Surprise holiday but passport expired

[Herewegoagain22]

I want to book my my mum a surprise getaway for January next year, abroad. But her passport has expired and I’m not sure how I can keep this a secret until Christmas now, let alone book anything when I know she doesn’t have a valid passport. How can I get her renew? She says she will never go away again so doesn’t need it. But I really need her to do it!!

Could you say it’s a good source of identification?

Does she have a driving licence? If not, you could say she needs a form of photo ID for things like voting…

Are you certain she would want to go abroad? Could you look for somewhere in the UK instead?

She would love to go abroad but unless I just book things like this for her, she won’t go. She needs a bit of a push. She doesn’t drive and never really takes things out on credit so never requires ID. I feel a bit stuck and feel I’m going to just have to tell her and ruin the Christmas surprise

Are you sure she's able to travel? No health conditions that would make insurance expensive? No other commitments on her time?

Could you book far enough in advance to allow for an (emergency) passport renewal? You don't actually need a passport to book a trip.

I took my (then boyfriend now husbands) passport from his drawer when I stayed over and renewed it for him. I got his housemate to ask for some headshots (husband is a photographer) and then offer to take some for him 'for fun' 😅

It was the best surprise when we arrived at the airport and I told him we were going to Venice 🥰

You do realise you made a fraudulent application.

Can you tell her about the trip now but save the details (destination, any plans for when you’re there) until Christmas Day so you can keep some of the surprise for then?

Remind her she needs ID to vote now?

Maybe take the hint from your DM and don’t book her a ‘surprise’ trip abroad!

Weigh up “spoiled Christmas Surprise” v “Not being able to take Mum away because she doesn’t have a passport” - which scenario is worse?

Surprise trips are very high risk. Tell her you are planning a trip but not the destination. Give her a chance to get the right clothes and prescriptions and insurance sorted in plenty of time.

Anticipating a trip is half the fun.

Book it but allow time for her to get a passport. Or if short notice arrange things so you both have a day in London (or Liverpool or wherever they do them now) to pick up an emergency passport

Won't you need to tell her about it anyway so she can sort travel insurance? Unless you know her full medical records.

So who forged his signature? And why would he go to an airport without a current passport? Sure you 'magically' had one but I presume he didn't know that so you told him 'it's OK surprise we committed fraud but it's OK we're going to Venice aw bless'

And doesn't someone need to witness the signature? And photo?

Anticipating a trip is half the fun.

I agree. I often book something way in advance so I have something to look forward to.

@Herewegoagain22 renew it online. you will get it in around a week. the pic from her driving licence or bus pass or even her old passport can be used. mine was three years out of date and i dont remember having to sign anything. i also renewed my hubby's and all we needed to do was update his pic. his was also well out of date. tell her you want a pic for your album and take her to one of those places which gives you a ref number for the pic. much easier than it used to be to renew.

She's going to need travel insurance too which you can't do without her declaring health conditions etc and you want that as soon as you've booked so tbh I think you just need to tell her sooner so she can get that stuff sorted, you can still find a nice way of surprising her, it'll just need to be now. If it won't stress her out, you could just tell her she's going abroad and save the location to the airport?

Bet this was forever ago

Good grief do not renew someone else's legal documentation without their knowledge.

Doesn't she vote?

I would tell her and the surprise can be the location/hotel details/number of days.

Also allows her to be excited for trip and pick up any bits and pieces she might need if not been away for a while.

I would tell her what you are proposing. She may not want to go abroad. How old is she? I know it is difficult when you are young and fit to realise that someone else really does not want to go abroad. I am old and there came a time when we definitely lost interest in going abroad which we had done for so many years. Now I would be really upset if someone arranged such a holiday for me. My health is of a concern and I definitely would not go. You can find out what her reaction is if you tell her in advance. She may be delighted but if she is going to be upset and worried you are wasting your money which could have been spent in the U.K.

There is no signature to forge as it was done online. No countersignature needed either for a renewal of an adult passport. You sign the passport when you receive it

Are you sure she’d love to go abroad if she’s said she won’t travel again?

Why does it need to be a surprise? I hate surprises, especially around holidays/trips - I enjoy looking forward to something and planning it.

Cant you just tell her you’d love to pay for a trip for you both in the new year and involve her? Then you can be sure you’re booking something she’ll enjoy and you can still help with the passport but without needing to be sneaky.