TravelingPeanut

A British family of 3 handed over their passports to Turkish customs officials at Antalya airport, the passports are examined, stamped, and the family, a nine-year-old girl and her parents, entered the country. Sounds ordinary and unremarkable, except...

As the mother was putting away all 3 passports she noticed that her daughters passport was in fact not one of those 3 passports that were just stamped by customs officials. Along with the parents passports, the Bear Factory passport for the daughter's stuffed toy Unicorn named 'Lilly Harris' was presented to the customers officials. The picture ID in the passport is of a pink unicorn.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...g-UNICORN.html




Maybe I should have skipped waiting in that long line at the post office to submit my passport paperwork and just gone shopping for toys at the mall instead...

sinanju

That is hilarious.

That said, if they did that in the US, they'd probably still be sitting in a windowless room being berated for disrespecting the security officials of the nation and their sacred duty.

eastport

It appears that the girl was quite young and traveling with her parents.
Once the parents cleared, there wasn't a security issue to be concerned about.

The entry official might just have assumed that the girl wanted the bear's passport stamped as a memento, and played along.

Calchas

I agree It may be that to enter Turkey, (British) accompanied minors do not require a passport: can anyone check the rules?

Firebug4

I have stamped a few passports for stuffed animals and doll babies in my time. I would do it in addition to the child's actual passport or (I am dating myself) when children were still on their parents passport.

FB

mikeef

^
Thank you for having a sense of humor.

And hey, the Turks are just as pissed at this as we are. Haven't you seen them all protesting in the square?

Mike

:D!

I haven't been to Turkey myself, but isn't there visa on arrival for British citizens at AYT on payment of the £10 tourist tax? Does someone inspect the passport when getting the visa sticker, and if so maybe the immigration officer wouldn't be too bothered?

While it is the DM, I don't think they would blatantly lie about submitting 4 passports and getting a stamp in the fake one for fun.

eastport

It appears that EU citizens only need a national ID (e.g. a drivers license) to enter Turkey, don't require a visa, and until a little less than a year ago children could travel on their parents documents. This was a British passport, not EU, and the rule on children has changed, but it's easy to imagine that border officials are given flexibility.

WillCAD

I wonder if the pilot brought her up to the flight deck. Gave her a toy airplane. Asked her if she'd ever been in a Turkish prison...

jaisuiscanadien

Britain & Ireland are also part of the EU, therefore EU citizens as well. They are not part of the Schengen area, so still have passport control between mainland Eurpoe and the UK & Ireland.

Wally Bird

Gladiator movies

WilcoRoger

Sorry - not true.

EU citizens need a passport to enter Turkey, SOME EU citizens even need a visa (20€ or so at the airport).

Also a driver's license is NOT a national ID, so it's not valid for travel. There are many countries I can travel on my national ID, but none of them would admit me with a DL.

celle

Correct. UK citizens need a passport to enter Turkey and they also need to purchase a visa on arrival.

Turkey is not (yet) part of the EU.