Ve must see your papers, old man!

Yes, I know -- its this man's own fault that he let his passport expire.
And its his own fault that he lost his proof of citizenship card, without which he cannot get a new passport.
And he should have known better because he knew his mother in England was getting old and he knew that he might need to get over there fast to see her if she got sick.
But after reading his story, I was still left with a bad taste in my mouth. I think it was the line about how "the application process is necessary to guard against fraud". Yes, indeed -- but the man is 74 years old, and he only wanted to see his mother before she died.
So, like the lead said, couldn't we show a little compassion?