 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Due to a comedy of errors with our solicitor and an identity check, we appear to have lost my wife's passport and are due to head to Arc 1950 via Eurotunnel on Friday morning. Wife got an appt at the passport office today, but for lost/stolen the won't give a 24 hour turnaround and are quoting 1 week for a new one (which is Wednesday week due the the bank holiday).
Any advice? If Eurotunnel were not starting the outbound passport checks we would probably wing it, but given that starts this week is it worth the risk? We have a copy of the original passport so could bring that, but we had to cancel this in order to request a new one. Or does anyone know if there is any chance a week turnaround of the new passport could actually be done in 4 days?
Cheers,
Peter
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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take your solicitor instead
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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If the trip is already paid for, I'll be your wife for the week.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@prthomas, we were able to wing it last April when adult son left his passport back home in Durham, but not sure I'd feel so confident doing it now.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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There used to be an exception to the 'can not be done in 24 hours for a lost/stolen passport', that being if you could prove you needed to be overseas for a pre-arranged business meeting. If there is any way you could engineer that it may well be worth checking if that loop hole still exists.
Its a rotten position to be in as I know! Good luck.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My niece had the same issue. My brother applied in person (09.30 Monday appointment) and collected the new one Thursday morning. All is not yet lost
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@prthomas, My daughter realised she had left her passport in London when we were 20mins short of the tunnel just before Christmas, at 5.30 in the morning. We took a deep breath & decided to go for it anyway - if she wasn't allowed on the train, our plan b was to take her back to Ashford & let her catch a train back to London. In the event, nobody asked to see the passports & we just got on the train. We then had an illegal in France, but a friend picked her passport up & sent it to her in France. Good luck
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@prthomas, good luck, do hope that the new passport arrives. Our daughter sent off for her 5 week old daughter's passport in January - posted the application form etc on a Monday and the passport arrived on the Wednesday, although she had been told it could be up to three weeks.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| prthomas wrote: |
| the won't give a 24 hour turnaround and are quoting 1 week for a new one |
They may say that but a neighbour who lost a passport sat in the London office all day the day before travel and did get a replacement the same day. Not a business trip. IIRC this was around 5 years ago.
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@prthomas, irritatingly, teh passport office call centre isn't allowed to tell you the real turnarounds. I had to get a 2nd passport two years ago and as an expat I was told I had to take two weeks and (nominally) be in the UK for that period...
however, when I picked it up the nice lady told me that it had been waiting for me for two weeks and I could have done it same day...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I wonder if it takes a little longer to process lost and stolen passports rather than completely new ones, probably have to do some checks.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I hate to be pessamistic but when I lost my passport the passport office waited months "waiting for it to turn up". It was only when I started pestering them did I get a replacement
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ah, oops, @prthomas, missed the "lost" bit. I think you're best asking for temporary travel pass as they won't issue against a lost one so quickly. Is it lost (careless!!) or just missing - i.e. you have it somewhere and just can't find it?
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You know it makes sense.
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I've been asked asked both times ive been on on Eurostar this year at Folkstone.
Usually they just look at passports and check how many in the car.
We traveled a couple of weeks ago and they were very strict, made everyone come close to the window so they could match the face to the passport.
What is your nearest Passport Office ?
I'm sure you can get one at Petty France nr Victoria
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@prthomas, really if it is a case of your solicitor losing, or misplacing the passport then he should be sorting the problem out for you - perhaps by some sort of document notarised which may make things go a bit faster. And he should pick up the bill, as there is bound to be one as passports seem so expensive nowadays. They were when we had to replace mine about 5 years ago, from France, when stolen twice in about a month. I know, to lose a passport, but to lose two etc etc
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lost mine 3 weeks ago. Had to travel to Copenhagen weekend just gone. Passport turned up on the Friday, exactly 2 weeks after my application. I did not book a same day appointment though and only upgraded after sending in the application.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@prthomas, Hi, only just noticed this thread, I just had to do a rush job for my son as we're travelling to Morillon this Thursday morning. His appointment at Newport passport office was Thursday 19th of march and the new one arrived on Wednesday 25th. So excluding Thursday afternoon it took 4 working days. Hope you manage to get sorted. GOODLUCK!!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@prthomas, tough call but, worry not - she will be there! (can always get a train if the passport turns up a couple of days later)
We're in 1950 for a couple of weeks from Saturday, if you fancy a ski: will be in Georges on Sunday eve. Or possibly before if snow turns to rain!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I lost my Passport in Switzerland a couple of years ago and although I had lots of documents, boarding pass and proof of identity etc. I couldn't travel: The rules and checks are much tighter now - there's no way you can get in/out of the UK without a passport on Eurotunnel or flying.
