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.

Thanks everyone. It's really not an option to leave our daughter with anyone else. She's 9 years old, it would be absolutely horrifically awful for her.

We will call the passport office at 9am, but it doesn't look like there is any hope.

I wish I could explain the year we've had (which is why my mind was so tied up that I fucked this up). We needed this holiday so badly 😢

So sorry OP 😔😔

If no good, can you contact the travel agency and see what it will cost to change the booking and flight names?

Maybe then you could sell it at very discounted price and use the money for a UK holiday?

I don't understand why they wouldn't do it on the same day if both parents are there so it's clearly not an abduction

Have you booked an appointment? You need to do this.
Book the earliest one you can so it's got a chance to be posted. And phone the holiday company.

@Nowanextraone

Try the webchat first, as sometimes it's quicker.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/contact/hm-passport-office-webchat

There's a 9.10am one at Glasgow on Monday. I would book it now.

Sorry meant to say, just 1 week

@Nowanextraone

If you needed to delay your flights for a week, what would be the situation re the company with which you have booked?

Can you see potential availability for your trip later in the month?

I literally sat refreshing the page until new appointments came up. As everyone says you can call but they will say you need an appointment. My issue was there weren’t any. If you see one please book it. Oh and I know it sounds crazy but you have noticed with some time. Most people notice at the airport xx

Leave a 9 year old when everyone else goes on holiday.

How do you even know that there is a Granny who is willing and able?

It would be mad to waste the holiday for everyone rather than 2 people have theirs cut short and join it later.
Don't let it go to waste...you will sort it and you can both still go later in the holiday

Please can you provide the link to the relevant passport office page? Thanks

I’m so sorry for you. This happened to us in February half term. I remember the sick feeling and being so appalled with myself for causing it. Unfortunately it took the full 7 days for the new one to come but from threads last summer some seemed to be coming in 3 days. My husband and other children went out as planned, we hoped to join but didn’t. The worst thing was the daily hope and disappointment that it might come in time. My husband and I both went to the passport place and tried to plead but to no avail. I have heard others saying this worked for them though so it’s worth a try. At the time it felt like the end of the world, and it took quite a few weeks to get over but we have. I try not to think about the money … Surprisingly my daughter was ok. She was disappointed but fine and dealt with it much better than me. If I was you I would get an appointment booked now, go together to the passport office and cry and beg and if not, prepare to fly out later. Good luck.

No, you can't.

Why chuck out advice when you don't know what you're talking about?

it might be worth going through a third party agency? Note I have never used this company, I just saw the link on another mumsnet post. It says they offer a Premium Child service. Might be worth contacting them to check? http://www.britishpassportsuk.co.uk/blog/how-to-apply-for-same-day-uk-passport-renewal

This is the thread I found it on: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/holidays/2337434-The-best-way-to-get-a-same-day-passport-for-a-child

You're quoting from one of those scammy passport websites, that charges you lots of money just to send the passport application off on your behalf. The official government website says that the 24 hour renewal only applies to adult passports.

I've only skim-read the thread, so not sure if anyone else has suggested this, but try contacting your MP too - my husband (not a child, but still) was given this advice and they were amazing - sorted it out in no time. It might be worth pleading your case with them as well as the passport office - can't hurt.

If you can’t resolve the situation OP, then my suggestion would be that one parent takes 2 DC on original holiday, while second parent books a last minute deal for themselves and DD as soon as her passport is back. Maybe a night in Disneyland or something. Then everyone gets a holiday, even if not as planned xx

Let us know how you get on op.

An interesting conversation with people in similar circumstances here OP, though it's old:

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k9398676-o100-Emergency_child_passport_renewal_1_week_fast_track-Air_Travel.html

You MIGHT get lucky as the people there did. Take the Monday Morning appointment and plead vigorously!