urgent request for help

[Marijn]

My son is due to go on a college trip to Los Angeles on 2nd April for a week. His passport expires on 10th Sept 08. The college is saying he will not be able to travel to America on a passport that expires in less than 6 months from the date of departure. I have also been told that he will not be able to get a new passport in time for the trip as he needs to apply for an adult passport for the first time, and this takes 5 weeks.
I didn't think that someone needed 6 months left on their passport, I thought it was less than that.
If it does turn out that it IS less than that, can the college still refuse to take him if the 6 months allowance is college policy? Or the coach company's policy (who is taking them)?

[cruella]

At a guess, I would think your Son will need a new passport.
Why not go through to your nearest passport office with your Son. It will be sent to you within about a week I think. Make sure all the paperwork is signed and in order.

[DSJ]

Or ring your nearest Passport Office. Passports can be hurried through (at great expense) in an emergency.

[Marijn]

Thanks for your reply, Cruella, but it takes five weeks for a new passport for him because he is sixteen and it will be his first adult passport. He will need to go for an interview first and then it will take at least 5 weeks.

[cruella]

notafish
It has nothing to do with college policy.
Try phoning as another aber suggested to arrange for the passport office to see your Son urgently. It is worth a try.
Good luck.

[Marijn]

I was told even paying the �200 wouldn't hurry it up. As it's his first adult passport it can't be hurried up.

[cruella]

I would stil try to push for a quick result.
Ask to speak with one of the Supervisors and explain the situation.
It's worth a try.

[Kanewood]

I have just had to renew my passport as it had less than six months left after I return to the UK. It's the same for everyone. My passport only took a week to arrive. According to my passport forms, by post is a standard 3-week service, then check and send at the post office which should take about 2 weeks,
Fast track service is a guarantedd 1-week service by appointment at passport office counters.
Then there's the premium service which is a guaranteed 1-day service by appointment at passport office counters. (For renewals or amendments only). Tel [phone].

[Kanewood]

I have just re-read my form and apparently an interview has been required from April 2007. You should still contact the Passport Office though and try to get this rushed through. I don't know whether they could still use the 1-day service for this. Hope you get on okay.

[Marijn]

I can't find the phone number for the London passport office. I phoned a number and it told me to phone this number 09061248982. When I phoned that number it was just an automated voice droning on and on and it was costing me �1.50 per minute.
My ex-husband told me an hour ago that he spoke to someone (official) who said that applying for your first adult passport can not be hurried up for any amount of money. I can't get hold of my ex now, to ask him who he spoke to and I'm getting worried that my son will not be able to go
and we'll lose all the money we paid for the trip because we should've known it was 6 months.
Thanks all for replying.

[cruella]

Gosh, I do hope you manage to get something done.
Have you tried going online?
Leave it until Monday and speak to a Supervisor.
Please let us know how you get on.
Fingers crossed for you and Son. xx

[cruella]

notafish
go online to passport office.
Good information on there. Just had a look.

[Marijn]

Thanks Cruella. I'm not that great with computers, I tried to look at information online, but I was clicking on stuff and it was taking me nowhere. How did you do it?

[cruella]

go to your search engine and type in passport office.

[Marijn]

Thank you Cruella, I tried that. There's nothing to click on.
It just gives that premium rate number to phone. I looked on the top two on Google. Which one did you find?

[cruella]

Passport Adviceline details
This national Passport Adviceline provides a single point of contact for all telephone callers. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Calls are charged at 8p per minute from a BT landline. Other service operators may vary.

0870 521 0410

The Adviceline staff can:

answer all straightforward enquiries
make an appointment for you to call at one of our regional offices if you need your passport in less than two weeks
transfer calls to specialists at our offices who can answer complex questions.
The telephone system is partly automated and you can choose from a series of options or speak to one of our operators.

Please note: the Adviceline is busiest in the morning.

[DSJ]

Why not ring that number now? It's a 24hour service. If you only have a mobile, why not ask a friend with a land line if you can use it as this is an emergency?

[Marijn]

Thank you so much Cruella, DSJ and Kanewood.
I will phone that number straight away.

[cruella]

Any Luck yet.
Please keep us posted.

[auntiebertie]

What the college told you is basically incorrect and you are panicing over nothing.
For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (and this incl the UK), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry. Pont out this info on the website http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/292/pa ssport_visa/North-America/United-States-of-Ame rica.html

[dzug]

AND under the visa waiver program if your passport is valid less than 90 days, it still doesn't matter. You just get admitted until it expires.

No reputable airline will enforce anything different. The coach company really should know better but in reality they decide who they will carry. It's them you want to work on, not the passport office. They clearly don't know what they are doing.