Desperate help - passport expired, travel on Wednesday

[Nowanextraone]

I feel sick. I don't understand how we have overlooked this as we renewed 2 of our other children's passports, but we've just seen our daughter's passport expired in January.

We are fucked aren't we? It says a child's passport can only be renewed urgently in a week.
I feel sick

Insurance won't even pay will it as it's our fault.

OP I have everything crossed for you, it's not your fault and you've had a shit time.

But I'm hopeful, that the passport office will solve this.

As an aside, I don't think they use Royal Mail, so don't cancel until the time you have to actually leave.

Good luck.

When you go to the appointment tomorrow, I’d speak very nicely to the person who processes the application and perhaps even include a letter within the documents, highlighting how much it would mean to you if the passport arrived earlier than 7 days. Just in case there’s anything they can do behind the scenes to speed it along. Can you collect passports from the passport office now? Perhaps you could ask about that just in case it’s possible. Good luck.

Go really really early tomorrow or Tuesday morning to the passport office in Victoria, London. I think you can also do the same at Liverpool or Peterborough but you need to check. They allow a few early bird emergency appointments each day without appointments for situations like this, but they only take about ten I believe, so you have to be there in the line well before the doors open. Take photos if you can, but they have booths in there in case you don't have any.

You have to hang around for at least four hours while they process the new passport but you can pick it up the same day. I can't remember whether you need to have your DD with you or not, you may be able to do it without her present depending on her age, but do check, don't take my word for it. Remember to take her old passport and some new photos if you don't need her with you though.

Not at all, i was just asking the question.

Ok, I've seen that they don't do the express renewals for children. I guess it's for security so people can't take them out of he country in a hurry without the parents permission. Sorry OP, hope you get it sorted asap and don't lose too much of your holiday.

Europe won't grant entry if your passport still has 6 or 12 months left to run

Europe isn't a country. 'Europe' doesn't make any rules about anything at all.

No definitely for children also, my friend just done it for his 8 year old in June.

Where does Covid even come into it???

She didn't. The Gov website is very clear that you can't use the 24 hour service for children.

That sounds horrendous and my stomach did a flip just reading your post so I can’t imagine the sheer panic you must have felt when you realised. Read your update and I’m keeping everything crossed for you for Wednesday. Sorry you’ve had such an awful year and I hope it gets better. You sound like a lovely mum btw, thinking about your daughter’s feelings and not wanting her to feel bad.

I think they're hinting if they had covid and were too ill to go on holiday, they could claim on insurance.

Sorry to hear this OP. My friend found herself in the same situation about a week ago when booking seats for their flight to Spain. Her daughters passport had expired and she discovered like you that you can only use the 7 day service for children. Her husband and other child are currently on their holiday in Spain while she's at home waiting for the passport to arrive to join them later however their week holiday is now almost over and the passport still hasn't arrived. She's hoping to add more time to extend the holiday and fly out when it arrives. She's absolutely gutted as well and feels terrible. So sorry you've had such a bad year.

She said she felt sick.

OP, make sure to ask how the new passport will be delivered, whether it'll be Royal Mail or a courier. There was a thread some months ago where the OP was told it'd come by TNT. She phoned the local TNT depot who agreed to contact her as soon as it reached them, meaning she was able to collect it in person rather than wait for delivery.
Good luck!

Can you not call holiday company you booked with and see if they will move date? Might need to pay for flights again but hotel will probably let you move date if availability. I know easyjet holiday allows date changes others might. Good luck

Did you miss where OP has confirmed she cannot do a 1 day renewal for a child? It is a 7 day service for child passports

🤣🤣🤣

yes because she’s quite possibly lost a 6k holiday

Insurance doesn’t pay out for Covid anymore, life goes on!

I know someone in the exact situation you describe. I bet it’s the same person!

So you can’t abduct a child maybe…

Go to the passport office, you need an appointment. I did the same and had my passport within four hours.

The London address given on that weird site is incorrect too.

I don't know! It wasn't my suggestion 😅

That's a poor attitude. I was in the same situation, made an appointment and they had pity. They are not ogres.

Got my fingers crossed for you!