Our recent trip to Portugal was almost preempted by passport issues. While I had successfully scanned the passport twice before reaching the gate, at that last point it would not scan. This apparently was a problem and as a result we were not able to board. The issue, we were told, was that we were flying through Heathrow and even though we were just passing through to a connecting flight they would not allow us entry. They would turn us back.
Our passports had suffered water damage during a rainstorm earlier this year when we were in Hong Kong, however, we had used them to cross into the US so we erroneously assumed all was good.
What ensued was a mad dash through the emergency passport service. The airline agent provided us with a telephone number which we called immediately from the airport as we waited for our luggage to be returned. The passport office took our contact information and said someone would call the following morning to confirm whether they would be able to take our case.
As promised we got the call the next morning and was given a list of things we needed to do in order to get a new passport. The list seemed daunting, but I took a deep breath, repeated the list to the caller and said OK, we can do it. We were told to be at the downtown passport office at 1:00, which was in 3 1/2 hours. By noon we had rebooked our flight to Portugal (not through Heathrow), completed the multiple forms (new passport, damaged passport…), got our pictures, had them signed by our guarantor, arrange for two other people in addition to the guarantor to be at home between 1:00 and 2:00 to receive a call from the Passport Office and we were driving the 20km to the passport office. At 1:00 we delivered the forms and by 2:30 we had our passports in hand and were returning home.
One can only be amazed as to what is possible. And may be thankful that the government offers such a service.
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