Travelling from UK to France on expired passport

PolishBigSpender

PokerPortal wrote: »

Thanks for your extensive post PolishBigSpender. It puts my mind a little bit at rest. I was already thinking on the same line. I will have with me my passport (expired 15 July), bank statements, both parts of my (British) driving license, council tax bills, credit card statements etc.

After readin half the internet, and now your message, my worst fear is in fact Norfolkine. They are just a company that will adhere to their own company rules. They might say that I can't come aboard. in which case I swiftly drive to the Channel Tunnel and try that.

If all fails, we have a week of hiding in the north of Scotland planned. :-)

Usefully, in Dover and the French channel ports, border controls are 'juxtaposed'. This means that you pass through French passport control in the UK and UK passport control in France - so Norfolkline won't have a problem as you'll already have passed immigration before checking in. Certainly in Dover and in Calais, the immigration booths are before vehicle check in - so they don't care about your passport as you've already been checked and given the all clear.

Even if Norfolkline say no, you can always try SeaFrance, P&O and LD Lines at Dover first

PokerPortal

Just a little update for everybody replying to my original post; I am now typing this from the Netherlands!

The night before I left I noticed this on the Norflokline website:

"We have received prior notification that French Immigration will be carrying out 100% passport and travel documentation checks on all vehicles travelling via the Port of Dover. This will commence between 31st August to 07th September, 2009. Please allow extra time to complete the check-in process."

When we arrived the French customs just asked if we were all British (driving in car with British registration). I probably just should have said "ÿes" but told him that I was Dutch and my partner and son were British. He waved us through. Norfolkline did take our passports but just checked the names against the booking we made on their ferry. No problems!

I'll let you know if I can get back to England next week.

PolishBigSpender

The Police Aux Frontieres should always have been carrying out 100% checks, is this an admission that they've been systematically breaking the Schengen Borders Code?

Glad to hear that you made it through safely - though it confirms what I thought about the French passport controls being incredibly lax to the point of not caring less. Did the British stop you for an exit check?

PokerPortal

Back in England now. Was not able to sort out an emergency passport in the Netherlands. Got a telling off at English customs but they let me in without any valid travel document. It must be my honest face! :-)