those who were kind and supportive and made me laugh. Actually many of you on here were horrible , patronising and humourless. Don’t others say “bloody brexit or bloody boris” with a wry smile when something is a bit shit? Of course it’s my own fault but the rules have changed and the passport would not have been in valid for travel prebrexit.

Has made me question whether mumsnet is something I can be bothered with ( after 11 years!)
Quoting the rules at someone repetitively who already knows there is a problem or saying ‘it’s your own fault” is not helpful particularly when someone is hugely stressed.

Who on earth has such a easy/ boring life that they have expiry dates for everything engrained on their brain???
Some of us are just doing our best as mums to juggle a huge number of balls .

And some of us @olympicsrock have the ability to retain a base level of courtesy when asking for help. You're clearly not one of them
IpanemaPeaHen · 16/02/2022 09:05

Yes the pet travel changes just mentioned are a bit of a pain. Our dogs EU passport is now obsolete.

I have to get the dog inspected by a UK vet within 10 days of travel to get the correct paperwork, each time we travel which gets expensive if you travel frequently to the EU to visit family as we do. The rabies vaccination requirements have also changed so I’d advise anyone thinking of travelling to Europe with a pet to have a chat with their vet a few months before travel.

The info is on the gov website but the vet said they are still learning as it’s all changed.

notimagain · 16/02/2022 09:12

@Louisianagumbo

Oh, yes, that terribly difficult arithmetic of adding 10 to the year. 🙄

I may be wrong but Indon’t think how difficult the arithmetic is or isn’t was the point being made.

The issue is how many people are aware that the printed date of expiry of a UK passport is irrelevant for many destinations and that you have to do that arithmetic in the first place.

Louisianagumbo · 16/02/2022 09:16

@IpanemaPeaHen

Yes the pet travel changes just mentioned are a bit of a pain. Our dogs EU passport is now obsolete.

I have to get the dog inspected by a UK vet within 10 days of travel to get the correct paperwork, each time we travel which gets expensive if you travel frequently to the EU to visit family as we do. The rabies vaccination requirements have also changed so I’d advise anyone thinking of travelling to Europe with a pet to have a chat with their vet a few months before travel.

The info is on the gov website but the vet said they are still learning as it’s all changed.

I agree with this. My BIL used to take his dog with him to France every year. But it costs a fortune now and it's so much more hassle. However the clincher was that she came home the last time coveted in ticks. Apparently they're rife in certain areas of France (as I'm sure they are in certain places here) so now he's staying home.
Peregrina · 16/02/2022 09:16

It's not like going to Australia or Mexico or wherever.

For the past 30 odd years a lot of us have been jumping onto cheap flights to places in the EU, without many formalities. Now relatively suddenly, the rules have been changed, and the changes haven't been communicated all that well.