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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:
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6
Louisianagumbo · 15/02/2022 12:28

Of course it's Brexit - Brexit has caused a change to the rules. What would have been a perfectly valid passport is now not valid.

You have to check your passport. The op didn't check her sons. It could have expired completely for all she knew. It's an organisational issue not a Brexit one. We left two years ago.

Etinoxaurus · 15/02/2022 12:29

@Louisianagumbo

Yes of course we need to keep an eye on expiry dates but it's just not true to say Brexit hasn't made the situation more challenging.

It's not more challenging! There are tons of countries outside the EU that people have always needed 3+ months on the passport. Millions every year went to Turkey, Egypt, Anerica etc. It didn't put people off going. When you book a holiday, you check your passport. The op didn't do that and it could have been the passport had expired completely. It's an organisational fault not a brexit fault.

Change is challenging. 3/6 months/ on the day and any variation or change is definitely a Brexit bonus.
StickyToffeePuddingAndIceCream · 15/02/2022 12:30

We decided to go on holiday at very short notice shortly after we had our second child, we needed to get a passport fast but there were no appointments at our nearest passport office for about 2 weeks so we just did a national search for any appointments available. Nearest we could find was 5 hours drive away in Durham so we set out at 4am and drove to Durham to do the paperwork (there's no other option for first passports) we then had to wait up to a week for it to be delivered, it actually arrived after a few days and this was in July, I'm sure it'd be a bit quieter now. Worth a shot if you can do a long road trip to another office? Not sure if by no appointments you meant just at your nearest office?

HamsterTrumpet · 15/02/2022 12:30

@olympicsrock

Water bottle - now an appointment on Friday but still 7 days to deliver according to lady at the passport office
It may not take 7 days to arrive in practice. Different situation, but I renewed my passport recently (did it at the Post Office but no fast track or anything) and I got it within a week including postage both ways - went in on a Sunday and passport arrived on the Friday. So you may be lucky with that.
2022success · 15/02/2022 12:34

As PP have said, there is no way your DC will be allowed on the flight.

I would rebook the whole thing for later dates. I assume you have travel insurance? Would it cover you if you say you have Covid?

Louisianagumbo · 15/02/2022 12:35

Change is challenging.
It hasn't just changed out of the blue it changed two years ago. There have been umpteen warnings. You've always needed 6 months to visit lots of holiday destinations - it's not like this is a new process. People have managed perfectly easily in the past. The op simply had never checked her son's passport. Why can't people just admit they messed up rather than off-loading blame. (The op might have been being light-hearted in her stress so not aiming this directly at her.)

TakeYourFinalPosition · 15/02/2022 12:36

I know someone who didn’t have three months left when she flew to Spain for Christmas. Somehow she made it onto the flight but was refused entry at passport control and had to return. She’s in a lengthy fight with the airline over who should have to pay for her return flight now.

I’d take the Friday appointment and really hope it comes in time, with a back up plan.

littlecottonbud · 15/02/2022 12:37

Oh heck, hope you get it sorted OP. This happened to a friend of mine, who saw at the airport her DH passport had expired - they missed part of the holiday and had to buy new flights for the remainder whilst they went for an emergency face to face appointment.

Gonnagetgoing · 15/02/2022 12:37

I'd rebook for a later date or... you and DS stay home and wait and travel a few days later when you get the passports.

Yes, it's a pain but as a PP said we've been with Brexit for 2 years so not like this has been sprung upon you.

I had the nightmare scenario a few years ago of losing my passport - wasn't sure where it was - thought it could be stolen as we'd had a break in where not much was taken but it turned up somewhere. I was right in the middle of ordering a new passport when boyfriend said he'd found it. But pure luck.

Louisianagumbo · 15/02/2022 12:37

@HamsterTrumpet. But the ops going on saturday so she's not going to receive it from her appointment the day before.

VanGoghsDog · 15/02/2022 12:38

@2022success

As PP have said, there is no way your DC will be allowed on the flight.

I would rebook the whole thing for later dates. I assume you have travel insurance? Would it cover you if you say you have Covid?

No, insurance doesn't cover fraud.
Tinacollada · 15/02/2022 12:38

OP, the thing is it doesn't really matter if anyone else has managed to travel in this situation; surely it's who you get on the day and all that jazz - are you willing to risk that disappointment?

Crap situation I know and sympathies

Hoppinggreen · 15/02/2022 12:39

@AchillesPoirot

I would try for a face to face appt at another passport office if you can
No need for that OP is probably very stressed and not at her finest
Hoppinggreen · 15/02/2022 12:40

Sorry @AchillesPoirot
Quoted the wrong person

AchillesPoirot · 15/02/2022 12:40

@Hoppinggreen why have you said “No need for that” to my perfectly reasonable and I thought helpful comment?

AchillesPoirot · 15/02/2022 12:41

@Hoppinggreen x post.

Hoppinggreen · 15/02/2022 12:49

@Louisianagumbo

Of course it's Brexit - Brexit has caused a change to the rules. What would have been a perfectly valid passport is now not valid.

You have to check your passport. The op didn't check her sons. It could have expired completely for all she knew. It's an organisational issue not a Brexit one. We left two years ago.

We realised DDs passport had expired 2 days before our holiday last summer Thanks to Brexit we applied for dual nationality for her so she had another passport she could use So despite Brexit being a total shitshow it was actually helpful in this case
Meadowbreeze · 15/02/2022 12:51

I'm currently in Spain without my friend's son as he got turned away from Stansted on Thursday for this exact reason. Had 2.5 months left on his passport. I wouldn't risk it.

Foolsrule · 15/02/2022 12:53

It’s strange you think the rules don’t apply to you, OP. There’s no ‘let’s just let this one through’ here. You’re not going on Saturday. Best save your energy for rebooking.

Figgygal · 15/02/2022 12:53

My understanding is you cant do same day application with a child also
My ds passport arrived yesterday its taken 3 weeks from sending in

Isahlo · 15/02/2022 12:54

We managed to go on a family holiday about eight years ago with my sisters passport fully out of date and we didn’t notice until we got off the ferry in Plymouth. It was out of date when we left too but the guy didn’t notice and neorher did my mum and dad.
I doubt it would happen again

Whammyyammy · 15/02/2022 12:55

A friend was denied check in last year as she only had a month left

Thisisconfusing · 15/02/2022 12:56

This happened to a friend a few years ago - on a trip to France. Child’s passport expired during the holiday . The crucial difference was that they drove so no detail passport checking at the port - the U.K. allowed them back in fine too . However air carriers will turn you away if you don’t have valid travel documents . And as you know already that sadly you don’t for that child

BobHadBitchTits · 15/02/2022 12:57

This reply has been deleted

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FloBot7 · 15/02/2022 12:57

This happened to a mum on my flight when I went to turkey. The U.K. side missed the expiration date so she got as far as Turkey and then they refused entry. She had to go back on the next flight.