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Passport help!

We want to book a last minute holiday abroad in the middle of May. Will we be able to get a passport for lo in time? Argh!!! Totally hadn't thought of that bit. Also how do we go about it? What about photos? Any advice appreciated thanks. Really want to book asap! So hoping we will be able to go as we really need the break x

Replies

  • Ours came in about two weeks time for lo, but it can take up to 6 weeks I think. Mostly babies aren't to bad and they are easier to get a passport for than adults.

    Anyway, the picture need to be taken against a creme background. For a child under a certain age they do not have to have their eyes open. They are not so strict for pictures. But I don't know the exact rules anymore. We went to a local passport photo place where they also took pictures of babies for passports.

    We used the check and send service at the post office and that cost about 8 pounds, but than you are almost sure that everything has filled in correctly. (they check it and check the picture before they send it away) If you want to go away in may I would arrange it asap the passport, but you should be fine. It didn't take us that long at all.
  • i think it can be done in about 2 weeks, My friend went to the passport office to get one as she needed it asap,

    this is about the photos

    http://www.kodakexpresscamden.com/Passport-Baby.html

    this is about the passport

    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Applyingforaneworrenewedchildpassport/DG_174107

    hth
  • i paid for the check and send service which can take as little as a week though it can take up to 6 weeks still and ours came back within 2 weeks.
  • Oh God looks like it's going to be a close call! image But think we will have to take the risk and book holiday!!!! The photo thing sounds complicated, may take him to a booth tomorrow and see how we get on! Will be fun trying to keep our wriggly 14 month old still! Will def use the passport check and send service. We were literally just about to book and passport hadn't even entered my head image until my mum reminded me on the phone. Fingers crossed we get if off this week and back in few weeks!!!
  • Thanks for the great advice ladies and promising that you got yours back in 2 weeks! x
  • Use check and send at the PO, any mistakes will cost you time.

    Take photo when LO is lying down on white or cream sheets/ towel and lean over them, I got both of ours done this way, no bother and fuss. The developing counter at our asda then can print them as pasport size in an hour, and the nice lady even helped me crop to the right proportions first. Boots kodak machines might also print pasport size.

    Have a lovely hol.
  • Hey hun - i know Dawson Strange in town take passport photos for you, its ??5.00 for 4 and theyl keep taking them until they get the shot x
  • Asda take the photos aswell and print them there and then, costs ??5.99 xx
  • My LO's passport took 2weeks to arrive but like others have said it can take upto 6wks as it's a first passport; renewals tend to be quicker.

    We got our photos done at a local photographers. Took 2mins, cost ??5 for 6 photos and they're guaranteed to be correct (sizing etc). I wasn't confident in my photo taking abilities and wanted to make sure the photos weren't rejected so for the price of ??5 was worth going to the photographers!

    I think you've got time so long as you get your skates on image

    Shell xx
  • We are military and had to have our daughters passport applied for as soon as her Birth Certificate came through. At 2 weeks old she had her pics done and she had to have her eyes open then.

    The consulate website says it will be up to 6 weeks for a Passport but we got ours back in 2 weeks 2 days.

    Hope you have a lovely break.

    xx
  • Thanks for the photo advice. I'm hoping my local tesco might be able to change them into passport size for us or else find a local photographer. No big supermarkets near us! Thanks Kim, may try them out. Am def gonna need this holiday now, :lol: will be on tenderhooks until it arrives!x
  • me and hubs are both approved professions so have signed lots of pics for friends. When hubs did ours firends bubs in the how do you know them bit he wrote 'friends with parents' but the check and send bit said that was not acceptable and he had to change it to being friends with baby!! slightly weird for a man inhis 20's LOL. so if you get a friend to sign in just write 'friend' in that section and don't elaborate any further!!!
  • That's interesting because the form states you have to know the person signing for the child. I'm sure they make it up as they go along!
  • I applied for a passport for my LO in Jan. She got hers back in 10 days. She had her eyes open in the pics that were taken by a photographer.
    My dad is a magistrate and his friend signed for Emilia and she put friend of family and it went through no probs.

    You should have no problems - although they did telephone and say that Emilia might be called for an interview. I had to tell the person on the end of the line she was only a week old....he just ummed and said oh we wont call her then!!! I swear Samm15551 is right, they just make it up as they go along!!
  • Hi,
    I got my baby's done in less than a week. I had to pay ??96.50 instead of ??49 and I had to go to the passport office with all the forms etc (by appointment) and we had it back in less than a week (its guaranteed for a week or less). You can't get a first passport in the day turnaround so the week is the quickest they do.
    Also if under 6 months it doesn't matter if they smile or have eyes closed etc..
    All the info you should need is here:
    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Applyingforaneworrenewedchildpassport/index.htm
    hth Abbie x
  • Well I never. It says on the more detailed section that children under 1 do not need their yes open, but it is preferable.

    After spending 30 minutes at the flaming photographers as well!!!

    Sam x
  • Well we got the photos done by a local photographer today but typical he came out in a rash on his cheeks this morn! So he will have a lovely rosy red cheeked photo of him in his first passport! :lol: Not his best photo but passport photos never are the best!
    So now just need it signed and to get hold of forms. All these rules are so confusing, deffo need the check and send! x
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