In keeping with my general policy of letting quite a lot of it hang out, allow me to boast that I used to be an adept seasoned traveller but have degenerated into an incompetent old twozzer.
We are due to go away to Spain on 5 August, ferry booked, all arrangements made. Whenever I thought of my passport, on me at all times, the expiry date of 2013 flashed reassuringly in my mind.
That's my driving licence though. The passport, which I checked idly yesterday, is two whole years out of date. Owing to the summer rush the appointment needed for fast-track renewal isn't until the 10th August. At least that will be in London (damned if I'm willing to fly to Belfast for an earlier one). Perhaps I will catch a cancellation but it seems unlikely.
Herself managed to bump the ferry crossing down to the 14th. Tonight I will have to have the embarrassing conversations with the people we are going to see in Spain. Cost so far: £129 for fast track renewal, £89 for ferry alteration.
No doubt some here will be sniggering up their sleeves and others laughing harshly and making disapproving comments. Spare me those because they won't begin to compare with the vile, relentless, ingeniously obscene abuse I have heaped on myself.
I'm going to have to be so good for such ages... herself has taken it with civil, slightly icy calm as she always does.
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Well look on the bright side! - It`ll probably be the last time you have it to do! ;-)
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Does that imply you've travelled. unknown, on the expired one?
My sister had a similar experience idly checking passports while on the M2 for the ferry to Calais. No problem getting into France and was only given gentle 'advice' on return to UK.
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Expiration of the passport does not mean your citzenship has expired - the passport is only a very convenient method of ID.
The Spaniards might have proved tricky about entry, but as Bromptonaut says you would still be allowed back into UK, after all you are still a citizen and have right of entry and residence.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Thu 26 Jul 12 at 15:27
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Naturally I wasn't worried about not being let back in here, just about not being let into Spain (or France on the way back) if anyone bothered to look at the thing.
'We are all illegal immigrants now'. Discuss.
:o}
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>> travelled. unknown, on the expired one?
No, I haven't. I know borders can be lax and sometimes make their own rules if they think you are all right, but they can be the opposite too, so I didn't seriously consider trying it on with the old one.
Herself, whom no one would mistake for anything but an English lady, used to use a Canadian passport, her father having been Canadian. Until at Dover once the guy said that as she didn't have right of residence written in the passport, he could if he wished refuse her entry. The expression on her face caused him to giggle kindly and say she could come in this time, but why didn't she get a British one to save trouble?
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Anywhere around the Med in August is hellishly hot Sire, I do hope they have air con and a large pool.
The address on my driving licence is Warleggan, Bodmin Moor, that was 4 properties ago (I move a lot) and 9 years!
The missus keeps on at me to get a mugshot done, but you know 'how it is' :)
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C'est la routine. I gave up foreign travel some years ago - c'est vachement complique.
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I'm not surprised you don't bother going away anymore. Abroad has come here now.
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>> c'est vachement complique.
Beuh, bof, pas tellement enfin... faut mettre tous ses canards en ligne avant de partir quand même...
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You're not alone. A colleague called by my office today saying he was booked to fly to Spain in a few days, and has just discovered his passport expires in 12 days time.
He had been advised by someone, I know not who, to go to the post office and they would "sort it out". I just nodded and smiled.
Well, I don't know the result, but I've not seen him since.
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The Spanish require API - Advance Passenger Information - certainly for air travel.
Your passport number, name, DOB, country of citizenship, for we British.
I think though, that if you are a citizen of another EU country which issues national photo. identity cards, then the details from the card are acceptable.
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I wouldn't call the little card you fill in on the plane "advanced" Thats more like "I am here oh and by the way here is my card"
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No: this is for your airline's internet booking site and must be filled in, or else you don't fly.
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Back in about 1992 my then boss got as far as - and no further than - the BA check-in desk at Heathrow with an expired passport. And he worked for a multinational IT company in which business travel was routine. Idiots become managers, we used to say.
Not that AC is an idiot - or, worse, a manager. One benefit of several-times-a-year modern business travel, with its inevitable form-filling, is that I can tell you the number, issue date and expiry date of my passport without looking anything up. I know Beestling Minor will need a new one next year but mine's good for another three. Don't worry - I forget other things instead. Bad luck, AC.
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I lost my passport on a Warwickshire County Youth Orchestra trip to Malta many years ago. Caused no end of fun for the organisers.
I never told them I found it in an obscure pocket in one of my bags when I got home...
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>> I never told them I found it in an obscure pocket in one of my
>> bags when I got home...
Ah yes, the "safe place". Whenever I put anything in a safe place there's an even chance I won't be able to find it.
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>> Fly from Manchester?
So long ago... don't think so, but it might have been.
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I think it was a suggestion for AC, but he replied to the wrong like most people ;-)
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>> I think it was a suggestion for AC, but he replied to the wrong like
>> most people ;-)
Ah ok, sorry - I did wonder why he was asking :)
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Who was asking? What suggestion? Was it me who replied to the wrong like most people?
Dodder, drool, burp...
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Ooh, ah, gotcha... Have to be a Hercules or Air Force One, because we are taking the jalopy...
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Having got to this rather late in the day, may I say what a fun read it is!
And no - I'm not feeling smug. I've just rushed to check my passport and am relieved to find it expires May 2014. An easy one to forget. Like AC, we have already booked the ferries.
Reminds me of those people on Airline who kept popping up - the ones who thought if they could blag their way past the check-in desk without a valid passport they would somehow be all right for the rest of their journey.
Note to the Mods: how's your French?
Last edited by: FocalPoint on Thu 26 Jul 12 at 17:41
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Not good enough, in my case. I get the last word of the title though :-)
Oh! I've obviously got no swear filter on Google!!!
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My passport renewal is every five years easy to forget.Have a good time A.C old age is creeping up on you.>:)
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French is good enough - if I had Lud's money etc etc...
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Passport Si'l vous plait mijnheer Lud.?
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Connard total et absolu, putain merde... - devonite
