Has anyone been allowed to travel on Easyjet without a passport for the DC? Please help!!

[misselizabethbennett]

We are due to take DS to visit my mum who lives half the time in Holland. It's our first visit and he's really excited. I've been horrendously busy at work and haven't thought about packing yet. This morning in the shower I realised that his passport has expired - we got it when he was a baby and he's now 6. Passport office can't help, but when I asked if there's any way we'd be able to travel without it, she said 'it's up to the airline'. When probed, she was very non-committal.

DH and I both have passports, we have DS's passport expired Sept 07 and his birth certificate. What do you think?

DS will be devastated. I'm feeling incredibly guilty and upset - been crying all morning at the thought of how disappointed everyone's going to be.

Technically you can travel within EU on specific photo id but for a child that is usually a valid passport, and airlines/ferries can be fined for irregularities.

We DID travel with an out of date passport for DD1. We had to sign a disclaimer to say that if our destination country (spain) refused us, that we would have to foot the bill to return to UK.

Luckily, spanish customs rarely look at passports and we were fine.

I was an emotional mess on both the journey out and in.

I'm pretty sure most airlines now say no travel without passport for ID - EVEN INTERNAL IN THE UK...

Thankyou hamster, I've called this number too.

Make sure you have the form properly filled in and your photos signed and witnessed etc.

kids don't need id within UK or Eire, adults photo id.

We had no idea until we were stopped at the final check before boarding.

Does anyone know exactly what needs to be written on the back of the photo? I know it goes on one pic only.

Is it "I certify that this is a true likeness of firstname lastname" and a signature, or do they need to write their name too.

If passport thing doesn't happen could your mum come to you instead and have lots of special days out? I remember once having a 'holiday at home' with my parents and it was still great

If you're renewing passport I'd strongly recommend using the post office checking service - for things like what you write on reverse of photos - that the photos are correct (so many regs about those nowadays) etc. I like to think I'm an efficient form filler but I didn't have everything correct when I renewed my dc's couple of years ago. Means paying extra and queuing but you do get your passport quickly. Usually takes 2 weeks - but I've never renewed in summer, though.

Info about what you need and a downloadable forms are here: 64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:zAfh9LukL1UJ:www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-child.asp+passport+applicat ion+for+a+child&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk

I seem to remember that the form had to be signed as well as the photo.

Aren't there alternative forms of acceptable ID for travelling in EU? It doesn't HAVE to be a passport does it? ???

My friend renewed her passport on the morning she travelled to the States. Pre 9/11 though (she made her flight).

My friend at school went to Sardinia but at the airport her parents realised her passport was out of date so they had to make phonecalls to various people and she was able to go.

I somehow think the Easyjet aren't going to give a flying monkes, sorr

Good news. DH went to Liverpool Passport Office on the off-chance, and they agreed to see him.

Bad news - the form had been filled in incorrectly so they couldn't complete the transaction.

Good news - he had got spare photos so his policeman friend drove 20 miles in a police car to sign a new set of photos and forms, and he got back to the passport office in time!

Picking up the new passport at 5.30 today!!

Thats close!!

When do you fly??

tomorrow afternoon tiredemma. It's been a very stressful day!

I read your original post earlier and thought about how my boys (aged 5 and 7) would have been in the same circumstance. Im so glad you got it sorted, my boys would have been devastated- Hope you have a great time!

(did DP have blue flashing lights???? )

I'm just so glad I didn't have to tell him. He is so excited and although he'd obviously get over it, and we'd go some other time, he would have been really sad.

Thanks for all the great tips everyone - and I can pass on that turning up at the passport office is still worth a try if you're ever in the same position.

Glad you got it sorted. Enjoy your trip.

roll on 5.30pm for you then, hope it all goes off without a hitch now and you have a lovely break away, you lucky person!

wow ! that is fan-bloody-tastic! you need a holiday after all this stress, have a ball !

Fantastic news!

hoep you have it by now - enjoy the trip