If you have the car then she should be able to get a cheap flight to GVA or similar, and a train to a nearby station: I suggest you take a look at the sbb.ch or sncf.fr sites and work out an itinerary for the worst case scenario. Remember that in France, you have to 'compost' your train ticket before it's valid (i.e. put it in a franking machine).
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@msej449, in my experience it's very rare for passports to be examined leaving the UK on Eurotunnel. I know it will change in a week or so when the UK authorities start examining on the way out, but at the moment it's only the French who would look at your passport and the last three times I've travelled there hasn't even been anyone in the French immigration hut.
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sj1608 The last three times we've had our passports checked by the French and/or by the UK, both ways. For myself, I wouldn't dare risk knowingly being passport-less. Clearly, it's possible to exit the country if you're lucky. You're going to see a completely different side of the Border Agency and Douanes if you turn up at Eurotunnel and try and get through knowingly without one.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@msej449, they are always checked incoming, by the British.
But if she knows her passport will be replaced before she needs to come back to the UK, and can get someone to send it over, it may be worth trying to leave without it. The worst they can say is 'Non', if she says 'Oops, seem to have left it behind'. Just need a contingency plan for getting home.
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| Quote: |
You're going to see a completely different side of the Border Agency and Douanes if you turn up at Eurotunnel and try and get through knowingly without one.
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they weren't bothered in the slightest last Good Friday. They even said they weren't interested in my son's lack of a passport, and said it happens all the time,and told us what to do on our return. UKBC at Calais gave him a form to fill in, took it away with his driving licence and then let us through, maximum of 5 minutes delay. They said it would be a problem if the French decided to check our documents, but they didn't even glance up from their newspapers. With the new exit checks in place it might be a different story now of course.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Hells Bells, that was my solution in Amsterdam. A quick phone call the Birders agency who seemed only to want tommake sure I soundedd as though I hail from Glsgow (I don't, really sound very Scottish) or at least well educated enough to be plausible and waved on through with a letter to show to passport control.
No worries.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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When a nephew lost a passport in Austria he was able to travel back without it (with a tour operator) and at Gatwick he had to get "vouched for" by his father; it took a while, but it was OK. And they weren't straightforward either, as neither father nor son was born in the UK.
I'd wing it, rather than leave somebody behind.
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I thought you could travel between EU countries without a passport as long as you had a valid photo id such as a driving licence -maybe I thought wrong.
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You know it makes sense.
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@bobhitch, a UK driving licence does not count as valid ID as it is not an official identity card. I was told this by UK border agency, although using it was what we intended to do if asked by French Douanes .
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Look on the bright side. You'll be on a skiing holiday without your wife. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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All - The reason that I'm so strongly-opnioned on this is because of my experience of being without my passport in Switzerland just after the new regulations came in in 2014. Contacting the genuinely very helpful people at UK Borders, they said that there was now no way that I would be allowed into the UK without a valid passport (they were very prompt in organising for my replacement to be available at the Berne Consulate the following working day).
Pre the new regime, it was definitely much easier to get out/back if you had the necessary documentation. But I really think that the odds are stacked against you now, and I wouldn't suggest being passport-less to anyone.
I have a colleague who tried this once and got picked up abroad - five years later, he still gets pulled aside and grilled from time to time. Remember, even trying may go down on your Home Office record.
I appreciate that the new passport is likely to get to the person while they're on holiday. But what if it doesn't?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@prthomas, Just been through the tunnel, and in both directions they were very strict on passports - wind down the windows, show the face etc.
