Day off school for visa paperwork

[vicarc]

I need to apply for biometric visas for the family as we are travelling at Easter to visit family overseas. The visa process is quite unreasonable 1. They are not open at weekends 2. They won't let the children off the requirement for an inperson appointment to capture biometrics so no option for me to go alone, use an agent or do it by post 3. The application window isn't long enough to do this during an earlier holiday 4. We have no inset days coming up 5. We don't live nearby so would need a whole day off school for travel into central London.

My children's attendace record is excellent. No sick days this year, just a few missed periods with my eldest for early or late in the day orthodonist appointments. What should I do, ask for the day off or pull a sickie? Hate lying but I feel it's risky to ask just in case. Are days off allowed for this sort of thing. Really annoyed how unreasonable their visa is but need to visit family.

You can ask ... it probably won't be authorised but you take them out and it's recorded as 'unauthorised' ... unless your DC have a lot of unauthorised absences it doesn't really matter. My DS had a couple of days 'unauthorised' absence for a holiday ... it made no difference to his education or application for Uni (I assume the teachers write a reference).

You can ask but I doubt it will be authorised unless the visit is due to compassionate reasons. It will simply appear as an unauthorised absence.

It's a very unusual situation so I suspect they may not even know. I had to take dd to London to do her passport (dual national) but was able to go in school holidays.

Tell the truth
They will say fine but can’t authorise

End of story
No consequences whatsoever

Yes, we have multiple times had excused absences for visa/embassy/passport appointments. You just state you have a visa appt at embassy, and such appointments are not scheduled outside of school hours, and in person attendance is required.

I would email school and tell them the kids wont be at school on X date in order to get visas, and unfortunately the date couldn't be arranged on a none school day.
If they authorize it, great. If they don't, meh, you're going anyway.

Do you live near London?
Could make a lovely day of it!

@Ststreet

Yes, we have multiple times had excused absences for visa/embassy/passport appointments. You just state you have a visa appt at embassy, and such appointments are not scheduled outside of school hours, and in person attendance is required.

Multiple times?!

Take it you don’t have a British passport!

I wouldn’t expect it to be authorised but it’s a case of needs must

My orginal plan was to apply this half term in time for Easter but then was told it was too far ahead! I've looked at every option but they simply insist on capturing the children's biometrics. Not open on Saturday of course and because of the biometrics using an agent is pointless. Wish we had a teacher training day but those tend to be added on to the holidays anyway so would have been too late most likely. Looks like I've got no option but an unauthorised day. Thanks everyone for reassurance.

Yes, for visa extensions 2x and also passport renewals 2 times (children are every five years) And all all require in person attendance. Even if dual British citizen the other country’s embassy appts are excused in our experience. There is literally no other way to obtain the passport.

@Ststreet

Sorry not clear - no, your children don’t have a British passport?

Reason I ask is that no embassy visit required for a renewal for a child. Even if child has dual citizenship

My DC had a day off authorised to attend an EU consulate to sort EU passports (in The UK). They were at different schools

I will have to do this for my child. I will just say they have an embassy appointment and that’s that! Don’t worry it will be fine.

My children had to go to London to get their American passports. Half-terms were always chocka, so we took them out of school. School really couldn't say anything as it was something out of our control.

We'd make a day of it in London, so possibly educational.

[quote thanktor]@Ststreet

Sorry not clear - no, your children don’t have a British passport?

Reason I ask is that no embassy visit required for a renewal for a child. Even if child has dual citizenship[/quote]
American Embassy requires an in person visit for all children and the first adult passport.