ojg100

Travelling with family LHR - OSL 1-8 Jan, and one of the kids US passports expires on 13 Jan 2024. ba.com accepts those passport details, but we're clearly well inside the 3 month passport expiry window. All other travelers on the booking are OK.
Are we best to contact someone in advance, turn up at Heathrow and try?? Other options?
Thanks for any advice!

Backofthequeue

BA will accept the passport details, until you try and check in, then it will flag.

You are required to have 90 days validity, as that is the max stay, to enter the Schengen zone as a non-EU passport holder. Without this you will be denied entry, BA will not check you in for the flight.

Alas many Brits have fallen into this trap post Brexit so I sympathise. Other than get a new passport you are stuck.

Newly Wed

I agree with the answer above. Having just had a similar experience (which I was able to resolve) you will get a message at online check-in saying documents not valid for travel. The same message will flag up if you try to check-in in person.

Sadly I believe there is absolutely no discretion and that BA won’t let the passport holder fly.

Duck1981

I am afraid you need to sort a new passport - sorry for the bad news but BA won't check you in. Maybe best to rebook the trip to avoid a full write off (apart from the taxes which you can get back if cancelling).

1Aturnleft

Leave the affected child behind with a friend/relative and continue your holiday as planned?

No point you all losing out!

Joking aside, as others have alluded, there's no immediate way around this given there's not enough time to secure a new passport on a weekend and on the holidays before you fly. Norway won't grant entry with anything less than 3 months validity remaining on entry and BA won't allow the child to board to test whether that's true or not.

I guess this is going to be one to put down to experience.

I assume you've already tried contacting the US Embassy for an emergency appointment to get said document issued?

If they can do something on Tuesday perhaps one adult and the affected child can rebook to Wednesday and get something of a holiday before you all return together?

abligh

If this is a passport renewal or extension the 24 hour service might be a possibility (if not for you then for some future reader)

WheelsATC

Careless. Basic travel preparedness is knowing your passport status.

adrianlondon

Seems they need 5 working days' notice. Emergencies need to be planned in advance ...

https://uk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen...ncy-passports/

TabTraveller

Does lack of preparedness / awareness count as an emergency? I’m sorry for the OP but I would be finding friends or relatives to take care of the child or abandoning the trip.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Home Alone - London!! Except no accident.

For the OP, as other have said you are going to need to make other plans. Which would include one parent staying behind at a minimum. I would not leave the child behind with a friend as it is not their fault.

jkw76

I have also been in a similar predicament. While you can sensibly travel in to the UK with a valid passport (<3 months validity) you cannot enter the Schengen area of the EU. The US Embassy will provide urgent travel documents but only to return to the US.

It is okay to say plan in advance however unfortunately for those of us who travel more than once a year (majority on here) trying to schedule a passport renewal in the US effectively grounds you for MONTHS it is so slow!

flyingmonkie

This MAY be a possibility but I'm not familiar with the rules for the US. When we needed an emergency passport because Mrs FM put hers in a bin 7 days before we were due to move back to the UK from Sydney (long, long story involving rescuing a possum, she didn't do it on purpose) we were allowed to have multiple countries of entry on our way back to the UK. If, for example, your flights are booked in such a way that if you did not fly to Oslo then you would lose the rest of the flights then you could (again perhaps) suggest that you are returning to the US via Norway and the UK...

EDIT: However, having just remembered the date that we're currently on and the fact that very little will happen to anything until Tuesday then even this might be a very long shot indeed.

Finland Station

When abroad, UK Embassies/High Commissions can issue emergency passports to get people home - and they can* permit routings that include other countries en route. They won't be issuing one to allow someone to leave the UK on a holiday.

* there are limits and the rules are rather complicated

Oxon Flyer

Let's assume that posters coming to the forum with urgent passport issues are already acutely aware of this, and would prefer practical and helpful advice rather than having their noses gleefully rubbed in it.

flyingmonkie

Correct. However this is a US passport holder currently on a trip.