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

[olympicsrock]

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.

I thought British passport holders weren't allowed to use the egates anymore, as they are only for EU residents which we no longer are? My understanding is that we must now get our passports stamped upon both entry and exit to ensure we have not outstayed the maximum length allowed!

@Meredusoleil

I thought British passport holders weren't allowed to use the egates anymore, as they are only for EU residents which we no longer are? My understanding is that we must now get our passports stamped upon both entry and exit to ensure we have not outstayed the maximum length allowed!

That is correct. That doesn't mean no-one behaves badly though.

Spain don’t normally allow British passport holders to use e gates. Also they manually check kids travelling with family in person for other reasons such as asking who kids are travelling with for abduction reasons.

@Avidreader12

Spain don’t normally allow British passport holders to use e gates. Also they manually check kids travelling with family in person for other reasons such as asking who kids are travelling with for abduction reasons.

Indeed. Kids were never allowed to use the egates AFAIK, even when the UK was still part of the EU!

@toanewstart23 Spain

I am currently in Schengen country - upon arrival we used the EU automated passport gates. No-one has stamped my passport.

Then you have been lucky. DH and I have only been able to go abroad once since the Covid restrictions were partially lifted and had our passports stamped in and out. Proof attached.

DS, DiL and DD in two different EU - Schengen countries, all with residence cards, have all had their passports stamped in at least once. They shouldn't have done, because it was only to check that they had kept to the Schengen limits, which don't apply to the countries they are resident in. DS and DiL didn't the last time they returned home. Not sure whether DD has done since the first time. The first time was immediately after the Transition period ended, and she had great difficulty being allowed to board her plane home. I most definitely blame Johnson for that - if he'd not been arsing around and threatening to walk out of talks, this could have been sorted out months earlier and proper instructions issued to the airlines and immigration people of the various EU countries.

@CHIRIBAYA

Of course everybody checks the dates on their passports when they book a holiday, and the dates on their EHIC's, and nobody every forgets to renew their driving licences, or pay their credit cards on time, or submit their meter readings, HMRC returns or any number of endless things we have to keep on top of. I mean HONESTLY, cannot imagine ANYONE doing this in real life. I mean come on, who DOES that?

Meanwhile, back in the real world.....

Some very sad folks on here who obviously relish the misfortunes of others.

I do all of those things actually. So yes, people in real life DO do these things. But the first 2 are actually very very basic first things to do when book is holiday. Literally that simple!

[quote TheTempest]@toanewstart23 Spain[/quote]
Did you mean to tag me in?

And generally, entering a Schengen country when whole crowds of people were disgorging from flights, a quick whizz through the EU gates and you were away. Now you have to stop and have your passport stamped, just like the old days.
For work I have to travel to a lot of foreign countries and I love having my passport stamped but it's so rare it happens these days. I can't remember the last stamp I got in my passport. Most places you have to pay to have it stamped. I love that I'll have different European stamps in my passport. Brexit bonus!

You’ve got the return journey ahead of you though

@Toanewstart23

You’ve got the return journey ahead of you though

I'm sure they'll be pleased to let them back into the UK, that's not the issue.

I’d never want to risk it
Risk the disappointment of being turned away
Risk the fact that travel insurer could rightfully reject any medical claim because the person in question wasn’t actually entitled to be in the country in question

@Toanewstart23

I’d never want to risk it Risk the disappointment of being turned away Risk the fact that travel insurer could rightfully reject any medical claim because the person in question wasn’t actually entitled to be in the country in question

We're all different and have different risk assessments. I think @San44 played a blinder! Hopefully no one becomes unwell and they enjoy a fabulous holiday.

* Hopefully no one becomes unwell *

Do you get travel insurance when you travel?

Risk the fact that travel insurer could rightfully reject any medical claim because the person in question wasn’t actually entitled to be in the country in question

That would not happen. I am not going to explain it all in detail here but it’s to do with insurance legislation. Trust me, nobody is going to have medical coverage declined if they are in a country, having entered via a legitimate border control post, and it turns out their passport was actually closer to expiry than it was supposed to be but the border guards did not notice.

@Toanewstart23

* Hopefully no one becomes unwell *

Do you get travel insurance when you travel?

Yeah, why do you ask?

@HaveringWavering

Risk the fact that travel insurer could rightfully reject any medical claim because the person in question wasn’t actually entitled to be in the country in question

That would not happen. I am not going to explain it all in detail here but it’s to do with insurance legislation. Trust me, nobody is going to have medical coverage declined if they are in a country, having entered via a legitimate border control post, and it turns out their passport was actually closer to expiry than it was supposed to be but the border guards did not notice.

Well said! People so often catastrophes!

I worked In insurance for ten years

Ring up your insurer

“I will be travelling to France and my son’s passport has expired. If our risk pays off, will I still be covered?”

All will be other than your son. Your son is illegally in the country and insurance ceases to operate for criminal activities

Have you gone with your husband? I remember your other thread

@Toanewstart23

I worked In insurance for ten years

Ring up your insurer

“I will be travelling to France and my son’s passport has expired. If our risk pays off, will I still be covered?”

All will be other than your son. Your son is illegally in the country and insurance ceases to operate for criminal activities

It hasn't expired though.

Apologies
I thought it had