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Original poster

Getting baby's 1st passport?

33 replies

BurbGirl2013 · 13/11/2013 10:04

Hi all
I'm still pregnant due in just over 2 weeks with our first.
We have booked flights to go to France to spend Christmas with family, including baby, 3 weeks after my due date.
I know some may have strong opinions about travelling with a newborn this soon, but the flights just under an hour, we have booked an entire row at back of plane or my DP and mum and are hoping to do it.

If I'm on time or even 1 week late I know we'd have time to get the passport - say 1 week to even get given the passport appointment in London and another week for the 1 week fast track to reach us. If I approach 2 weeks overdue that's when it gets panicky!!

I wandered if anyone has used the passport fast track service recently whether for you or baby and how quickly you got given an appointment?
Thanks

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dreamingbohemian · 13/11/2013 10:16

Don't you need your baby's birth certificate to get the passport? It took me at least a week to get an appointment with the council to get the birth certificate.

I'm afraid I do think you're a bit mad It's a nice idea but there is so much that could go wrong, especially at such a busy time of year.

SandyChick · 13/11/2013 10:22

I did the 1 week fast track but if was a while ago. It was in July tho which is apparently a busy time for passports. I took everything along to passport office one day and the passport arrived a few days later on a Sunday!

Have you spoken to the passport office? I'm sure this must happen often. Id be tempted to make an appointment for a few days after your due date. Then if you go over re arrange the appointment.

Good luck with everything

SandyChick · 13/11/2013 10:23

O yes the birth certificate too. I'm sure if you give them a call and explain they will accommodate too.

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LIZS · 13/11/2013 10:24

Can you use the fast track service for a 1st passport ?

HappyAsASandboy · 13/11/2013 10:27

How will you manage to book seats so close to Christmas? I would have thought you'd have to book early (especially to get a whole row) and for that you'll need the baby's name (and DoB?) before the birth ...

I hope you manage it, but it might be complicated!

Original poster

BurbGirl2013 · 13/11/2013 10:27

Thanks Dreaming. I know....I know. It's just I have only spent 1 Christmas here, when flights cancelled due to snow and I was so depressed. It's the last year we can ever spend Christmas there/with family as they are selling their beautiful house and moving to another country, so I really want to do everything possible to at least try... My beloved grandma passed last year and really want to viit her grave too. would love our child to know they experienced it there too. I know it may seem bonkers

OP posts:

Orangeychoc · 13/11/2013 10:30

I have just got my sons passport (8 months)

You cannot use the "premium" same day service for a child's first passport. The fastest method is the "fast track" service which guarantees it one week from your appointment date.

I rang the passport office last Tuesday, had an appointment Wedsnesday morning and the passport arrived Friday.

You need the full birth certificate so will have to have made the appointment and registered the birth before you go. You also need 2 passport photos of baby, one to be countersigned by someone who has know the PARENT for more than 2 years.

SpookedMackerel · 13/11/2013 10:32

Don't know about the passport, but make very sure your airline doesn't have an age limit for newborns flying, when I flew with baby dd (she was four weeks) I think they wouldn't accept babies under 15 days old.

Original poster

BurbGirl2013 · 13/11/2013 10:33

Sandy, Thankyou!! Youve guven me some hope... I called passport office explaining all this and spoke to the most hostile grumpy horrid woman, wish I'd taken her name. She wasn't interested at all, and wouldn't even tell me theoretically/on average how quickly you can get an appointment, just point blank refused to help at all. She said we couldn't book ahead as need birth date to register etc, fair enough...

LIZS you cn get the 1 week fast track, not same day.

Happy- we have booked (v cheap) flights already. You don't need baby's name or date of birth, you can call airline after booking adult/parent tickets once you know.

OP posts:

SandyChick · 13/11/2013 10:36

I think its doable

I'd have a back up plan tho just incase you have to spend christmas at home.

You could go at new year or very early into the new year if you can't get there for christmas.

Have you checked the airlines policy on flying with a newborn? Some won't allow if they are under 2 weeks old. Plus you need to think about whether you will be fit enough to travel.

If it all goes to plan then traveling with a small baby is easy. They are so portable at that age.

Will keep my fingers crossed for you

PestoPeachissimos · 13/11/2013 10:37

You might want to get yourself an appointment with your GP too, as i don't think you can fly till you've had your 6 week check-up, something about invalidating your insurance?

msmoss · 13/11/2013 10:43

I think newborns need to be at least 10 days old before airlines will let them travel.

