Going abroad, passport about to expire - PANIC!
 

What a mission of an afternoon!

Having packed my 6 year old daughters things ready for a trip abroad with my mother on 31st August I decided to check the details of her passport. It runs out on 4th September. Shes not due to return until the 8th. Not good.

I ring the passport office, foreign and commonwealth, immigration and finally Monarch to try and find out whether she will be A) allowed to go and B) allowed back in. Monarch wouldn't stop her boarding the plane or allowing her to return on the plane but I couldn't get anyone to 100% confirm one or other of Spanish or English immigration would stop them at some point in their journey.

So, I arrange an appointment with the Passport office in Newport with my daughter and my mother to take her. With letters of confirmation and ID they would allow my mother to chaperone.

My boss can't sign as he's Canadian so I run round town to an account friend to contersign the photo and complete the form. I come back and realise I can't give authorisation as my partner and I (even though I say wife in nearly everything) aren't married and she must authorise everything.

Another trip round town and I think they have everything they need. I check with my daughter that she knew my name, mummies name, her address and the name of the cat (well, they might ask) and away they went.

Its a 4 hour wait and I pray everything goes OK. They've got tickets to High School Musical tomorrow night and I will be cut into little bits if my daughter misses it. If my daughter fails to be allowed on the plane, I'll be cut into little bits - twice as my mother can't leave her.

Fingers crossed.

good luck...

Put it down to experience.... you'll not make that mistake again!

My last minute passport renewal went ever so smoothly. In fact, they barely even looked at me, asked for the money and asked me to come back and collect in two hours...

Mine too, in erm, Liverpool:D.

About 3hrs to wander about and all done.

The staff with whom I dealt...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/cont...rs_200x150.jpg

:)

These lads were in the local pub I went to whilst waiting:

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/200...07_468x553.jpg

Erm . :D

I travelled on an expired passport to Spain. It was about 6 months over. NO problem at all. In fact some palces allow you in up to 2 years after expiry.

erm..... ya know

This is what the Monarch chap said. He said it should not be a problem returning as your granted re-entry if you leave in a proper fashion.

What I could not confirm is whether the Spanish immigration would let her in once she got there. We just couldn't risk it. My mother isn't the most pleasant of people when she lets go and this sort of cock up on my part is just the sort of thing that would reward me with both barrels.

The fact that my daughter was in the same room probably saved me. :)

I remember about 7 or 8 years ago, the day (well afternoon) before we were due to fly out to Florida for 2 weeks my dad happened to notice my bro's passport had ran out, lol (see ya bro :D).

Slight panic at this point so he phoned the closest passport office (in Peterborough, we live in Ipswich so a few hours down the road) where a very nice lady said if you can get here before we close I will do it for you.

Off in his car he went, don't think he dropped below 100Mph all the way there ;) got there a little after closing time so thought he was sh!t out of luck but thankfully the very nice lady stayed on and waited for him :)

Got the passport sorted there and then, had a slightly calmer drive back home :D

One of those things I guess you don't always think about checking.

If she already has a passport, you shouldn't need all the counter signing. Just submit the old passport and the cash, job done.

I think, but may be wrong, that you can travel around the EU freely, as long as you have some form of photo ID. Not too much use for a child I know, I but regulalry visit Guernsey (Non-EU, but part of the BI) with just a photo driver's license.

I have a friend who was turned away at the check-in desk on Monday for not having the correct passport for the USA. If you're going, make absolutely sure your passport has all the numbers and letters under your photo, or you can't get in!!

As i understand it, the rules get even stricter soon too, you'll need a hologram passport from next year.

For outside EU I wouldn't have even entertained risking it but I thought that as its within the EU she might get away with it.

Anyway, just got a phone call, in possession of a new passport and will be in Oxford with plenty of time to see the show tonight.

Phew!!

I work in a travel agents and its amazing how many people book a holiday and then phone back and say there passport has expired, you are usually ok if its in the eu and you contact the countrys embassy before you travel, and get some kind of letter or fax. Iv traveled to spain with an expired passport and nothing was said there or back.