child passport - v - adult passport

74jax

Mojisola wrote: »

The only problem I can see with getting an adult one now is that it is going to have a picture of a 15 year old in it. She's likely to change a lot over the next ten years - it could be embarrassing to have to use the passport for identification (uni, job, etc) and presenting a passport with a child's photo.

Would she prefer to get a new passport when she's 20 with an adult photo?

This is my DD's thinking also.

Lily-Rose wrote: »

But as I said, is it worth just getting a child's one purely to save £26?

Getting her an adult one seems far more beneficial.

You seem a bit reluctant to get an adult one. Why do you want to get a child's one, when she is nearly 16? (the age she qualifies to have an adult one.) Why not get an adult one?

I don't really have any preference over either, hence I'm asking what the differences are and any implications.

She is now saying she would prefer the child one, so she can get another photo taken in a few years, but has also said to wait until next year when she'll be 17 and in her eyes would have changed more.

I like having a passport so we can just decide to go away one month and go, but do see her side too.

I was against a child one as it didn't have her signature in, however I've been informed that's because she was under 12 last time.

GobbledyGook

I'm going to be the opposite to most. I'd get the child one because it's only valid for 5 years.

I got an adult passport when I was 15 as I turned 16 on holiday. By the time I was 23 I had real problems using it for ID as places weren't happy with the really young faced 15 year old on it. I hated it as well.

Mojisola

thorsoak wrote: »

Some airlines will not allow people to fly on a passport with less than 6 months validity.

74jax wrote: »

She is now saying she would prefer the child one, so she can get another photo taken in a few years, but has also said to wait until next year when she'll be 17 and in her eyes would have changed more.

I like having a passport so we can just decide to go away one month and go, but do see her side too.

Have you checked with the airline that the current passport would be accepted by them?

If she wants to wait for the passport until she's 17 and you want to go away in the meantime, could she stay with relatives while you go on holiday?

74jax

Mojisola wrote: »

Have you checked with the airline that the current passport would be accepted by them?

If she wants to wait for the passport until she's 17 and you want to go away in the meantime, could she stay with relatives while you go on holiday?

I will check the airline, that's a good point. The USA is ok, but the airline might be different thanks - I'll do that now.

She could stay with many people when me and hubby go away, but we tend to go away just me and her a couple of times too.

zagfles

74jax wrote: »

I will check the airline, that's a good point. The USA is ok, but the airline might be different thanks - I'll do that now.

She could stay with many people when me and hubby go away, but we tend to go away just me and her a couple of times too.

I very much doubt the airline will have a problem if the passport is valid for entry to the country. I've never heard of an airline insisting on extended passport validity over and above that needed to enter the country.

claire16c

The airline goes by the rules of the country.

Its fine to go to USA on passport that is only valid for duration of the stay, Ive done it myself.

tinkerfairy

74jax wrote: »

I've check the Embassy and it just has to be valid for the duration of our visit, so I don't need to apply for it now, but I thought I might apply for it before she is 16 as it's cheaper.

Wondering if there was some obvious reason not to that I'd missed. I don't know why her passport states 'the holder is not required to sign' if others are saying they have their child's signature int he passport - if that's the case I might as well just renew as a child.

Because she was almost 11 when you got the passport and the other poster states children aged over 12 have to sign.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

peachyprice wrote: »

I have to agree with this, my 18 yo almost men look nothing like the 15yo boys in their passports, they hate, hate, hate using them as ID and can't wait to get new ones next year.

The Lovely Fella's passport photo is of him with long jet black goth hair. Unfortunately, he had early male hair loss - so his passport was useless as photo ID from about the age of 24!

Mind you, I told him to look on the bright side - his next one will basically be good for him right up until his seventies and he'll never have to get his photo verified again, as his picture won't be significantly different from his appearance :-)


On a more serious note, he wouldn't have had the money to renew it when he was at or just leaving university, so would have missed out on a couple of surprise holidays. So I'd get the adult one, as it gives the kid one less thing to pay for as she's just starting out in her adult life.

DD's expires just before her 16th; the new one will be an adult one for that reason.

Mojisola

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

On a more serious note, he wouldn't have had the money to renew it when he was at or just leaving university, so would have missed out on a couple of surprise holidays. So I'd get the adult one, as it gives the kid one less thing to pay for as she's just starting out in her adult life.

Or get the child one now and save £20 a year for her specially for a new adult passport as she's starting adult life.

jaylee3

I totally cannot see the point in getting a child's one. Is the young person in question going to be any more 'embarrassed' by seeing their 16 year old face on their passport when they're 19-20, than they would be, having a CHILD'S passport at 19-20?! *cringe*

Most people don't look that different at 19 compared to 16, and I am sure the young adult child in question would prefer to be 19-20 with a 16 year old face on his adult passport, than have to fork out what will probably be £100 by then for an adult one, or suffer the embarrassment of having a child's one!

From this post by the OP, it seems they're just being a bit tight-fisted, and trying to save money by getting a child's passport, and saying 'she can get her own adult one if she's so bothered about it.'

74jax wrote: »

So she would hopefully pay for her own Adult passport in future :rotfl:
...

Get an adult one, and at least give her the choice of whether to replace it herself at 20-21 or whatever, if she is so upset by her 16 year old pic in her early to mid 20s! Can't see it myself: Nobody hardly EVER sees your passport pic, and I am sure that most young people will tolerate the young-faced pic on the passport, rather than have to fork out a fortune to get one themselves at 20-ish, because the five year one ran out, or they're so embarrassed at having a CHILD'S one.