I didn't need to make an appointment to register my children's birth, you can just do it on a turn up basis.

Travelling with a newborn shouldn't be too hard, babies tend to love aeroplanes due to all the white noise. You might find a sling handy for carrying the baby around in the airport and getting on the plane as it can save the faff of getting it in and out of the buggy. It also made me feel less like I was going to drop mine when walking up the steps to the plane, but that might just be me.

Good luck, hope you make it!

misspontypine · 13/11/2013 10:54

I considered the same plan last year, ds was due on the 8th but he wasn't born until the 18th. I had to spend Christmas in Sweden, I was dreading it but actually I was so absorbed with my new baby I wouldn't have cared if I ate mc donalds for Christmas dinner and watched tv all day ( we didn't do that)

I would say that the stress of sorting everything out really isn't worth it.

misspontypine · 13/11/2013 10:58

Have you booked a baby ticket? You must have a specific baby ticket and seat ( rather than just a row of adult seats because the baby needs it's own special oxygen mask. A fully booked flight at Christmas will likely not have spare baby oxygen masks.

Original poster

BurbGirl2013 · 13/11/2013 10:59

Thanks all, With BA both baby & mum can travel 48 hrs after bith. If mum has had caesArran then 10 days.
Thanks Pesto will do to be on safe side.

Msmoss thanks for reassurance re. Flying & tips, will get a sling!

Sandy you are lovely Thankyou!

OP posts:

Original poster

BurbGirl2013 · 13/11/2013 11:02

Missponty- no we havnt as BA allow you to call after birth and add baby onto an existing booking and babies under 2 don't need thir own seat (with them) thanks.

OP posts:

misspontypine · 13/11/2013 11:20

It's not that they need their own seat, they need a seat with access to a normal oxygen mask and a child/baby mask. Those seats are limited. My experience of flying close to Christmas is that the planes are packed, mostly with families with small children.

MaMaPo · 13/11/2013 11:29

If you do need a birth certificate, that could be tricky. My baby was born on 4 December last year, first appt to register the birth was on 23 Dec and we got the birth certificates in the mail around 10 Jan.

Mutley77 · 13/11/2013 12:05

I think you will 90% feel fine to do it and it would be ok. I think the reality of getting the paperwork sorted (birth certificate, photos and passport) may well be a deal breaker. Do you definitely need a passport to travel to France - Europeans seem to be able to come here to UK with an ID card - is there an equivalent you could use for baby (maybe travelling by ferry instead of aeroplane?).

With a first baby they are nearly always late which adds further potential stress to getting the paperwork sorted.

WestieMamma · 13/11/2013 17:11

I think the hardest part will be getting appointments with the registrar and with the passport office. It takes time, especially around Christmas when they will have a lot of people off. Don't kid yourself by thinking they'll bend over to accommodate you, given your circumstances. They won't. My dad was dying and I still couldn't get an appointment with the passport office closer than 3 weeks.

WestieMamma · 13/11/2013 17:12

Meant to say, good luck.

Persuasion · 13/11/2013 19:02

I urge you to think about the fact that you'll still be bleeding. You'll likely be hormonal and easily stressed. You won't be getting any much sleep. Plus the logistical difficulties others have mentioned with birth certificate and passport. It is theoretically doable I guess, if you go into labour on time or early, if you have a straightforward vaginal birth with no complications, and with lots of support, but those are a lot of ifs!

NomDeClavier · 13/11/2013 19:08

Is baby entitled to French nationality? You may be able to get a French passport more swiftly than a UK one via the embassy.

galwaygirl · 13/11/2013 19:11

Hi OP, just wanted to say that I flew with 2.5 week old DD after a traumatic birth with lots of complications and it was a breeze. She actually slept the whole way, the plane noise soothed her. I'd recommend getting a sling. I had DD in one - didn't have to take her out at security or anything - and she just snoozed away contentedly.
I felt like shit myself and looked awful but it was easier than the previous 2,5 weeks and so nice knowing I was going to my family.
Hope it all works out well for you xxx

blueberrycupcake · 13/11/2013 19:24

I have been there. Dd1 was born at the end of Nov. We managed to get a passport and travelled when she was 3weeks old. This was 3 years ago so can't remember exactly what we had to do but what I do remember is that we researched in advance places where we could get the passport photo taken. We wanted to make sure the application wouldn't be rejected because of the photo.
The travel itself was really easy with a tiny baby. I breastfed and so didn't have to worry about bottles etc.

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