Kids need own passport from Oct!!

[cjc]

Hi everyone
I have just read on another board the following:-

Kids need own passports 1st Oct.
The United States is introducing strict new security rules in the autumn that could seriously disrupt the holiday plans of thousands of British families.
Up to 4m British children are included on their parents’ passports rather than having their own, but from October 1, the USA will refuse entry to any child who is not travelling with their own documentation. British Airways is concerned that the new regulations, designed to allow every individual entering the country to be tracked, are not being publicised sufficiently.

“Families could find themselves stranded at the airport,” says BA. “We don’t want to see people flying out to Florida for the autumn half-term break and being turned away.”

Thomson, the UK’s largest tour operator, agrees: “Because we have already published our brochures, it’s difficult for us to get the message across.” Families affected have two options: they can apply for a separate passport for any minors in their group from the UK Passport Service (0870 521 0410, www.ukpa.gov.uk ), which costs £19, or instead obtain a visa from the US Embassy (020 7499 9000, www.usembassy.org.uk) at a cost of £60pp.

“This is just another expense,” says the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta). “More than 1m people from the UK visit Florida every year and this will place a further burden on those on a tight budget.”

Abta also warns that those who fail to produce the documentation will not be eligible for a refund if they are denied entry.

Source :- Times On Sunday.


Thought you would like to know. I will have to apply for a passport for my daughter now.

CJ

 

[signtalker]

Is this just for flying into florida, or this america in general??.

Jules

 

[Goofyish]

We have just got passports for our 2 DDs. They were still on my wife's passport, but we thought it best they have their own just for the photo ID (not sure whether they need photo ID for their APs - I guess my eldest will because she has an adult AP).

I haven't heard about this new rule though!

 

[catherine]

THANK YOU CJC for posting this info., as I hadn't heard anything about this. My 2 dd's are on my passport and we will be going to WDW at the end of Nov.

My dd's are both American citizens so this is going to mean making a trip to the American Embassy in London to apply for their passports. So I'm really glad that we found out about this now, so that we have plenty of time to take care of this.

Regards,

Catherine

 

[TraceyL]

I read this on another board too. We're going in October and my DD1 is still on my passport

There's nothing about it on the UK Passport Agency website so I've emailed them for clarification. Don't know if it'll mean I'll have to get a replacement passport as well - which no doubt means even more money

 

[Goofyish]

Tracey - you won't need a new passport, but you will have to send your passport in with your childs passport. All they then do is draw a line through your childrend details in your passport and apply a little official stamp.

We have just obtained passports for our 2 DDs, we got the applications checked at the local Post Office (costs £5 per application - but may save time and trouble if you have made a mistake). We received our new DDs passports within 10 days

Childs passports are £19, but are only valid for 5 years.

 

[NatalieD]

When I saw this thread yesterday I rang the passport office who told me to check with the airline who we were travelling with - Virgin - so I phoned them and the girl there told me that they have had 3 families turned away from the US in the last couple of weeks even though the children were on the parents passports that were in date and this new rule should'nt really come into effect until october, when I questioned this she said that the US immigration officers can basically do what they they like and advised me to apply for passports for my DD's and have them removed from my passport -So this is what I have done - cost 48.00 with the 10.00 checking fee from the PO and they guarantee to have them back to you in 10 days. Hope this helps someone

Natalie

 

[TraceyL]

Also - you will have to have machine readable passports (or face lengthy immigration checks) and have to provide an address and phone number of where you are staying - 'fly drive' will no longer be acceptable !

 

[disney daft dad]

I read about this on Saturday and phoned the US Embassy in London and they HADN'T HEARD OF IT!!!! Told me that the inof was wrong and overstating the requirement.... I have now been informed by my Head Office that this is in fact the case and all airlines are contacting their passengers as a matter of urgency to get correct documents in time..... typical beaurocracy(sp?) !!!!!!!!

Disney Daft Mum

Val

 

[Olaf]

I can't stand the INS. Those people think they're God. If any of you encounter problems with them, you get a name and when you get home, fire off a letter to the US Embassy and send one on to the White House for good measure. Probably won't do a bit of good, but somebody really ought to know how stupid those idiots can be. We have several friends who have been harassed by them when entering Florida.

One of your newspapers really ought to do an article on this. It's just not right. Oh well, got to protect the good old US of A from all those pint-sized terrorists.

 

[Shugmac]

I think it's ridiculous if this is what they are wanting it's stressfull enough trying to get in to the country, my 2 have their own passports but what is worrying me is my ds was only months old when his picture was taken and looks nothing like it now i got funny looks the last time from immigration.

 

[Madjock]

I know exactly what you mean. Our DD is only 6 months old in hers with very dark brown hair and is now 3.5 with long blonde hair so you can imagine there's quite a difference!

Annmarie

 

[BevS97]

when we were kids and lived in the USA we had to show our green cards to gain entry. My brother was about 1 year when he got his, and it was good until he turned 15!