Sorry If that's not good news .....
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@prthomas Apologies if I'm sounding negative: I just think that the odds are that you won't get through at Eurotunnel. I'm not sure what they do if one of the party in the car is passport-less? Can they just get out and walk back to the terminal, or is the whole party turned-'round? The logistics are going to be a bit tricky whatever the case .....
Really, the main suggestion was just to do some planning while you can, looking at the logistics of plane/train to somewhere where you can pick her up. The website says that Village Saint Maurice is the nearest railway station, about 30 mins drive away. And From what I can see, your nearest airports are Geneva, Lyon or Grenoble. The SNCF and SBB websites should be able to give you a good idea of the train times (www.sncf.com and www.sbb.ch).
At least it's not as bad as when we realised my wife's passport didn't comply with the 'Valid for 3 months' rule into the USA - we were travelling to Hawaii! It turned out all OK in the end and I hope the same is true for you both ....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You've got a very reasonable chance of getting out, especially at peak time. Your problem is getting back. If you can get the passport, in a week, guaranteed, and get it sent out, take a chance. The worst is somebody has to get out the car, (you're held up for a while (quite a while)) and get home by themselves so be prepared for that but getting back is a whole different proposition.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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When we got through with my passportless daughter, it was a few days before Christmas and about 6am. We were just waved through by UK border control & there was nobody even in the French booths. The passport arrived in France on Christmas Eve, so took about 4 days to arrive.
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@under a new name: {The only people who use them aren't criminals.} I agree with you there. My passport got stolen on a Friday on the train to GVA airport, the week after the new border regulations came into force. I turned up with a boarding pass already printed, photo driving licence, credit cards, etc. etc. and two other UK nationals willing to vouch for me. Nothing doing. The BA lady said "Last week, you'd have been allowed through, but not now." If I was dishonest, I'd probably easily organise a fake identity and passport.
Politicians are keen to be seen to Be Doing Something but it's the honest traveller who suffers. I had to spend the Weekend in Berne and go to the the British Consulate there Monday. Being winter, it was -19°C in Berne, so it wasn't exactly the best time to visit! I got a standard passport but with a nice cream-coloured cover, which was then taken off me at Border Control in Gatwick. Hence the paranoia about not having a passport abroad. Out of interest, there were five other people at the Consulate that morning - all of them had had their passports stolen on the train, en route to Geneva Airport on Friday or Saturday.
I think that this discussion is probably going to see-saw between those who have been able to get through Eurotunnel with no problems and think you might as well have a go, and at the other extreme, people like me. It's hard to say what the odds are that you'll get out of the UK passport-less, although I think it's harder now than it was even 6 months ago. Getting back, I'm pretty sure that the odds against getting into the UK passport-less are close to 99.99% (unless you're a criminal, of course). What are the odds of the passport not arriving in time? Again, it's hard to say.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 1-04-15 13:46; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Latest update on Wednesday lunchtime is that the passport has been cleared and sent for printing. Not a poor turnaround from a Tuesday am appointment. Now all that needs to happen (!) is it actually get printed, despatched and arrive here tomorrow...
Fingernails still being chewed frantically.
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And to everyone reading this - whatever you do do not lose your passport while abroad - like I did! Firstly, you absolutely won't get back into the UK without one if you're flying, and it's 1 in a thousand that you'll get through on the ferry or Eurotunnel.
Be aware that only selected UK Consulates provide replacement passports (not all). So for Switzerland, I had to travel to Berne from Geneva, organise a hotel, stay over the Weekend and then travel back to Geneva for the deferred flight. I suspect that if you lost your UK passport in France you'd have to go to Paris to get the temporary replacement.
BA were terrific and simply moved my flight to the Monday at no charge. But they made the point that this can only be done at an airport, not on the 'phone. And they gave me the number of the UK Border Agency emergency helpline as well.
And I can't speak too highly of the UK Border Agency Helpline. They gave me good advice on the day, and liaised with the Consulate to have my temporary passport ready the next working day.
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FAQ
We had an appt yesterday morning so it is in the process now, I just rang up and they said that it is being examined.
