Disaster- ski holiday for sale

A snowHead

my friend has a family ski trip (two adults, two children skiing, one child in crèche)to La Rosiere tomorrow. Whilst doing the final packing this morning he checked the family passports and to his horror the 2yr old has no valid passport. They have done all they can liaising with the Passport office and the tour operator and it looks like a no go for them. Needless to say they are gutted so I am just putting out an eleventh hour feeler for any SH who wants a real last minute deal to a Catered Chalet with Esprit flying from Bristol tomorrow lunch time?

I can get more detail on request and if anyone is seriously interested I will put you in direct contact with my friend to come to suitable arrangement.

A long shot I know but worth a shout
Puzzled

A snowHead

jirac18, indeed a disaster, I assume it has either been lost, or they never had one in the first place, as child passports are valid for 5 years. It's a shame there isn't a grandparent or relative who could look after the little one here.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

jirac18, probably too late but has he actually visited a passport office in person?

Twice in recent years I have been told, in person, that what the call centre tells you is not necessarily the whole truth...e.g. When getting a 2nd passport I could have got it same day rather that returning to the UK twice over a 2 week period as informed by phone operator - which would have saved me a return flight and some time...

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under a new name, friends certainly organised a new passport for their daughter in 24 hours by going to our local passport office.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I think it's been a case of left hand right hand and indeed no passport at all sadly. There is possibility of Grandma coming to the rescue but doubtful. All options being worked on as we type. We would look after their daughter ourselves but mrs jirac is a childminder and fully booked up already so can't take another child even for free as it would be over her OFSTED agreed numbers. Right mess. Friends feel embarrassed and very upset with themselves for making such a mistake. This was to be the first trip for his wife and kids and they were all so excited and raring to go.

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jirac18, oh dear, a real disaster.

Sad

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I can only go by what I've been told and that is that all possibilities have been exhausted with Passport Office with a negative result.

After all it is free

jirac18, I don't think the premium service is available for a first passport, that is probably the issue here.

Hells Bells, I think you are right. I know they have tightened up on emergency passports for young children too as part of the fight against child abduction from the UK

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I've just checked the small print on the Esprit Ski website regards changing a booking and to transfer the whole booking to another group you have to give 21 days notice so that rules out my OP as a possibility anyhow.

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If they can arrange to drive by eurotunnel then they should be okay. One of my friends has got through both ways very easily- on the way out they will most likely check the covers of the passport and that is all. The french are very relaxed- the british on the way in are a bit tougher. Their best bet would be to get a letter from the doctors, buss pass or other proof of ID and also to take the expired passport- my friend took all of that on the advice from the french customs that they 'close their eyes' to expired passports in most cases.

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JackSkier, Eurotunnel are very tight on the way back. HUbby had to provide additional ID when the chip didn't work on his brand new passport. This child doesn't have an expired passport and will be unlikely to have a bus pass.

JackSkier, that's true for sure. We have travelled back from France via Eurotunnel on an expired passport and just got words of advice to renew it. Nobody checked it as per usual when departing the UK.

You know it makes sense.

JackSkier, they don't have a photo id of any sort for their daughter so that is a big problem. I wouldn't expect even the laissez faire French authorities at Folkestone to allow travel with no id and the UKBF at Calais would certainly be on the ball enough to spot no passport for one of the kids

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Yep agree- it is too late to get a letter from the doctors now too. I think the french would spot it- they did check the numbers of people in the car in relation to the number of passports. If she was a bit older she would have more chance but with no ID and her not being able to say "these are my parents" etc then sadly they don't have much chance Sad

A snowHead

Just had an update and the grandparents have saved the day and will be looking after the little one for the week. They will all be sad to leave her home and go but that's better than losing the whole cost of an expensive ski holiday.

Thanks one and all for trying to help.

A snowHead

jirac18, pleased it is sorted

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

jirac18, most excellent!

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jirac18, Good news!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

A colleague had a similar situation with her 11 year old and a passport that had run out. Her husband got an emergency appointment at the passport office but they wouldn't issue the passport over the counter to him because of the child abduction thing that jirac18, mentioned above. The best the passport office would do was guarentee it within 7 days. My colleague was extremely lucky and they managed to postpone the holiday by a week and all being well are in Cervinia now.

Help!!

Disaster- ski holiday for sale

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