Traveling in Europe / Passport question

[Nox]

I was under the impression you don't need a passport to travel now that we are all part of the EU... but... you do have to have some ID that is recognised in the coutry you are travelling, e.g. a passport... more recently, if you have an EU style driving license, this will be OK but thats about it as far as 'shared ID' goes. Now in the UK, its not law to carry some sort of ID, so its probably ok for europeans to travel here without any ID at all...

[Zathras]

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/_7_traveladvice/7_europe.asp
http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/faqs/faq.asp?...intelement=166

seem to suggest that you DO need a passport, for precisely the reasons I've stated. I'd be interested to see other official documents stating otherwise.

If you are a UK citizen travelling anywhere outside the United Kingdom or Eire you will need your passport. Even if you travel within the European Union (where the free movement of people has been established under the Treaty of Maastricht), you will still need your passport. If you are from one of the other member countries of the European Union you can travel to member countries using your identity card instead of your passport.

Some countries of the European Union have signed the Shengen Agreement which has effectively removed all barriers between them. It is possible to travel from one country to another without any border controls at all. Passport and custom controls are used when you leave the Shengen Agreement area.

Although this sounds simple, the situation for UK citizens is slightly more complicated. Each member country of the EU has to say which of its citizens are accepted as European citizens. Because the UK has not approved some nationals as full European citizens, you need to be clear on your position travelling to Europe.

If you are a British Dependent Territories citizen, a British Overseas citizen, British National, British Subject or British Protected Person, then your position may be slightly different and you may need a visa for some EU countries.

We aren't a full signatory of the Shengen agreement, so people still need passports to leave and enter the UK.

[Blub2k]

YOU need any official picture ID from the UK, you do NOT need a passport, Birth Cert with a picture ID of some sort, I would not try this however unless you are fluent in BS in the language of the country you are travelling to. Drivers license is the next best option after passport, I have travelled to the UK using a picture ID from work although post 9/11 this is not advisable as they have gotten stricter, get an express passport, if you tell them you are going to a funeral then they will normally process it faster and bring your tickets with you when ordering the express jobbie.

[Blub2k]

hmmm was under the impression that the UK were in Schengen

[Zathras]

Drivers license is the next best option after passport, I have travelled to the UK using a picture ID from work although post 9/11

Note that in the advice I quoted they stated that an exception is UK to Eire travel. To enter/leave the UK to any other foreign country you need a passport. Once abroad an identity card is officially needed to travel between Schengen signatories, and the only official ID card of UK citizens is the UK passport. Often border controllers will take driving licenses, especially the newer photocard licenses.

YOU need any official picture ID from the UK, you do NOT need a passport

Again I refer you to the official line mentioned on the UK passport authority website. If you can find me other documentation countering this I'd be interested to see it.

[Blub2k]

Note that in the advice I quoted they stated that an exception is UK to Eire travel. To enter/leave the UK to any other foreign country you need a passport. Once abroad an identity card is officially needed to travel between Schengen signatories, and the only official ID card of UK citizens is the UK passport. Often border controllers will take driving licenses, especially the newer photocard licenses.



Again I refer you to the official line mentioned on the UK passport authority website. If you can find me other documentation countering this I'd be interested to see it.

I think I qualified my misinformation with the second post I made where I said that UK are not members of Schengen and I thought they were, although I did not specifically qualify that.

[spazman]

I literally walked straight through customs in holland, I flashed my drivers licence and they waved me through. Italy they took there time (about 15minutes) but let me through all the same.