My Mum has had her passport stolen on the first day of her holiday. she has contacted the local consulate and will be able to get an emergency passport (just a form) to get home with at a cost of roughly £91.00. Will this cost be transferred to a new full passport when she returns?

hippyjak,

I wouldn't have thought so. She'll probably have to pay the full cost of a new passport. Make sure she keeps any receipts for the emergency passport as she'll probably be able to claim the costs back on holiday insurance. Has she reported the theft to the police? She'll probably need a crime number as well.

Darren

Yes, she went straight to the police and had to return today with translators. She never left the privately rented apartment because they had decorators in where she first arrived. She unpacked everything and just sat on the balcony. The next morning she went to get her money and passport and noticed it was missing. Hence it must have been the decorators. Police said she could have them arrested but she would have to keep returning to Spain for the court case etc or just get a crime number for insurance/passport purposes. She chose just to have the crime number.

Such ashame and what a rotten start to a long awaited break! She's 68 and out there with a friend of around the same age. Would love to get my hands on the lowlife's!! Grrr!!

Hi can anyone remind me how long it tales for a passport to come? It's a 14 months old first passport, thanks

Hi linzi_lou ... it depends on the method of application, more details here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/howlongittakesandurgentappplications/DG_174148

David

Hi hope you can help, grandaughter is 5 in August but her passport does not run out until next June, we are traveling to Ibiza in a few weeks is her passport still valid or does she need a new one because she is now 5.

A child's passport is valid for 5 yrs FROM DATE OF ISSUE, so you do not need to change it till until the current one is due to expire,

wizard

Thats a load off my mind,thanks Wizard

hi all....tweetie gone into worry mode....only 6 weeks before we go spain...so double checking the passports.....its been a hectic year and at the minute Ive so much on my mind I dont trust myself....when last week I first checked my sons passport I panicked as I only counted 5 months left on it....got geared up to get it sorted photo ect and was crossing my fingers would get it done in time.....went post office to get a form...but they didnt have one (I live in little village)....was panicking and figuring out how I could get to a main post office and go pick cat up from the vets as well....then hubby said "calm down...are you sure you have to renew it now....its not like you to have not checked it would be ok when you sorted hols out...and again ...and again....".......so I used my fingers and got 6 months .

So just to put it to bed.....can I borrow your brains....you need 6months on passport to travel to spain by plane....dont know if its same as am going by coach......we go on the 24th aug and come back the 9th sept 2011......his passport runs out on the 22nd march 2012.....by my reckoning it has 6 months and 13 days left from the date we come home...and I dont need to renew it till we come back......tweetie

Hi Tweetie Pie ... official entry/immigration requirements for Spain advise that passports need to be valid only for the duration of your stay in the country. However, some airlines or tour operators may stipulate a minimum 6 month passport validity requirement for all destinations, including Spain. Unless your coach operator happens to be one of those companies, you should have no problem if a passport has less than 6 months validity remaining. But the dates which you are giving suggest that you are getting your knickers knotted needlessly.
Whenever you do have to renew, you can do it online, no need to go to the Post Office:
https://passports.ips.gov.uk/epa1r1a/index.aspx?c=1

David

Has anyone any advice for me please I live in Spain, renew my passport via Madrid, and my present passport runs out in May 2012. I have several flights to UK booked between now and January, which I know my passport will cover. However I have now booked a cruise for Jan returning in Feb, and the cruise line insist I have 6 months validity on my passport on my return, which my present one won't have. The passport service website says I can renew up to eight months before expiry, so can't do it right now. And also it states that although I can apply still via Madrid, the application will be sent on to UK and I will receive my new passport from UK. The website also states that the new passport could take up to 4 weeks to be issued.

I wish tour ops/airlines/cruise co's could get this all standardised! I wonder how frequent travellers cope with this too? I had no idea that my passport wouldn't be acceptable seeing as it has 9 months more to run, yet the past two times I have travelled to the UK, border control have commented about my passport, saying "ooooh, we don't see many of this type any more"!!!

Sue

I don't know which area you visit when you are in the UK, but have you thought of applying in person at one of the passport offices in the UK for issue of a same day passport.
The last time I renewed my passport I did it during one of my visits to see family in the UK. I made an appointment with the passport office in London, I had to be able to use a UK address and I used my MIL's. My appointment was for late morning and I was able to pick up the passport about four hours later. It was quite expensive but if the cost of the passport when you get it in Madrid is anything like what it costs me to obtain mine in Germany(almost double the regular UK price) it may still work out cheaper to get the same day one in the UK. I believe there are about six regional passport offices in the UK where you can get the passport. You can apply up to nine months ahead of expiration date.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Applicationinformation/DG_183772

Judith

Thanks Judith for the link! I had seen that page, just not scrolled down far enough, as I always believed I have to be in the country where I am resident to apply. Seems that has changed now then. I also thought I had read somewhere that you can apply up to 8 months in advance. Yes, it is very expensive to renew here in Spain too! Peterborough is the nearest to me, so that will give me a good excuse to go shopping
Ah!! Editing, as I have just had another thought!!! My flights will be with Ryanair who need passport info prior to travelling...which of course I won't have for the return journey, until I get the new passport in my hands. Another hassle to solve!!!

Sue,

You can apply at any time for a renewal passport. One week validity left or 9 years, you can apply.

However, 9 months is the maximum extra validity you will get added on to your new passport.

Thanks very much ClownBoy for that information That means a lot less hassle for me, well, apart from the fact that I need to have some decent passport pics taken I can send off for a new passport immediately, now I know

Yes I applied to renew our passports just before a huge price hike when there was more than 9 months left of them and 9 months was added to the new passports.

luci

Ooops, luci, was editing while you were posting Reckon I should have kept an eye out both for the price hike, and the new regs

hi David...just wanted to say thanks for your reply....calmed me down a treat....just tying up all my ends before I go now and remembered I hadnt got back to post a thanks...was really busy when I read it...tweetie

My son's passport will expire March 2012. He will be 17 this October.

When I go to renew it, will he only have a 5 year one again, or a 10 year one?