kid's passport advice

[hiit]

Am a complete nonce and have only just clocked that our son's passport has expired and we're meant to be going on holiday on Saturday. Has anyone had any recent experience of getting a fast-tracked passport? You're no longer allowed to do the 24hr turnaround for kids so we're booked in on Wednesday for the 7 day service. Should I give up all hope of getting on the plane on sat? Suspect the answer is yes, but any advice gratefully received...

[redjam]

Ah, I feel your pain, your post brings back traumatic memories of a similar experience a few years back. We did manage to get a 24-hour passport (this was a while ago) so I flew out with one daughter as planned, and my husband and other daughter spent a day running around the country - Peterborough, I think - sorting out the missing one, then joined us a day later. The whole thing was eye-wateringly expensive and hideously stressful.

One bit of advice is check your return flights if you miss your outbound ones: my husband bought two replacement outbound singles, and thought he could use the return portion of the original flights for the way back. But oh no: when the four of us rocked up at Geneva airport to go home at the end of the holiday, having just about put the passport trauma behind us, my husband and daughter were informed that they weren't allowed to travel as they hadn't used the outbound portion of the original flights. I have no idea why but yep, there it was, hidden away in the small print. I don't mind admitting I started sobbing in the middle of Geneva airport at this point, as did both my daughters (turns out Swiss officials are utterly unmoved by unhinged crying Brits). So we had to buy yet another two single return flights. I think our mistake ended up costing us about an extra grand, all told.

Not sure any of this will make you feel better (!) but at least you're not the only muppet in ED who has screwed this up. Needless to say, it's not a mistake I will make twice.

[Scruffy Mummy]

A couple of years ago I had to make the trip to Peterborough a week before we were due to fly to North America because of this. Apparently they DO often turn it around in a couple days so you might be lucky... in my case, having gone to Peterborough, been assured by the official that everything was ok and I had everything correctly..... a couple of days ago I got a call from a friend who had signed off on my son's photo (she is a barrister) and they had decided to do a random check on her as a verifer and needed her to send a fax or scan to them ASAP with her ID!!! It was ridiculous as she was in court and they hadn't even called me! If she hadn't been a friend, just my doctor for instance, I doubt she would have acted in haste! Anyway, she did this and I got the passport in the nick of time - the day before flying out.

[alieh]

There should be some kind of automatic warning that goes out to people with 4.5 year olds to remember to get a new passport! This happened to us but not as tight timing in our case so it was possible to sort it. There seem to be lots of threads on Mumsnet about this dilemma. I wouldn't give up hope yet!

[alieh]

If you do it today you might be okay with the 1-week fast track service?

[hiit]

Thanks so much everyone....am going to go to Victoria passport office this afternoon and PLEAD. And if that doesn't work, plead on Wednesday (first appt they can give me.) Alternatives are appointments in Belfast and Durham tomorrow but I reck by the time they've got the new passport down to London, those options might not be a whole lot quicker.

So words of warning to people with 4.5 year olds as alieh says - RENEW IN GOOD TIME! You can't do the 24 renewal anymore.

Next bit of stress if trying to find someone to countersign in next few hours. If anyone has any clever ideas, please post. Sorry - i know this is admin hell and feel bad to be burdening others etc etc...

Right going to drink some mint tea in effort to relax.

And Redjam - thanks for warning about return flights. That's a really good headsup.

[Carrie]

The list of people who can countersign is quite long and they just need to have known you (rather than your child) for 2 years

accountant

airline pilot

articled clerk of a limited company

assurance agent of recognised company

bank/building society official

barrister

chairman/director of limited company

chiropodist

commissioner for oaths

councillor, eg local or county

civil servant (permanent)

dentist

director/manager/personnel officer of a VAT-registered company

engineer - with professional qualifications

financial services intermediary, eg a stockbroker or insurance broker

fire service official

funeral director

insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company

journalist

Justice of the Peace

legal secretary - fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs

licensee of public house

local government officer

manager/personnel officer of a limited company

member, associate or fellow of a professional body

Member of Parliament

Merchant Navy officer

minister of a recognised religion - including Christian Science

nurse - RGN or RMN

officer of the armed services

optician

paralegal - certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals

person with honours, eg an OBE or MBE

pharmacist

photographer - professional

police officer

Post Office official

president/secretary of a recognised organisation

Salvation Army officer

social worker

solicitor

surveyor

teacher, lecturer

trade union officer

travel agent - qualified

valuer or auctioneer - fellows and associate members of the incorporated society

Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers

[Zephy]

I had an appointment on Thursday last week for two of my children and the passports arrived on Saturday morning.

Good luck!

[Waffo]

I had an appointment on a Wednesday and the passport arrived on Monday. It was for a first passport though. Hope yours comes quickly!

[hiit]

Found a nice Mum to countersign. Thanks for that list Carrie..

And Zephy that's given me hope! Did you do anything in particular to speed up process?

Thanks so much folks.

[Zephy]

No, nothing at all. I was really surprised! Others have been telling me of a really quick turnaround (2/3 weeks) on the normal service too so maybe they are quiet at the moment...?

[craigy]

I did my son's renewal a couple of weeks ago, took it to check and send at the post office on the monday and it arrived on the friday of the same week- must be quite quiet at the mo