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Original poster

Help! Passport advice urgently needed - I think DS may not be able to come on holiday with us

34 replies

RoseJam · 15/07/2019 19:59

Ds is 15 and his passport runs out in Oct. We are flying out on Sat and I've just found out that passports need to have at least 6 months to expiry to be admitted to the country (Thailand). The rest of the family passports are fine.

I'm panicking now as I am worried they will refuse us entry to the country because of DS' passport.

Please can anyone advise? Has anyone been in a similar situation? What can I do??

OP posts:
WifOfBif · 15/07/2019 20:00

Can u get a same day appointment at the passport office?

TheHobbitMum · 15/07/2019 20:02

You need to call and try get an emergency same day appointment at the passport office if they have any. Could he potentially fly a few days late (staying with family?) and meet you out there if need be?

Original poster
RoseJam · 15/07/2019 20:06

The home office website say that same day emergency passports are only for adults. Child passports take a week. I don't have a week!!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
RoseJam · 15/07/2019 20:07

I don't know whether to just risk it and go and hope that it will be OK as the rest of the family's passports are OK ...

OP posts:
TheCatsWhiskers · 15/07/2019 20:11

Hi OP, don't just try it, they won't get in and then you, or someone else, will have to pay to fly back. That's even if they let you fly out of the UK.

WifOfBif · 15/07/2019 20:21

Don’t risk it.

He will not be allowed in - you need six months incase anything happens out there that requires a long hospital stay or similar. If it says six months it needs to be six months.

Call the passport office first thing and see what they can do.

ETgo · 15/07/2019 20:27

If you get an appointment for tomorrow at one of the passport offices you might be lucky - I had to go to renew my son’s last Tuesday and new one arrived Friday. But as someone else said phone them and ask if they would be able to arrange an appointment where you can then wait and collect it the same day?

Good luck 🤞

Original poster
RoseJam · 15/07/2019 20:40

ETgo - I think that is exactly what we will do. Keeping my fingers crossed we can get one done the same day - or at the very least collect it on another day this week. Luckily we are not too far from the Passport Office.

OP posts:
LoisLittsLover · 15/07/2019 20:41

Most airlines won't even let you check in if uou don't have the minimum entry requirements on the passport

NotReve · 15/07/2019 20:44

I had to do the 1 week service (only option when it’s lost). Had the appointment Tuesday morning and it came Friday morning, so there is hope!

NotReve · 15/07/2019 20:45

That was last week. Also a friend of mine did the standard service a couple of weeks ago and got the new one within a week.

DeadBod · 15/07/2019 20:52

Check with the embassy for that country.
6 months I'd usually a recommendation in case anything goes wrong in holiday and you have to have a pronged stay in that country.
Things may have tightened up but approx 10 years ago we flew to the US with just 3 weeks on dd passport. We had a last minute panic but the embassy told us that we'd be fine and no one batted an eyelid.

DeadBod · 15/07/2019 20:57

Ignore my last post, I've just checked and it appears they are strict with passport expiry.

Original poster
RoseJam · 15/07/2019 22:00

Dh went to the airport and spoke to the airline rep who checked the system. She confirmed they have all our names and the notes there said the passports are valid for the stay. However, worried that the airline is one check but Immigration in Thailand will be another!

OP posts:
ememem84 · 15/07/2019 22:05

Thai immigration won’t let you in if the passport doesn’t have the 6 months left on it. I wouldn’t risk it.
Best case ds can’t board plane this side. Worst case you all do the long haul flight and he is refused entry. And Is sent back (or all of you are)

teenagenonfanclub · 15/07/2019 22:47

Def don't risk it in somewhere like Thailand!

TheHobbitMum · 15/07/2019 23:45

Call the passport office and try to get an appointment, don't just risk it! You won't get into Thailand without a fully valid passport

Lucked · 15/07/2019 23:54

I know they say kids passports aren’t one day but we have found them very helpful. Think they let us pick it up the next day.

AloneLonelyLoner · 16/07/2019 06:24

I got my son's done in one day (Glasgow passport office), so it must be possible.

filka · 16/07/2019 06:34

We had exactly the same problem with my DD15 in Azerbaijan just last week when trying to go to Turkey. The British Embassy in Azerbaijan pulled out the stops and issued an Emergency Passport next day. Quite expensive at £100 - actually more than a new passport, but needs must...

Tip - have your passport photos ready to save time.

Check where your nearest Passport Office is.

It's only Tuesday, you have time if you start today.

Tip to everyone - renew your passport more than 6 months before it expires!

fblake · 16/07/2019 06:40

That's right it is a minimum of 6 months for Thailand. I'd get an emergency appt for his passport to be renewed or they won't let him in.

Soontobe60 · 16/07/2019 06:40

When you go to the passport office make sure you also take your travel documents with you as proof of travel.

Livelaughloveyuk · 16/07/2019 06:51

Phone the passport office, if you can through to them... or go online and make an appointment. To extend or renew a child passport, BOTH parents must be present at the appointment, with birth and marriage certificates.

ETgo · 16/07/2019 07:32

@Livelaughloveyuk I went to renew my child’s passport last week and all I needed was the old passport and the completed form - I had taken their birth certificate and my marriage certificate as well just in case but not needed and certainly didn’t need the other parent.

dazzlingdeborahrose · 16/07/2019 07:53

We has this with my son just before we were due to fly on holiday last year. His passport was lost. We made emergency appointment at local passport office. He went with my husband. I didn't attend. We had a passport 48 hours later. It wasn't cheap though Confused