Help! Travelling Monday - Passport Expiry.

[invisiblebark]

Planned a day trip to Europe on Monday to go to a Xmas Market.

One of the kids passports expires on 16th January.

Will he be refused entry??

I believe you need at least 3 months left on the passport?

Bloody stupid anyway. You pay for a 10 year passport so it should be valid for travel until the date it expires. There is absolutely no good reason why it isn't.

Misses the point of the thread but just pisses me off.

Surprised these people don't turn up to the airport with the wrong passports. Sorry but it is literally common sense. I don't get how it's an oversight.

Look, I know step parents aren't particularly liked on MN, but DH and his Ex have a very good relationship. I get on very well with her, too.

I'm not blaming her. I agree, it's my, DH and DSS at fault.

Perhaps I shouldn't have even mentioned his DM but I suppose my point was there's four adults here that could have checked, but none of us did.

We're all sad but DSS does understand and he's writing a list of stuff for us to bring him back!

Such a shame... I really feel for your all.

Passports are super-quick right now, too. I sent mine off on Tuesday afternoon and got it back this morning (Saturday). Sorry, probably not a helpful thing to say...

SS will know you wanted him with you. That is worth a lot.

Not sure anything would be helpful at this point

I know - it's gutting. If I had checked the day I booked, we might have had half a chance of getting a new passport in time.

I booked a week ago today (14th Dec)

I don't really care about whether step parents are liked on MN or not. I'm not a step parent, but my husband is, so I've no bias.

I do understand your point now, but the fact is that you mentioned his mother three times in your first four posts, and not you or his father til later on, That's off, imo, that's all.

I often ask myself the same question.

Because you could just go AWOL in a country and not come back?

Right??? It’s shocking how many people just decide to go somewhere, book and don’t even check the documents. My mother booked a once in a lifetime trip 2-3 years ago when there were still Covid restrictions etc. It was much cheap(er) as the trip was happening the following week. Her passport had expired the year before!

What is there to stop you doing that with 6 months left on your passport?

I don't understand the logic here. Yes, if you were booking somewhere that required a visa that the other passengers might not be aware of, or if you were booking a surprise trip, but if you agree to be part of a holiday abroad I think the onus is on you to make sure your passport is valid.

Do you expect the person who made the booking to make sure you get to the airport on time and tell you to pack clean underwear as well? Not unless you're their child, I wouldn't have thought.

God. Kick the Op more you bunch of miserable sods.

Have a brilliant time, Op. You may have overlooked a passport date but at least you're not a cunt.

I think it is just unlucky timing. He's 18. Last time his passport expired, he would have been 8. Next time he'll be 28. He's dropped the ball because he's new to being responsible for it and it probably never occurred to him.

so you're more easily traced I guess.

Not sure why there’s so many posters posting multiple times on this thread just to have a go at the OP, get a life! People make mistakes all the time - overlook something they should check, mis-remember information they thought they knew etc. FWIW, I know two very capable, organised and intelligent people who fell foul of the passport rules, it happens to the best of us.

OP it’s gutting when it sounds like you’ve been having a tough time if it already. I hope the rest of you still have a lovely time.

No sympathy for your mum then, did she end up going in the end?

I guess it's like when people don't do travel insurance either....

Oh yes, totally agree in this case. It's just the person saying it was the responsibility of the trip-booked made it sound like a general principle.

Academic, of course, in this specific situation.

He's only just turned 18 and the holiday was booked by his parents - I don't think it's surprising that he just said "yes, I'd love to come" and didn't really think anything else of it.

If a parent organises a family holiday for multiple children, I do think they have a responsibility to check that all passports are valid, even if some of those children are technically adults.

@JustHoldOnOneMinute

I think it is just unlucky timing. He's 18. Last time his passport expired, he would have been 8.

13, surely?

Would it be worth you taking him and seeing if he gets in?

I realised the night before a flight that one of the children’s passports only had a month left on it. Shit parenting, I know. Life was on top of us at the time.
I decided to risk it as knew there was obviously no chance of getting a new passport in time or getting any of the flight money back (terrible, I know). Nothing said boarding the flight there or back. Nothing said at customs either.
I’m not suggesting it’s a good idea to risk it but that’s my personal experience.

Why would he get in? His passport isn't valid for travel to Europe.

When was this?