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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
labyrinthlaziness · 15/02/2022 12:58

Just to clear a few things up:

  • Yes there was always a need to check passports were valid, pre-Brexit
  • Yes Brexit has made the passport situation more annoying as you have to renew earlier
  • Overall Brexit is a pile of shit that has no discernible benefits (as evidenced by JRM desperately asking Sun readers for ideas) and we are entitled to moan about it for the rest of eternity because the people who lied about it in the referendum campaign made our lives worse in a wide variety of ways, some small and some large.
Stravaig · 15/02/2022 12:59

@olympicsrock

Yes - I know what the requirements are. I’m Wondering if anyone was in this situation and what happened when they went to the airport
They were so unique and special and precious that they were declared exempt from long-standing international laws and ushered via a red carpet onto the plane. Is that the sort of story you're hoping for?

Stop with the exceptionalism. Passports have always been subject to a minimum validity, which varies by country; so it's always been a good idea to check the latest requirements in advance of every trip.

If a face-to-face leave-with-new-passport-in-hand appointment isn't available for your son within travelling distance then change the holiday would be my next choice. Is that a possibility, or would you lose the whole thing? Or split up, as you say - depends on family dynamics, really.

I do sympathise OP, I think we all do. We're just trying to direct you to productive actions that might fix your fuckup, instead of wasting time on how unreasonable the world is and how it might magically come right.

BritInUS1 · 15/02/2022 13:00

Sadly he won't be allowed to board

Same day appointment only option

Chloemol · 15/02/2022 13:01

@olympicsrock

Not rude just very stressed having found out that our family holiday is up shit creek. Very difficult situation. I’ve read the you gov website and phoned the passport office. Just clutching at straws and wanting personal experience of whether it would be worth attempting to travel on the understanding that two of us would then travel home if he was refused entry ( which is know is highly probable)

Sounds like they do check that the passport has enough time on it from these experiences. Bloody brexit

Brexit has bugger all to do with it, you have always had to have a period of time left in your passport

And yes you have been rude. There are lots of lists telling you what happened to people last week, why do you think it’s going to change for you?

Surely the first thing you do when booking a holiday is check passports will be in date

HaveringWavering · 15/02/2022 13:01

@FloBot7

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.
And her airline would have got a big fine and slap on the wrist. They really hate it when that happens so they are generally very careful to check before boarding. People slipping through can happen, but it’s rare and always a mistake, never a deliberate “ah go on, we’ll let you off just this once”.
KateMcCallister · 15/02/2022 13:02

@olympicsrock

I’m confused that people have done a same day appointment for a child. Things the rules have changed . The website will only offer 1 week service for a child to have new passport or renewal… 😫
I did this a couple of years ago when I realised one of the dc passport had expired and it was 6 days before we were due to travel. I went to Liverpool for a face to face appt and they said a week to get the passport in the post... it came 3 days after my appt.
AlistairCamel · 15/02/2022 13:03

Absolutely 100% not suggesting you should do this and I would fully expect you to be turned away. But anecdotally, I was once travelling to France by ferry. Someone I was with managed to travel out on a passport they had previously reported missing. It wasn’t noticed until border control on the way back. Another car was stopped by the same border control as one of their children’s passports was expired.

Flapjacker48 · 15/02/2022 13:03

Why so rude OP? You honestly think the border force/airline will just say "oh as is olympicsrock, go on then slip through" Hmm

HaveringWavering · 15/02/2022 13:04

If you think about it, much better that the airlines check in advance and simply turn you back in your home country, as the alternative is being turned away by passport control in entry at your destination. It’s quite a responsibility on them, but ultimately protects the traveller.

alcopoop · 15/02/2022 13:04

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

Where did you go? The Isle of Wight?

I was trying to do as the OP suggested and provide an anecdotal account of everything being fine. OP was complaining people were being "unhelpful" by pointing out the obvious.
I may not have been entirely serious.
I probably appear unsympathetic to OP's plight - that is because I am.

😄
Lesperance · 15/02/2022 13:04

@TyrannosaurusRegina

The OP isn't being rude. She has stated that she knows the rules however is asking if anyone has been in the same situation. People who seem to have comprehension problems just keep repeating the rules to her which she has already stated, numerous times, that she knows. I'd lose my rag too if I were her.
It was about four posts in and then she lost her rag. Apparently that's ok because she was stressed. Comes across as rude. Anyway, the internet abounds with tales of people being caught out not knowing the rules. And that's unfortunate. Trying to find away round them, that's not unfortunate, it's just wrong.
iheartme · 15/02/2022 13:04

@marqueses the op from the other thread didn't update - hopefully enjoying their holiday. It would of been quite useful for this op if they had updated though!

