Urgent advice please
#1
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Joined: Aug 2014
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Urgent advice please
I'm a us citizen and live in scotland with a residence visa, my dad in the us has been rushed into intensive care with a brain aneurism and need to get home ASAP, unfortunately my passport has expired and the consulate in Edinburgh is not open untill Tuesday. Is there any way of getting an emergency travel document before then so I can travel this weekend, I'm desperate and don't know where to start!
#2
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
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Posts: 23,174
Re: Urgent advice please
I'm a us citizen and live in scotland with a residence visa, my dad in the us has been rushed into intensive care with a brain aneurism and need to get home ASAP, unfortunately my passport has expired and the consulate in Edinburgh is not open untill Tuesday. Is there any way of getting an emergency travel document before then so I can travel this weekend, I'm desperate and don't know where to start!
I assume your passport expired quite recently - within the past year or so?
I would start by calling the airline and ask whether they'll let you board with your expired passport. This will be your biggest hurdle - once you make it to immigration control in the US, you will be allowed entry (though you are likely to be sent for secondary inspection).
Insist on speaking to a supervisor if the call-center representative is negative. If you have evidence of your father's condition, all the better.
If you have your birth certificate with you, even better.
#3
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,670
Re: Urgent advice please
I'm a us citizen and live in scotland with a residence visa, my dad in the us has been rushed into intensive care with a brain aneurism and need to get home ASAP, unfortunately my passport has expired and the consulate in Edinburgh is not open untill Tuesday. Is there any way of getting an emergency travel document before then so I can travel this weekend, I'm desperate and don't know where to start!
#5
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Joined: Aug 2014
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Re: Urgent advice please
Would I need to buy a ticket first then just hope they let me travel? I have my birth certificate and trying to get evidence from the hospital.
#6
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150
Re: Urgent advice please
Maybe pre-clearance in Ireland?
#8
Re: Urgent advice please
I am sorry to read about your father. Get written confirmation of your father's condition from the doctor. It may help to get you through US immigration quicker.
#9
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Re: Urgent advice please
Been on the phone trying to speak to a us border agent. After phoning the airline direct asking them if I could board a flight with an expired passport they said I had to contact a us border agent within the airport I'm planning to travel through. Tried heathrow 4 times but it rings for a while then they hang up, not sure if I'm calling the right number
#10
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Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,670
Re: Urgent advice please
Been on the phone trying to speak to a us border agent. After phoning the airline direct asking them if I could board a flight with an expired passport they said I had to contact a us border agent within the airport I'm planning to travel through. Tried heathrow 4 times but it rings for a while then they hang up, not sure if I'm calling the right number
#11
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Joined: Aug 2014
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Re: Urgent advice please
Just got through to a woman who said no airline will accept anyone with an expired passport, the only exception is getting an emergency passport from the us embassy. End of she said no exceptions and we've been given the wrong information
#12
Re: Urgent advice please
I sympathize with you because we found ourselves in a similar position some years ago. We had applied for our Green Card...my FIL had a heart attack and was in intensive care. We were told by our immigration attorney that if we left the US without obtaining Advance Parole we would not be allowed to re-enter. FIL had the heart attack on the Friday...we didn't get AP until Tuesday and left that evening. We were required to get proof from the hospital of FIL's condition.
Good luck...I hope you manage see your father very soon.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Aug 23rd 2014 at 2:48 pm.
#13
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,670
Re: Urgent advice please
Oh no! Surely the US Embassy has an emergency number. This is an emergency. At the worst they will be able to put you first in the queue tuesday enabling you to travel the same day.
#14
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,156
Re: Urgent advice please
You could try the emergency contact number listed on the Edinburgh consulate website here.
And/or email as per this:
And/or email as per this:
Originally Posted by Passports | Consulate General of the United States Edinburgh, UK
We are open for appointments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In the event of an emergency requiring a passport service before the next available appointment date please contact us by e-mail to [email protected]. We are closed to the public on Saturday, Sunday and American, British and Scottish public holidays.
#15
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Urgent advice please
Nobody there at the Consulate as that says.
My guess is that without a valid passport you simply can not book a ticket.
My guess is that without a valid passport you simply can not book a ticket.