Passport info ! urgent !

[ruudeboy]

I'am travelling to Turkey on the 20/4/06 and have just realised my passport expires on the (wait for it !) 20/8/06 which is a bit silly of me cos' thats only 4 months left on it and not the 6 required !

As our dear friends in the passport offices are on holiday over easter and fully booked up i can't get a new one before i go ! anyone know of a way round this - special travel permit/letter to airline/Turkish customs ? Help Pleeeeease

[jno]

http://www.passport.gov.uk/general_urgent_within48hrs.asp

- there's a two day service but not cheap.

[jno]

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[vehelpfulguy]

I woke up one morning a year ago to fly to Canada and realised my passport had already run out !.

I drove to London in the morning, got the passport done within 4 hours, and got the flight from Heathrow at about 3pm the same day.

Never want to do that again, but how about making a personal visit to the passport office to get one the same day.

It can be done, as long as you book in advance.

[dzug]

Get yourself to a passport office as soon as they open next week - ie 8 or 9am Tuesday. Although they say 'appointment only' there is an emergency service if you are prepared to hang around and pay megabucks. You'll probably wait around a bit for someone to be free, be told to hand over your forms and money and come back in the afternoon for your passport.

There'll be a photo booth in the area if you don't have photos and you don't need countersignatures on a renewal IIRC. If your old/new photos are recognisably the same person they don't need signing.

Take evidence of your trip - tickets or booking confirmation.

A bribe to the Turkish Immigration officer might work but is more likely to get you thrown in jail =+)

[Buenchico]

The official tourism site states: "It is ADVISABLE to have a minimum of six months validity on your passport from the date of your entry into Turkey." It doesn't say that it's compulsory.

I doubt that, as long as you're obviously a tourist, an EU passport with 4 months validity would present a problem. (Turkey is negotiating for entry into the EU. If they join, they'll have to accept EU passports right up to the last day of validity).

To check whether your passport's validity will be a problem, I suggest phoning the Turkish Tourism Office, in London: 0207 839 7778.

Chris

[ruudeboy]

Ref: my problem to all that answered thanks for all your advice and here is what happened !

I got hold of the handling agent for the airline(orun air/seviceair)at gatwick and they assured me that a passport that has NOT expired will be fine so i booked the holiday and will , hopefully !, be flying out on Friday !

Expensive trips to london and bribing the Turkish consulate won't be necessary - YET !

[jno]

very sporting of the Turks! Have a great time - it's a wonderful country - you won't have any trouble getting back into Britain with a current passport.