Applying a US passport for my 3 year old son. Please help!
Oct 22, 2018, 3:55 pm
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
Applying a US passport for my 3 year old son. Please help!
Hello,
His grandparents already booked the flights overseas for next year trip in February. Now my son will travel with them. I haven't called the airline to add him to the trip but the seats are still available (I don't know how limited the seats are).
Same day passport agency in Los Angeles asks for the flight ticket before we get line in front of their office. Can I just book the flight now with a random passport number and then apply a US passport for him either regular or expedited ones? And then call the airline to update with the correct passport number.
I hate to do that but because the Passport office asks for the ticket first. And the airline asks for passport number first before letting me book the ticket.
Thanks.
His grandparents already booked the flights overseas for next year trip in February. Now my son will travel with them. I haven't called the airline to add him to the trip but the seats are still available (I don't know how limited the seats are).
Same day passport agency in Los Angeles asks for the flight ticket before we get line in front of their office. Can I just book the flight now with a random passport number and then apply a US passport for him either regular or expedited ones? And then call the airline to update with the correct passport number.
I hate to do that but because the Passport office asks for the ticket first. And the airline asks for passport number first before letting me book the ticket.
Thanks.
Last edited by fandi; Oct 22, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Oct 22, 2018, 4:17 pm
#2
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Airline should be able to issue tickets even without passport information.
If the airline insists, then make sure that the price of the infant ticket will not change (it should not as it is based on the portion of the adult ticket paid). Then apply the passport regularly.
You have more than enough time for a February 2019 travel.
If the airline insists, then make sure that the price of the infant ticket will not change (it should not as it is based on the portion of the adult ticket paid). Then apply the passport regularly.
You have more than enough time for a February 2019 travel.
Oct 22, 2018, 4:27 pm
#3
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Same day passport agency in Los Angeles asks for the flight ticket before we get line in front of their office. Can I just book the flight now with a random passport number and then apply a US passport for him either regular or expedited ones? And then call the airline to update with the correct passport number.
Oct 22, 2018, 4:59 pm
#4
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Passports are not required for bookings or ticket issuance.My grand-daughter (born 10 Aug) already has a passport. Took 2 1/2 weeks- application filed at La Quinta,CA post office. My passport renewal on other hand paying for express services and me sending by FedEx took about the same.
Oct 22, 2018, 7:48 pm
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
Airline should be able to issue tickets even without passport information.
If the airline insists, then make sure that the price of the infant ticket will not change (it should not as it is based on the portion of the adult ticket paid). Then apply the passport regularly.
You have more than enough time for a February 2019 travel.
If the airline insists, then make sure that the price of the infant ticket will not change (it should not as it is based on the portion of the adult ticket paid). Then apply the passport regularly.
You have more than enough time for a February 2019 travel.
Oct 23, 2018, 3:56 am
#7
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Hello,
His grandparents already booked the flights overseas for next year trip in February. Now my son will travel with them. I haven't called the airline to add him to the trip but the seats are still available (I don't know how limited the seats are).
Same day passport agency in Los Angeles asks for the flight ticket before we get line in front of their office. Can I just book the flight now with a random passport number and then apply a US passport for him either regular or expedited ones? And then call the airline to update with the correct passport number.
I hate to do that but because the Passport office asks for the ticket first. And the airline asks for passport number first before letting me book the ticket.
Thanks.
His grandparents already booked the flights overseas for next year trip in February. Now my son will travel with them. I haven't called the airline to add him to the trip but the seats are still available (I don't know how limited the seats are).
Same day passport agency in Los Angeles asks for the flight ticket before we get line in front of their office. Can I just book the flight now with a random passport number and then apply a US passport for him either regular or expedited ones? And then call the airline to update with the correct passport number.
I hate to do that but because the Passport office asks for the ticket first. And the airline asks for passport number first before letting me book the ticket.
Thanks.
It's possible to use a refundable ticket to present for applying for expedited passport service. Actually, it's the only thing I use when seeking expedited passport service in the US for US passport issuance.
