National ID Cards

quickpost

garethni wrote: »

would then not need a passport as I do not really intend for the foreseeable future to go outside those countries for which an ID card would be accepted.

No other country that I am aware of accepted the ID card as a form of ID and most carriers refused to accept it as a valid form of ID.

spike7451

As far as I'm concerned,I have not & never will need a national ID card for the simple reason I have always carried a British HM Forces issue ID card,be it my old RAF Form 1250 & my current MOD 90.
To pay for & carry something I already have is madness.

garethni

quickpost wrote: »

No other country that I am aware of accepted the ID card as a form of ID and most carriers refused to accept it as a valid form of ID.

All countries in the EU (including the UK - before we issued our own, and after we stop as well) accept each others' national ID cards instead of a passport.

jammin_2

quickpost wrote: »

No other country that I am aware of accepted the ID card as a form of ID and most carriers refused to accept it as a valid form of ID.

A valid National ID Card held by an EU national is a valid travel document within the EEA / Switzerland.

Until the government cancels UK National ID Cards, I can continue to travel passport-free within Europe and beyond.

quickpost

garethni wrote: »

All countries in the EU (including the UK - before we issued our own, and after we stop as well) accept each others' national ID cards instead of a passport.

jammin wrote: »

A valid National ID Card held by an EU national is a valid travel document within the EEA / Switzerland.

Until the government cancels UK National ID Cards, I can continue to travel passport-free within Europe and beyond.

Britain is not in the Schengen zone.

Heres something CURRENT from the FCO that states ID cards are NOT acceptable - in this case germany

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/germany

"You should carry your valid passport with you at all times. German police have the right to ask to see identification. For British citizens, the only acceptable form of ID is a valid passport."

rodneyaar

It you want anything that is worthwhile at airports, Set yourself up free for Iris coming back into the UK watch as 1000's of people queueing stare at you in disbelief as you walk straight through with no queue down side some terrorist may try and steal your eyes to get into country:D

jammin_2

quickpost wrote: »

Britain is not in the Schengen zone.

You are correct. The UK is, however, part of the EU.

Have a read:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:158:0077:0123:EN:PDF

quickpost wrote: »

Heres something CURRENT from the FCO that states ID cards are NOT acceptable - in this case germany

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/germany

"You should carry your valid passport with you at all times. German police have the right to ask to see identification. For British citizens, the only acceptable form of ID is a valid passport."

The FCO is wrong.

By the way, the FCO contradict themselves later on in that page:

You need a passport or a National Identity Card (see the website of the Identity and Passport Service (IPS)) to enter Germany.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/germany

garethni

quickpost wrote: »

"You should carry your valid passport with you at all times. German police have the right to ask to see identification. For British citizens, the only acceptable form of ID is a valid passport."

That advice is incorrect. It was before ID cards were issued, and will be correct again. And it does not matter about Schengen. We accept EU ID cards as travel documents. They do too.

c-m

Can i ask the OP, why did you ever think you needed an ID card when I driving license (provisional) can be used for ID and is cheaper, and/or a passport can be used for ID.

Obviously its a personal question so feel free not to answer, i'm just curious.

garethni

c-m wrote: »

Can i ask the OP, why did you ever think you needed an ID card when I driving license (provisional) can be used for ID and is cheaper, and/or a passport can be used for ID.

Obviously its a personal question so feel free not to answer, i'm just curious.

I am not the OP, but would like to indulge myself by offering an answer as I see it.

A passport is a big document, does not fit in the pocket. Made of paper, it gets a lot of wear and tear on a daily basis even if it only for holidays over ten years. Business travellers use it for more than holidays.

An ID card does all the things the provisional licence does in terms of providing identification, as well as doing all the things a passport does within the EU/EEA. And it is handily wallet/pocket size.

Only the government can issue ID of any sort which confirms nationality and this is the thing which is required for travel. If a company could do it, I would happily pay for it. But there is no consumer choice here. The government has a monopoly on proving that you are one of their citizens.