Satingreenshutters · 15/02/2022 13:05

I had sympathy for you till I saw your rudeness.

ittakes2 · 15/02/2022 13:05

My husband took my teens passports in on a Tuesday to a face to face and they had been processed and were back through our door by post on the Thursday. There is no official child quick route but if a spare face to face comes up worth a shot as ours was very quick.
good luck

marqueses · 15/02/2022 13:05

@Isahlo

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
I once went on a holiday without a passport at all, it was ferry and coach trip and all they asked you to do was wave your passport in the air on the coach at the border

Those were the days Grin

Louisianagumbo · 15/02/2022 13:09

@Satingreenshutters

I had sympathy for you till I saw your rudeness.
But she's, understandably, very stressed. Sometimes we can be intemperate under pressure so I think it's reasonable to cut her some slack.
Oblomov22 · 15/02/2022 13:09

What is the soonest appointment? Ok the whole of the UK?
You've got nothing to lose by booking it now.

MatronicO6 · 15/02/2022 13:09

It happened to my sister with her niece. Was refused at check in as passport was due to expire in 5 months. Didn't even realize till at the airport.
Luckily, niece has dual citizenship and grandparents were able to collect 2nd pp and bring it to airport and they got a slightly later flight.
But yeah, was turned away.
Id try for the fast track and join on a slightly later flight or all stay home.
Think it'd be a bit harsh and cruel to leave him at home as whole family flies off on holiday. Especially, considering it's his parents fault.

FloBot7 · 15/02/2022 13:11

@HaveringWavering Yes I fully believe it was a mistake and they missed the expiration date when it was checked in the UK. Unless the mum was the worlds best actress she seemed taken by surprise herself. My point was, even if OP went and hoped they missed it, she'd probably be denied entry on the other side. The odds of someone making a mistake on both sides are probably slimmer than the Euromillions.

BoredZelda · 15/02/2022 13:11

Sounds like they do check that the passport has enough time on it from these experiences. Bloody brexit

They checked passports before brexit and I'm pretty sure the rule was the same.

HaveringWavering · 15/02/2022 13:12

[quote FloBot7]@HaveringWavering Yes I fully believe it was a mistake and they missed the expiration date when it was checked in the UK. Unless the mum was the worlds best actress she seemed taken by surprise herself. My point was, even if OP went and hoped they missed it, she'd probably be denied entry on the other side. The odds of someone making a mistake on both sides are probably slimmer than the Euromillions.[/quote]
Yes, sorry, wasn’t criticising you, just picking up your story and running with it.

Oblomov22 · 15/02/2022 13:13

You said the soonest appointment was Friday. Is that just for your local. How far are you prepared to travel. Is there an appointment sooner?

IWannaQuitTheGym · 15/02/2022 13:17

I do feel for you OP. Yes OK many people have said you should have checked dates on everyone's passport but you didn't - we're human and we all make mistakes, I've made stupid mistakes before too. Is it this Saturday you travel? I think I'd personally try to get an appointment, even if it's a passport office further afield.

We had a similar situation with one of the children in my family when we were travelling abroad for a family wedding. Her mum managed to get an appointment at Durham (a few hours away from where they live) and she called them and explained and basically begged them to help and they agreed that rather than posting the passport, she could wait and collect it later that day. They literally got home with the passport 8 hours before they flew but otherwise their plan B was going to be to fly out a few days later. Not sure what the rules are now but it's certainly worth asking if there's anything they can do to speed it up (even if you have to pay extra), they can only say no. Really hope you get something sorted.

Kayjay2018 · 15/02/2022 13:17

@olympicsrock

Water bottle - now an appointment on Friday but still 7 days to deliver according to lady at the passport office
Could you ask if you could go and collect? Get them to call when it's actually done? Might save a few days
TrickyToPickUsername4644 · 15/02/2022 13:19

I don't think you were rude OP. You know the guidelines and the rules and were asking if anyone had been in this situation and what they'd done

Id get cross if people were telling me information i was already fully aware of and had said so

People like to be dicks on here, makes them feel better about themselves I assume