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Original poster

Travel without passport?

28 replies

Lidoula · 03/01/2021 20:25

Hi all! I am due in a few months and will need/want to travel abroad for a short trip 3 weeks later (hopefully baby & I will be fit and healthy). That means there is barely any time to get a passport for the baby (I checked my local registry usually has appointments after 3 weeks of birth). Does anyone have a similar experience? Is there anyway this can be done faster? Does the passport fast track service still offer the service? Lastly, is there any way I can travel (and come back) without a passport?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 03/01/2021 20:33

I dont think you can fast track applications at the moment as the passport offices will not be holding appointments

Is it essential travel? Your baby won't be able to go abroad without a passport

LouiseTrees · 03/01/2021 20:34

The baby does need it’s own passport. If you apply online it will take too long. Fast track is no longer opened at the passport offices so has to be through the phone line at the bottom of this www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

LouiseTrees · 03/01/2021 20:35

They will only allow this service to be used for compassionate travel though not just a want.

dementedpixie · 03/01/2021 20:36

You can get a passport urgently if you need to do any of the following:

  • travel for compassionate reasons
  • travel urgently for work
  • prove your identity, for example you’re applying for a job, mortgage or benefits

Do any of these apply?

LIZS · 03/01/2021 20:37

I don’t think you can fastrack a first passport. Where would you be going to?

Original poster
Lidoula · 03/01/2021 20:46

Thank you everyone, I assumed this would be the case unfortunately. None of the urgent reasons apply as it would be going away for the brother in-law's wedding :( I guess I need to come to terms with missing it and my husband will need to do a very quick trip abroad, alone

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 03/01/2021 20:49

You haven’t factored in that you might deliver 2 weeks late!

JayAlfredPrufrock · 03/01/2021 20:51

I’m genuinely shocked that people are still travelling

dementedpixie · 03/01/2021 20:52

That is not a good reason to travel tbh. Especially not with a baby

dementedpixie · 03/01/2021 20:53

And your dh shouldn't be going either

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 03/01/2021 20:57

I doubt you would even have the birth certificate, let alone get a passport I three weeks.

NerrSnerr · 03/01/2021 20:57

You won't get the baby registered in time and a passport in such a short time, even if the baby isn't late. I really wouldn't want to be travelling with a newborn with Covid still around anyway.

NerrSnerr · 03/01/2021 20:58

and you cannot take a newborn abroad without a passport. You can imagine how dangerous that could be- it could be anyone's baby!

veeeeh · 03/01/2021 21:01

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster
Lidoula · 03/01/2021 22:01

This is my first post and I admit I am shocked to how unwelcoming some people are. Why do some of you feel like you need to respond with judgement or sarcasm - I guess this is how you were raised or others treat you, so you don't know how to respond to an honest question in a mature way?

Thank you to the others who gave helpful answers, much appreciated

OP posts:
JayAlfredPrufrock · 03/01/2021 22:05

🤔

Twilightstarbright · 03/01/2021 22:09

PP are correct, you won't get a passport that quickly for a wedding. COVID aside, it's very hard to predict how things would be three weeks after due date/giving birth. You might be fine but myself and my baby were still very unwell at that point.

Only way it might be possible is if you are travelling in the common travel area, or if you have another nationality who can somehow issue the passport almost immediately but I suspect you'd still need a birth certificate.

titchy · 03/01/2021 22:23

Tbh even if you could get a passport so quickly, you won't want to even put a clean pair of pyjamas on let alone a posh wedding outfit you'll be leaking from top and bottom from!

You may also still be in hospital... and yes your dh needs to reconsider as well I'm afraid.

AnyFucker · 03/01/2021 22:25

You won't be going to that wedding. It's just circumstances outside of your control.

ireallyamthewalrus · 03/01/2021 22:34

Hi @Lidoula

As others have said there is no guarantee of getting a passport but if there is the option to wait and book flights at the very last minute (and also see how you feel... you may feel fine travelling or you may not want to leave the house) then you could certainly try.

Ways you can increase your chances:

  • decide on the name in advance!
  • call and ask if there is any chance of an earlier appointment to register the baby. Perhaps be on stand by in case of cancellations. You may get a sympathetic registrar.
  • If you give birth in a different area to where you live, check where will give you the birth certificate quickest
  • line up getting the photo done. Ideally someone who knows what they are doing so you don’t have to worry about photos being rejected. Get this done ASAP.
  • get everything ready for the passport application that you’ll need. So you don’t find you are missing a document or piece of information
  • arrange the counter signatory and ensure it is someone you trust not to dither.

Good luck!

Hearwego · 03/01/2021 22:39

**I’m genuinely shocked that people are still travelling

I’m genuinely shocked that the OP wants to go abroad with a newborn during a pandemic to attend a wedding.
If having family at the wedding is important to them, surely they would postpone?

borntobequiet · 03/01/2021 22:39

I went to France on the ferry for a day trip with my kids, without passports (but with alternative ID) in (I think) 1987. It was a hassle leaving and even worse coming back, though technically, at the time, OK, I believe. You’d be crazy to try it today.

cakebythepound1234 · 03/01/2021 22:47

Even if you do have a genuine reason to get the passport fasttracked, the service is still infuriatingly slow because of Covid. Our sons passport needed renewing before we moved out of the uk. My husband works for a government department and was why we were moving, so we got letters from his hr team to send to the fast track team at HMPO to prove our travel was essential. All of the paperwork got sent to the wrong office, it got lost for a few days, when they found it it then took another week for them to post it to the right office... and then it took forever for it to arrive in the post. It probably would have been quicker to not have bothered with fast tracking due to all that went wrong! So don't rely on time scales given by the passport office. But I also agree with other posters, now probably isn't a good time to travel if it isn't essential.

yankeedoodledandee · 03/01/2021 22:56

To be fair to OP she said she is due in a few months. A lot can change in a few months.

niki26 · 03/01/2021 23:52

I gave birth to my second DD in September and we couldn't get an appointment to register the birth until November 17th due to the back log!

Pre pandemic we were hoping to go on a New Years break to Poland (we went New Years 2019) but thought we would be chancing it with a 3 month old!