Oct 23, 2018, 10:06 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SAN
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Infant fares usually cut off at age 2 (24 months). Subject says the child is 3 years old, so they're looking at a regular adult ticket (or a child fare if offered).
Oct 23, 2018, 10:47 am
#9
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
What I've seen done is getting the flights to be booked under the name of the child as it will be in the passport and to either get the birth-year loaded wrong (so as to make it seem like the child is old enough to be an adult or unaccompanied minor) or to book the travel/ticket over the phone with the correct birthdate in full. There is no general requirement to have the child's passport/passport details in order to book an international flight. I usually make such bookings without entering in any passport info into the booking. It's ok for the ticketed child's booking to be in its own booking reference locator.
It's possible to use a refundable ticket to present for applying for expedited passport service. Actually, it's the only thing I use when seeking expedited passport service in the US for US passport issuance.
It's possible to use a refundable ticket to present for applying for expedited passport service. Actually, it's the only thing I use when seeking expedited passport service in the US for US passport issuance.
To avoid $200 penalty for taking my dad's name out of the issued ticket and replace with my son's name, I could do the way you mentioned that is putting the wrong year to make him not a minor. But the question is I don't know if the airline would even allow him to be aboard and to arrange he sits next to his grandparents on the flight day when they realize my son actually a minor. Thanks.
Oct 23, 2018, 10:49 am
#10
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Oct 23, 2018, 1:10 pm
#11
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Like other poster mentioned, I COULD book the flight for my son without passport number (can't verify if I could do that with Chase UR handling by Expedia yet) and then apply for a regular passport since I still have time until next Feb.
To avoid $200 penalty for taking my dad's name out of the issued ticket and replace with my son's name, I could do the way you mentioned that is putting the wrong year to make him not a minor. But the question is I don't know if the airline would even allow him to be aboard and to arrange he sits next to his grandparents on the flight day when they realize my son actually a minor. Thanks.
To avoid $200 penalty for taking my dad's name out of the issued ticket and replace with my son's name, I could do the way you mentioned that is putting the wrong year to make him not a minor. But the question is I don't know if the airline would even allow him to be aboard and to arrange he sits next to his grandparents on the flight day when they realize my son actually a minor. Thanks.
Oct 23, 2018, 4:10 pm
#12
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Posts: 92
Should I contact Chase UR/Expedia once his passport is ready or should I wait until they're aboard to do that at the gate with Cathay? Thanks.
Last edited by fandi; Oct 23, 2018 at 4:34 pm
Oct 23, 2018, 11:25 pm
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Oct 24, 2018, 7:45 am
#15
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My suggestion would be to get the passport quickly through the USA Passport Agency near you (which tends to be quicker than applying by mail), but you don't need to pay the extra fees for same day service (unless you live far from them and want the convenience of only making one trip, although IIRC they can mail the passport to you very promptly). BTW, I'm not sure that needing the passport number to get plane tickets is an acceptable reason for very fast service, or even how you would document this, so just booking a refundable dummy international ticket might be the easiest way. (For a child traveler, do you need to show tickets for an adult too? If so, this could be a good time to obtain/renew your own passport.)
I'd also book the kid's plane ticket very soon, before seat availability disappears and before prices rise.
Don't mess around with trying to change the name on an existing ticket. Most airlines allow this only for minor name corrections and not to change the identity of the person who will be using the ticket to travel.
Don't worry about having child and grandparents on the same reservation (PNR). You can call the airline to tell them to "link" the tickets and advise them that these adults are accompanying the child.
In this case, it's clearly worth paying seat fees to get seats together now rather than worrying about this on the day of departure.
I'd also book the kid's plane ticket very soon, before seat availability disappears and before prices rise.
Don't mess around with trying to change the name on an existing ticket. Most airlines allow this only for minor name corrections and not to change the identity of the person who will be using the ticket to travel.
Don't worry about having child and grandparents on the same reservation (PNR). You can call the airline to tell them to "link" the tickets and advise them that these adults are accompanying the child.
In this case, it's clearly worth paying seat fees to get seats together now rather than worrying about this on the day of departure.