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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Passport WWYD

87 replies

Chittering · 18/03/2023 15:37

We are going on holiday to Greece in the summer and returning on the 17th August. My kid's passports run out on the 7th December so they are fine but only just. I was planning to get them renewed so that I had no worries but now I've heard about the strikes and am thinking that sending them off could be a bad idea. Just wondering what others would do..has anyone had any problems with being just over 3 months? They will be about 3 months and two weeks on them
Yanbu....renew
Yabu...don't renew

OP posts:

Hoppinggreen · 18/03/2023 15:38

If you have checked and are sure you need 3 months and you do have 3 months then why risk sending them off and not getting new ones in time?

Original poster

Chittering · 18/03/2023 15:41

I know, it's probably silly, it's because it is so close to 3 months

OP posts:

adriftabroad · 18/03/2023 15:42

You meet requirements... why renew now?!

PlaneMum19 · 18/03/2023 16:33

I would renew now, cause if you’re denied entry or boarding that’s it. Holiday ruined, just apply for a new one now, it’s not worth risking it. do it this week online, take a photo online.

Mercurial123 · 18/03/2023 16:44

Why would boarding be denied? The passports are valid. You don't have to renew.

From UK Gov sire for entering Greece.

valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

Coffeellama · 18/03/2023 16:46

You need 3 months, you’ve got 3 months, and nobody can predict how these strikes will affect things, so no I wouldn’t send them off.

TonTonMacoute · 18/03/2023 16:57

They comply with the rules, 3 months from date of exit. I wouldn’t renew now unless I had to, do it as soon as you get back.

Janek · 18/03/2023 17:07

The only thing that would worry me would be if you had extra time added to the passports when you got them, so the expiry date is more than five years after the date of issue. If not, then I definitely wouldn't renew them now.

If you are then not traveling again till the following summer I would renew them in time for that. If you travel frequently then renew them on your return.

WhereIsMyRefund · 18/03/2023 17:27

Just do it now. August is ages away. The strikes don’t start for another two weeks.

Rainallnight · 18/03/2023 17:30

No way would I be sending passports off now if I didn’t absolutely need to. And it doesn’t sound like you do.

WhateverHappenedToMe · 18/03/2023 17:46

Check the date of issue, not the date of expiry. They will be ok if you have 3 months from the 10th anniversary of the date of issue.

280NeuerNamen · 18/03/2023 17:48

I wouldn’t risk it with the five week strike just being announced.

We will just have 3 months and 3 days left on DS’s passport when we come back from Spain this summer! That is close but within the rules.

i suggested a few weeks ago that he renewed but he said he didn’t need to. After the announce of the strikes we wouldn’t risk it now but we go away in June rather than August.

Lorrymum · 18/03/2023 17:54

We had the same dilemma. My husband's passport has exactly three months after return from Spain in May. We renewed 2 weeks ago, just decided it wasn't worth the risk and worry.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 18/03/2023 18:01

So long as you are confident that it is 10 (or 5 for dc) years from the date of issue and you've not got any added time etc then you've got 3 months and you need 3 months so no, I wouldn't renew.

I've just been away with just 3 months and was fine. Sent it off for renewal as soon as I got back. My dd will have 3 months left to our our next holiday and again I won't renew before but send it off after as we will likely be going away again 4 months later. Passports are expensive enough without renewing practically a year early!

Livelovebehappy · 18/03/2023 18:01

WhereIsMyRefund · 18/03/2023 17:27

Just do it now. August is ages away. The strikes don’t start for another two weeks.

But everyone will be thinking the same and sending off for renewal today, because we're British. We panic. So they will probably be swamped now and will have huge backlogs...

gogohmm · 18/03/2023 18:03

Check the date of issue not the expiration date. This is what catches people out

TomatoesAndPeaches · 18/03/2023 18:04

Isnt it the date of ‘issue’ that can be problem

Yoyooo · 18/03/2023 18:08

Just FYI our passports only took a week recently

PuttingDownRoots · 18/03/2023 18:14

Passport must be less than 10 years old and have 3 months left. If they meet both criteria they are fine.

(Is it really only a few years ago I flew my child out of the country with only a few days remaining on it, no return ticket and no one was bothered....)

FantaIsFine · 18/03/2023 18:16

I FEEL for you, I've quite literally had the same thing resolved with booking (this morning) one of those week fast track things.

My passport was marginal and SHOULD be okay for the intended dates but I can imagine nothing worse than refusal at the airport. I only realised the expiry date this week.

They have discontinued the one day turnaround, FYI. The appointments are released daily for 3 weeks out so today I got quite literally the last London appointment available in that window. Check early mornings to book online, if you do go that route. You do have to pay the fee at booking.

While 10 weeks is possible, I didn't want to risk going up to the wire.

Good luck!!!

PS for me the peace of mind alone vs uncertainty the spend to fast track and get it done was 100% worth it.

Karwomannghia · 18/03/2023 18:18

Just sent ours off, the day before I found out about the strikes- ds is hoping to go inter railing after his exams… slightly worried now!

Peccary · 18/03/2023 18:19

Kids passports only have 5 years so the 10 year rule isn't relevant here

Fallingoffacliff · 18/03/2023 18:21

I recently received my ( renewed) passport after just one week. Don't know if I was just lucky, though.

Snowsurprised · 18/03/2023 18:22

If you meet the criteria I wouldn’t send them off. Goodness knows what sort of backlog the strikes will cause.

Peccary · 18/03/2023 18:25

I wouldn't renew if not absolutely necessary, I was one of those whose application took 13 weeks last spring. I'd be too worried about the combination of strikes and panic renewals

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