# Kids Passport renewal while abroad



## bibliobabe (Feb 17, 2012)

Hi there- I'm a US Citizen married to a UK citizen, living in the US.

Our 2 kids are dual citizens with passports for both US and UK. 

my husband took the kids back to Edinburgh to visit his parents yesterday with both their US and UK passports, only to realize that the US ones are expired.

they entered the UK on the UK passports. they're staying for over 3 weeks, so i thought i'd just apply for an expedited renewal for the kids US passports and fedex them over to Scotland before they get on the plane back home.

much to my dismay they must apply in person, and the Edinburgh consulate says that it will be 15 business days processing per their website. That's after they leave to return to the US! it also states there is no expedited processing outside the US. 

What do I do? Surely they will be given a hard time at the border because the US passports are expired, and they can't enter on their UK ones. My husband has a green card to support his US residence, but the kids don't. they don't need one, they're US citizens. 

should we just try to get the application expedited at the consulate? can they get some type of dispensation from the consulate to enter the US on a temporary US passport?

I really appreciate any advice you can give!


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

The website seems pretty clear ...

"_If you applied for a U.S. passport during this time frame and have confirmed travel within the next 5 business days, you may request an emergency passport for travel. Further information is available here. Please note that you will be required to appear in person for this service._"

So they will do expedited processing. Just go see them, put in the application, explain the situation, get emergency passports, get real passports back in the US.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

I completely agree with Bellthorpe. Emergency passports (also sometimes called ETDs) are available for exactly this situation and others like it. Here's the link to the U.S. embassy's Web site.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Worst possible case scenario: the kids can and will be admitted on their expired US passports. Yeah, your husband will get something of a "lecture" from the Immigrations officer on entry. But they do have to allow the kids (or anyone for that matter) in as long as they can show "proof" of their US citizenship, which even an expired passport does.

If you can get the expedited passports, great. If not, I'd advise "playing innocent" - just use the passports and see whether the airline or the immigration folks notice the expiration date. If and when they do, just mention that the passports must have expired while you were traveling and because the kids entered the UK on their UK passports you didn't notice at the time. Suffer the "lecture" with good humor and chances are there will be no unpleasant repercussions.
Cheers,
Bev


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

That approach might have worked in the old days, but I'm skeptical it'd work now. Airlines have to transmit complete passenger manifests (including passport details) and get departure preclearance back from U.S. CBP. In the extremely unlikely event the airline doesn't notice, CBP will.

However, you might have the right idea, but it requires elaboration. (Bearing in mind Bibliobabe really needs to do this the right way to avoid anxiety.) If the kids can get to a U.S. CBP point of entry _then_ your idea might work. So how would they do that? Well, they'd first travel someplace that has a U.S. CBP point of entry outside the United States -- what are known as "preclearance locations." The current list is available here.

So it'd work like this, as an example. The family, including kids with expired U.S. passports, takes a short flight from Edinburgh to Dublin. (Aer Lingus Regional and Ryanair both fly nonstop from Edinburgh to Dublin.) They then try to check in for their flight from Dublin to some point in the United States (e.g. New York JFK) using a separate ticket. The second airline won't like that, but (upon negotiation) the airline will probably let them pass to have a conversation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, conveniently available right at the Dublin Airport with CBP's preclearance facility. If CBP lets them pass, they've been granted entry into the United States -- and they step right off the plane in the U.S. as if they arrived on a domestic flight. If CBP doesn't let them pass they'll have to stop by the U.S. embassy in Dublin to get emergency passports.

I'm not recommending any of this, but that'd be the only realistic way I can think of to bypass an inevitable airline veto on a single airline ticket from the U.K. to the U.S.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

I'm not recommending this approach - but as far as I can tell, the only way they will be able to renew the kids' passports is going to be to make a detour to the London Consulate in person (or, as you suggest, perhaps the Dublin Consulate). That may or may not be possible, depending on their visit time frame. 

OTOH, it might be worthwhile to try and contact the London Consulate to ask for advice. They are not known for being terribly available by phone, but it's worth a try. I don't think it's necessary to find a "pre-clearance" post, and in any event, many airports will still route them through the regular passport clearance lines anyhow.

Or, contact the airline and ask them. I really doubt these are the first Americans ever to have found their passports expired while they were overseas.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

I do not see the difference between playing innocent and something else.

Travel time is generally limited. Flying around half of Europe takes time and money. Not knowing how old the children are also lots of patience. As they have to sign for their passports probably teenagers.

The children have to leave the UK on their UK passports. It may be unpleasant at point of entry. But they will not be denied entry as minor US citizens.


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## Bellthorpe (Jun 23, 2013)

Bevdeforges said:


> I'm not recommending this approach - but as far as I can tell, the only way they will be able to renew the kids' passports is going to be to make a detour to the London Consulate in person (or, as you suggest, perhaps the Dublin Consulate).


I would be at the Edinburgh consulate with the kids this morning, applying for emergency passports. Two days would be a typical expectation.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Take a look at the Edinburgh Consulate website. They can issue emergency passports - but they only "do" passports two days a week. See what they can do - but they may suggest Plan B in any event.
Cheers,
Bev


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## bibliobabe (Feb 17, 2012)

Just spoke to the consulate, he's going in next week and i will fedex their original birth certs to apply as lost at their advice. even though 14 days until travel she said it would be ok to just have it sent to his parents' house and it should be fine. Here's hoping!

I have to provide: (for any future people w/ the same problem)

DS11 passport app
photos
$105 fee
DS52 lost passport form
DS53 statement of consent for only 1 parent to apply for passport (with my notarized signature and copy of DL)
original birth certificates for the kids
kids' uk passports

Thanks to all!


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

twostep said:


> The children have to leave the UK on their UK passports. It may be unpleasant at point of entry. But they will not be denied entry as minor US citizens.


The point is that airlines simply won't board passengers on a flight to the United States with expired U.S. passports unless CBP has cleared them.(*) The kids cannot legally use U.K. passports to enter the United States, nor can they apply for ESTA travel permission on those passports (legally anyway).(**) Without ESTA travel permission, those U.K. passports are useless -- the airline won't board them to the U.S. (The airline probably wouldn't board them without a round trip ticket either.)

There are some airports that have U.S. CBP preclearance facilities, so that's the only semi-reliable workaround that (mostly) takes the airline out of the loop.

Fortunately, however, Bibliobabe is resolving the issue correctly for her children at the U.S. consulate in Edinburgh. That works, reliably.

(*) Or unless you're _extremely_ lucky. Airlines can get seriously whacked by the U.S. with heavy fines or worse if they do this, so they're not in the habit of doing it.

(**) I do not recommend violating U.S. law, especially with kids involved, especially when there's no point. That'd be dumb.


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