Rachel and I are going to London for Spring Break.
This is all well and good except that Rachel's passport expires two weeks after we return and I remembered that with some countries, your passport has to be valid for 6 months after your travel is completed or you could be denied entry.
I googled and googled but couldn't find a definitive answer so was getting ready to try to get a rush passport renewal. To add to the level of difficulty, since Rachel's passport was issued before she turned 16, she has to renew in person. And the local Mail Boxes Etc. where we could easily get passport photos done closed recently.
As a last ditch effort before I jumped through all the passport renewal hoops, I emailed WorldBridge Services, the UK Border Agency's commercial partner which handles such inquiries. I didn't hold out much hope of hearing back or at least hearing back before I had to start the renewal process but I sent off the email anyhow.
Oh, ye of little faith.
This morning (at 10:39 am, to be exact), I received a response. Not only did I receive a response but it was the response I had hoped for. In order to enter the UK as a US tourist,
Woo-hoo!
Brian & Miriam, here we come!
This is all well and good except that Rachel's passport expires two weeks after we return and I remembered that with some countries, your passport has to be valid for 6 months after your travel is completed or you could be denied entry.
I googled and googled but couldn't find a definitive answer so was getting ready to try to get a rush passport renewal. To add to the level of difficulty, since Rachel's passport was issued before she turned 16, she has to renew in person. And the local Mail Boxes Etc. where we could easily get passport photos done closed recently.
As a last ditch effort before I jumped through all the passport renewal hoops, I emailed WorldBridge Services, the UK Border Agency's commercial partner which handles such inquiries. I didn't hold out much hope of hearing back or at least hearing back before I had to start the renewal process but I sent off the email anyhow.
Oh, ye of little faith.
This morning (at 10:39 am, to be exact), I received a response. Not only did I receive a response but it was the response I had hoped for. In order to enter the UK as a US tourist,
a bona fide passport or travel document should . . . be valid for long enough to cover length of intended stay in the United Kingdom.
Woo-hoo!
Brian & Miriam, here we come!
1 comment:
Woo-hoo, indeed! I know how trying these passport problems can be.
Post a Comment