Passports

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Now I know it is stating the obvious but it is easily overlooked that children's passports are valid for only 5 years. Even children should have a valid 6 months worth of time before expiry to travel into the US. The reason for posting is that I have just checked our 4 year old's passport and it expires in December....just how time flies when you have young children!!!

Sarah

[Shardeblil]

Hi Sarah,

What age does a 'child's passport' go up to? How young does a child have to be to have one? Would a new born have to have a photo?

In other words at what age do they run for 10 years?

Also, do you have to pay again for a whole new passport after 5 years, or do you just have to update the photo? When they are that young, their features change very quickly.

Thanks for any information that anyone can give on this;)

[caroline]

They update with a new photo after 5 years (they actually send a new passport) and it's free of charge (you pay for it initially - nothings ever free!)
I think you get can get a 10 year passport once their 18, (it might be 16) I can't remember.
Yes a newborn has to have a photo.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Just been onto the website FAQs and heve detailed the link below:
http://www.ukpa.gov.uk

hope this helps.

I think it is 16 when children can obtain a 10 year passport.

Sarah

[scimoon]

Hi, a passport for a child even new borns last for 5 years they cost £19 a childs passport is for 1 day olds right to the day before their 16th birthday, if a child got their passport before march?1998 they would have paid for 10yrs even though they only got 5 year passport so they are entitled to another free 5 yrs. Once they are 16 its a 10yr @£33 but the parent still has to sign for the passport unless the 16 yr old is in the armed forces or married.

[steph_goodrum]

It used to be that the childs update was free but now they charge you half the adult price and you pay the second half (£19)when you update .
Newborns do have to have a separate passport , if children are on an adults passport you don't have to renew it until expiry but they must now have their own.
We asked if it was possible for us to get an adult passport for our daughter as hers ran out in March and as we knew we wouldn't be travelling before August, left it till early July to renew which was approx 6 weeks before her 16th birthday, at the end of August. The passport office told us it wasn't possible and we could only get a 5 year one but that she would not need to renew it when she is 16 she still has a 5 year validity on it.
On the same subject, you can renew your passport up to 9 months earlier than the expiry date and the new expiry date will include the remainder of this passport so you can do your youngsters now Sarah/John without losing any of the time you have already paid for.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

Thanks Stephanie - it is always best to strike while the iron's hot!

sarah

[steph_goodrum]

Actually when I re read it and realised you said it ran out in December so you've still got a couple of months to wait before renewal, looks like a post-it note reminder on the board:D

[scimoon]

You know you can get it checked and back quicker through the post office. It costs but worth it with childrens passports or if you need it back within 2 weeks

[steph_goodrum]

We sent ours through the Post Office, the checking is no better than you checking it thoroughly yourself but for £4 it's worth doing it as they get put into special mail bags and are dealt with separately at the other end, my husbands came back within a week and mine and our daughters and mine were 8 and 9 days. as hers got put into the bag before mine (they take 10 in each), mine took a day longer. Hubbies was done at a different time of year. If it's not returned to you within 10 working days you can claim the £4 back.

[scimoon]

ITs £5 now went up last month when passports did,

[steph_goodrum]

At least we've got 10 years before we need to do ours again, unless of course they introduce the biometric passports and we have to have them before we can get into the States without a visa.

[bellaepovera]

If you have an American passport you also have to renew up to the age of 16 every 5 years and then after 16- 10 years. They do not give passports for United states citzens any more on the spot. They have to send them out to the US and it takes about 15 to 20 days to receive your new one.