Passport WWYD

[Chittering]

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

[EasterIssland]

Thought you could only renew 6m in advance so in June which to me would be too close to your holiday so I’d do it after coming back

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

If you don’t need to send it now (which you don’t @Chittering ) I wouldn’t be sending it off until for renewal after your holiday.

[EarlofShrewsbury]

Those saying that theirs only took a week and the strikes are two weeks away so just send it off... do you realise that they probably received a month's worth of applications in one day once the strikes were announced?

It won't be just a week anymore.

[InSpainTheRain]

No would I renew now - the UK passport office is striking for a month during April. I'd renew them as soon as I got back in August, you have enough time for them for your holiday (3.5 months and the requirements is 3 months).

[Littleoxforddictionary]

Slightly off topic but how on earth can the staff all afford to strike for five weeks? That is a lot of time without pay.

[EasterIssland]

@Littleoxforddictionary

Slightly off topic but how on earth can the staff all afford to strike for five weeks? That is a lot of time without pay.

Guess they won’t all
strike for 5 weeks but maybe 1-2 weeks each. There will still be impact tho but not as bad as the media is making jt
in Xmas we flew to Gatwick. Quickest border control ever despite they were on strike

[PollyPut]

No I wouldn't - got caught out by a previous set of passport delays and it was very stressful.

[NumberTheory]

@NBLarsen

@NumberTheory It's simply to ensure your passport remains valid for the duration of your time in a country. For example, UK passport holders can only visit most European countries for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period. Therefore, your passport needs to have a minimum of those 90 days (i.e. at least 3 months) in case you need to stay for the maximum time allowed. Other countries ask for six months, etc.

If that were the case it would be 3 months (or whatever) from date of entry, not planned leaving date.

But it’s more that I’m unclear why a country cares if the passport is in date for the entire time someone is visiting, providing it could be relied upon when they present at the border.

[NBLarsen]

@NumberTheory Some countries do set the measure as the date or entry, and some from the date of departure.

"But it’s more that I’m unclear why a country cares if the passport is in date for the entire time someone is visiting" Because if your passport is not in date while you are in another country then you are there illegally! (cf illegal migration)

[Barleysugar86]

@BernieWinters

Since reading this thread I've come to the realisation that if I want to go away in the summer I will need to renew my passport because although it doesn't expire til towards the end of this year, it was issued just over 10 years ago now.

The problem is I just applied to renew DS passport online a few days ago (the day before strike news hit) using my current passport number. If I apply to renew my own passport now and it somehow gets done before DS one, will his renewal get turned down because when they check my details the passport number I've given for myself will be invalid if the new passport has been processed?

I could wait in the hope that DS passport is a quick turn around and take my chances with the strike situation but if I can get it sent off now and give myself a couple of extra weeks I'd rather.

I wouldn't worry. I'm sure it's very common for adults and kids passports to be renewed together, it will show yours in the system and if all the details match up it should be fine.

Last year we were renewing for two kids and both of them asked for my passport which I'd already sent in on another application. I rang them up and they were very helpful and created a note/ link in the system so the person who reviewed the kids could see they had the passport already and all came back in a few weeks.

[NumberTheory]

@NBLarsen

@NumberTheory Some countries do set the measure as the date or entry, and some from the date of departure.

"But it’s more that I’m unclear why a country cares if the passport is in date for the entire time someone is visiting" Because if your passport is not in date while you are in another country then you are there illegally! (cf illegal migration)

That's a circular argument. It would only be illegal if they make the law say that. So the question remains - why would they want it to be illegal? What purpose does it serve?

(Also, most (possibly all) countries laws don't instantly make your presence illegal if your passport goes out of date. They normally just have border policies that require passports to be in date and deny entry if you don't meet the policy requirements (which is different from making your presence illegal if you happen to be on their soil when your passport expires). But again, what I'm still unclear on is why, what benefit does a country gain from the policy.

[WhoAmIWhoAmI24601]

You’ve 3 months and 20 days, they don’t carry over the remaining days any longer either so I would use them and renew afterwards.

[WhoAmIWhoAmI24601]

@EasterIssland

Thought you could only renew 6m in advance so in June which to me would be too close to your holiday so I’d do it after coming back

I just renewed mine at the beginning of March and my old passport expired 30 October.

[Didgerydoo]

It is incredible that people referring to their quick turnaround etc haven’t realised the stampede there will have been since the news of the strike was announced. Lots of overtime for the strollers when they r return to work - if they want it. On a Facebook group for people leaving teaching they are always chasing Civil Service jobs they expect to be a doss and one recently who joined the passport service was told off by her line manager for working too fast…

[BernieWinters]

@Barleysugar86

I wouldn't worry. I'm sure it's very common for adults and kids passports to be renewed together, it will show yours in the system and if all the details match up it should be fine.

Last year we were renewing for two kids and both of them asked for my passport which I'd already sent in on another application. I rang them up and they were very helpful and created a note/ link in the system so the person who reviewed the kids could see they had the passport already and all came back in a few weeks.

Thanks Barleysugar86, that's reassuring.

[Confuzzlediddled]

@Littleoxforddictionary

Slightly off topic but how on earth can the staff all afford to strike for five weeks? That is a lot of time without pay.

The unions have a strike pay fund, where they pay a proportion of the lost wages. This is paid for by members contributions. They don't pay for 1 day strikes but they do for targeted ones in specific departments.

[Sartre]

They say passports will be back within ten weeks but my renewals were back within two weeks in January so you have time before August to get renewals imo. It’s up to you but the passports should be fine as they are.

[seathewayahead]

Mine is 10 years end oct. We are away at Easter and then august. I had planned to send it straight off when get back after Easter but that is bang in strike so now I'm not sure what best plan is. I think there is 15 weeks between trips.

[NumberTheory]

@seathewayahead

Mine is 10 years end oct. We are away at Easter and then august. I had planned to send it straight off when get back after Easter but that is bang in strike so now I'm not sure what best plan is. I think there is 15 weeks between trips.

I would try and get an online premium renewal or a 1 week fast track before you go, if you can. Things are going to be very backed up after the strike - just as we approach prime holiday season.

[Chittering]

Thanks for all the thoughts. We have decided to leave it as things are and hope that 3 months and 3 weeks isn't an issue. As the majority have said it shouldn't be...(hopefully not famous last words. )

[GCMM]

I sent off my daughter's passport renewal at the end of Dec and only got it back a week or so ago...

[Youcancallmeirrelevant]

@GCMM

I sent off my daughter's passport renewal at the end of Dec and only got it back a week or so ago...

Only slightly longer than the standard 10 weeks turn around time

[YukoandHiro]

Don't risk it - if one is denied entry the family will be split up

[OneFrenchEgg]

Did dc renewal online yesterday and had request for old passport today (sent today) and bravely used digital photo at home so that may not work out if they reject it.

[OneFrenchEgg]

In ops case I would leave it and just email myself the relevant extract so you can reference it - v unlikely to be challenged but it would make me feel safe knowing I had it to hand.