Due to travel on Sunday, just found out 5 year old sons passport isn’t valid due to brexit HELP

[Shinebright21]

So due to travel to France and Italy via rail from this Sunday.

Mine, my husband and daughters passport are all valid. My sons expires on 31st July and I was under the impression you can travel, until the expiry date and we are back way before then.

Do we cancel and use our insurance to claim the money back, or just risk it and go and see what happens at the border?

Feeling utterly miserable

That's rubbish that they made you wait all that time for nothing, OP. Fingers crossed for an appointment slot becoming available for you at 3.30pm or for a bit of luck when you try to travel on Sunday!

It's disappointing for all of you but I'm sure your ds will be easily distracted!!

I said earlier on the thread but just incase it got missed.

I had a similar situation. I got my appointment at 8am in the morning on the online system. They seemed to be releasing the appointments at this time too.

Really hope it works out for you, and so sorry for all the stress. I've been there, and the pain in your stomach is real. Xx

My DC is 5.

That is the plan - to try anyway and keep going for a passport in the meantime!

I have been trying from 7am onwards, even whilst I was outside the passport office waiting. Twitter has said they opened up their online premium slots at 811am and they were all gone by 9 something. Just waiting for the one week fast tracks to open up. If they do at all today. One of the advisors said they had a 1000 people to see today, and it’s very heavy traffic. I don’t know how they are able to open up ‘extra’ slots.

Good luck we all make mistakes but I literally just waited 13 very long weeks to get my daughters passport simple straight forward renewal processed - the system is a bloomin shambles at the moment. I’d find an alternative holiday in UK if I was you so you can all relax and enjoy it. Cornwall is fab this time of year before the hords descend

Good luck on Sunday, if you cannot get an appointment beforehand.

I think you have a reasonable enough chance to make it worth a try. If you are going to be turned away, that is very likely to happen in the UK as you are leaving for France.

Pack so that you can split into Team UK and Team France with no issues.

Fingers crossed for you, OP!

There's a twitter bot that if you get notifications tells you when the online bookings open - from memory around 4pm for fast track but you need a form from the post office first. If you haven't got that you can't book. Appointments are for all over the country.

If you're serious about going on holiday you need to go to the post office first, sign up to twitter and keep trying for appointment, and be prepared to travel a long way away.

If you're not going to do all of those things then you won't be gojng on holiday.

I’m on Twitter, I have my post office form filled out, photos, documents, everything ready to go. But the slots are in Belfast which I still can do - but on Friday! One week from Friday is Friday and that’s no good at all.

I wish there was an emergency 24 hour service for kids.

i will keep this thread updated, and let you all know Sunday’s news. Just hoping the week goes by quickly 🙏

I did the one week and got them 5 days later which included the weekend. If you get a slot take it. However if all your other passports are in order I would be inclined to risk going because your 5 year old is not going to “overstay” they may not be concerned so much how long he has on his passport. Not sure if that is a logical argument but ….

are passports reall taking months still? id better tell my sister shes going away in october and thinks its fine not to rush the renewal

Wishing you the very best of luck. I remember a similar thread and the op got her passport just in time as it came a little earlier than expected.

We are due to travel on Sunday, unfortunately it’s too late for us to try for the one week.

If we get an appointment tommorow, 5 days would make it Monday, possibly considering pushing holiday forward a little but I’m in two minds.

Your reason for the overstay does make sense, but I just don’t think it will ‘over ride’ the rules. Especially with French authorities.

Any updates op?

Sorry to hear it's been so stressful !!!!

@Queenie6655 I do have updates but they aren’t hopeful.

I tried so hard to get a passport appointment slot - even far away in Glasgow or Durham but there just aren’t any at the minute. Despite being glued to my phone/iPad all day.

We got in contact with the French embassy who said, no exemption to the rule but you also have to show your tickets and journey and when you’re planning to come back. Of course I’m not expecting them to ‘wave us through’. It’s such a shame - because I did my daughters, I did my husbands back in March. It’s just my sons that caught us out.

My husband said maybe we should put out 5 year old in the extra large suitcase, with the iPad. He wouldn’t make a sound 🤣🤣

Both my husband and I, can’t not go and try, but it’s just the anticipation and anxiety leading up to it. France is our ‘transit’ country to get to Italy, but both counties have the same rule so I doubt it matters if we are just ‘transitioning’.

I know I should have double, triple checks my sons passport, and I did but I didn’t know about the 3 month rule.

This really, truly does suck. It’s not the way to be looking forward to a holiday, but in the worst case scenario we will use our insurance if we can to reschedule the trip, but I don’t even know if it will cover that or if we will find something in the summer season.

Just constantly feeling sick at the minute 🥲 knots in the stomach are un real.

Excuse all the spelling errors above! Can’t seem to edit them 🙈

Really sorry to tell you this but there is no way that your insurance will cover this. Check the policy now/call them if you’re still optimistic, but I guarantee that it will be clearly excluded. Better to get that straight in your mind now than hold out false hope.

a relative came over here from europe without a passport for their child, not checked on the way here but on the way back they then realised
they showed ID

i take it his passport picture is him as a baby?

however if you are spending a fortune no doubt on an emergency passport, surely you can just rebook your holiday?

its only 3 months now for most EU countries anyway not 6. All these snide people under rocks who don't understand the rules are properly tedious

Some border guards are saying six. The UK government has been seeking clarification.

And yes, people should always check individual country requirements because they change (passport, visas and waivers). You might find that you now need a visa and not a waiver for instance

yes but not for France or Italy!

@MrsLargeEmbodied Yes it’s a baby picture around just over a year old.

I feel like this whole 3 month/6 month thing should be made clearer with flashing bells when you book tickets for travel. Just a simple, put your passport number in and it will check validity, due to Brexit. I know others will disagree, but that’s the way I feel.

Well obviously Europe was very straightforward to visit pre Brexit. Now, not so much.

The above comment was taken out of context - it was a reply to the smug poster saying that they always ensure they have 6 months on their passport so that they don’t need to check individual country requirements.

i dont think you can claim brexit
31st july is far too close as it happens.

@MrsLargeEmbodied but pre Brexit, you could travel up to expiry date any EU country.