AIBU to remind everyone to check passports before summer holidays?

[Threeboystwocatsandadog]

I am probably being unreasonable as I haven’t been abroad since 1991 and don’t currently have a valid passport but,

If you are going on holiday abroad this summer then Stop. Right. Now. and get your passports out. Check that they are still valid and are long enough dated to be able to fly to and from your chosen destination/country. Different countries have different rules. It takes a week to get a replacement passport for a child even in an “emergency” and they only last 5 years, not 10.

And then put them somewhere that you can find them the day before you travel.

last summer I read at least a thread a week where people had discovered too late that their passports weren’t valid or they couldn’t find them at the last minute and I’m already on my third thread this year. These people are devastated. All that money spent and they can’t go. I sure many people think it couldn’t happen to them but it does. Don’t let it be you!

Also, especially for those who have annual holiday insurance. Don’t forget to update the insurance company of any changes in health or recent illness as they will look for any excuse not to pay out.

And have a lovely holiday 🌞

YABU because nobody should have been trapped in the UK since 1991. FFS, get out there

I guess YANBU but what does this say about the state of us that this even needs saying in the first place?

YABU because it’s common sense

If people are so disorganised that they don’t check passport validity when they book a holiday it’s their own fault. Likewise, people who don’t take out holiday insurance when they book a holiday, it’s madness. I have zero sympathy for those “devastated” and who lose money because they never checked the documents they need to leave and enter another country.

You see weekly moaning on here about “life admin” and “the mental load” I would think passports and insurance are included in these tasks.

Thing is with common sense is it's not that common 🤣
Life is busy and stressful and not everyone is perfect... ?

You are def not being unreasonable, I have read two posts on here recently about expired passports and personally know someone who this has happened to them week.

I can’t afford it and don’t want to leave my cats!

However I live in a beautiful (if cold - possibly a blessing today) part of the UK so I don’t feel I’m missing out.

@Threeboystwocatsandadog you are absolutely not being unreasonable

the amount of sad faces still in the mail saying they didn’t know about the passport rules is frightening. All those nasty airlines not letting them travel

also on here there are many frightening posts about bank travel insurance covering me worldwide, including US for £10 a month and I’ve got heart failure, diabetes, and many other ailments I’ve never told them about. It’s a bargain

Op YANBU!
I see them too and it’s awful.
It happens, we’re all human and things slip through the cracks but it’s just horrible when it happens (never happened to us so far but hey, I’m not ruling it out for the future!).

This was a woman missed her 50th 2 weeks ago because she'd not read anything for at least the last 5 years

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-loses-900-misses-50th-37141784

Its the ones who get caught out by the ten years from issue thing. Its been v v well publicised. Mine is one that was issued in April 2016 but doesn't expire until til Jan 27 so.in theory is valid but its over ten years old so for Europe, actually isn't. That was the position for the women in the article the pp put on. People need to take more responsibility for checking things like this. Be grown ups.