To renew or nor to renew child's UK passport

[Tmor]

Please help me decide asap. My DS's passport is due to expire at the end of March 27, he also holds an EU passport which is valid for longer.
We have 3 EU trips before the end of the year and I am trying to decide if I have a gap to renew his passport this year. We are travelling during October half term and his UK passport will be ok. He also has a school trip in Decemeber and on his day back, his UK passport will still be valid. However we also have a family trip over Christmas and his UK passport will be valid for less than 3 months on the day of return. I am not worried as much about that as he can enter EU on his EU passport.

So the question is - Do I risk and send his UK passport for renewal now and hope it would get back in the next 3 weeks or wait till January 27? My worry is that if I send his passport off now, I will be left with no UK passport to enter UK on our way back in October. I know the half term is 4 weeks away but I did have issues with renewal ones when it took 7 weeks and I got the passport back 2 days before travel, so I am a bit scarred by that.

Is there any other option I am not aware of?

I'm fairly certain that the 3 month issue is for when you enter other countries - but in this case, he's entering other countries on his EU passport so that's irrelevant and, I believe, you can return to the UK at any point as long as the passport is still valid.

yes, I think this is possible, I just don't know anyone who has come back like that.

You can use the urgent service to ensure it’s done in the correct window

The UK government says its fine: https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/before-you-leave-for-the-uk

It's irrelevant if you know anyone who has done this or not.

You will have to renew it at some point as you need to enter UK on UK passport if you are eligible to hold a UK passport

I had a look into it and at 156 plus getting to the passport office, I would prefer to avoid this route

Thank you!

I am planning on doing it in January.

If you dont need the passport to be valid for the dec holiday then why not just get it changed. Wouldnt matter either way?

She needs it so he can come back into the UK!

If I renew it now, I would need to send my valid passport off and i might not get it back by October half term

Do you have to?

I have all my old passports

Ah no you are right sorry! They send it back.

You will have to pay for express then.

Presumably he’s not Irish? If he is you can relax.

This. My kids also have UK + EU passports, and we have been in the same situation. The 3 months is for outbound travel, not inbound.

You can enter the UK with less than 3 months on your UK passport. You can also enter the EU with less than 3 months on your EU passport. Just so long as it isn't expired!

That’s very helpful, thank you

Exactly this. My kids also have EU and UK passports and we travelled this summer with less than a month remaining on DS’s and only got a ‘remember to renew this’ at the border. In your case OP I’d definitely wait until January to renew.