Do we need a passport to travel from UK to Ireland?

wdyw

mrs-d wrote: »

Thanks for your replys. We thought of taking a ferry to Northern Ireland and both have new style driving licences. Can't belive the prices though.

If you take the ferry then you don't even need photographic ID (though its always a good idea to have your driving licence with you in the UK as well as N.I).

When booking your ferry tickets, no id is required, when you get to the port all you need to give them is a booking reference number and you get on the boat. Driving from N.I. into the South the only reason you know you have crossed the border is by noticing the road markings have changed slightly and the distances are now in km.

Cheapest ferry to take is the late night/early morning ones.

mrs-d_3

Thanks again everyone. I better start looking for some cheap(er) tickets.

Voyager2002

In case any "aliens" are reading this, the letter of the law is that if you are not a UK or Irish national, and/or you were born outside the common travel area, then you do need a passport for this journey. Otherwise not: a document like a student card is all that you need.

Edinburghlass_2

redpete wrote: »

Ask the airline you're thinking of travelling with, their opinion is worth more than what fellow moneysavers might think.

Absolutely and this is good advice for flying within the UK as well as they will refuse you boarding if you don't have the ID that the airline specify.

Karfypie

i'm trying to find out on the ryanair site what they require for ireland. flying to cork on thursday and i've got a passport and friend who was coming with me hasn't managed to sort her passport out in time and doesn't have a driving licence.

does anyone know what they would accept as an alternative and if they accept anything else?

Ryanair are required to collect the passport or EEA issued National Identity Card details of all passengers departing from the UK, IRELAND, MOROCCO AND SWITZERLAND to Spain or the Canary Islands/Balearic Islands. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WILL RESULT IN YOU BEING DENIED BOARDING WITHOUT REFUND.

do you think this is just for spain or canary islands/balearics? just wanted to confirm.

wonder if there is any way for my friend to get something that would be accepted in time. we thought you had to have a passport so thought there was no chance, this gives some hope.

any help would be great, thanks! katharine

newlywed

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=pid&quest=photoid

For British and Irish citizens who are travelling on flights to/from the United Kingdom to/from the Republic of Ireland (Common Travel Area), a valid driving licence with photo is acceptable photo ID. Passengers who are citizens of other countries travelling on these routes must present a valid passport (with visa if applicable) or a National Identity Card issued by the government of a European Economic Area (EEA) country.

Looks like it's a photo driving licence or a passport.

You can get a passport the same day if you pay an absolute fortune, travel to a special center (my nearest is London) and wait most of the day to be seen. Guess that depends how desperate you are to go

Karfypie

yep just found the page too, looks like you don't need a passport but need a driving licence. she can't do the one day passport as its her first passport, its really disappointing that she can't come. thanks.

newlywed

However... if you can change to aer lingus:-

Valid forms of ID accepted by Aer Lingus:

For travel between Ireland and the United Kingdom and Domestic Irish or UK flights only the following forms of ID are accepted:

• Valid Passport
• Driver's licence with photo
• International student card
• National ID card / Government issued photo ID cards
• Health Insurance cards with photo / Social security cards with photo
• Bus pass with photo
• Work ID with photo

Karfypie

thanks for that, i wonder if they would accept an outdated bus pass?! as i know her bus pass needs to be renewed and has ran out.

i just called up the passport people to see if there was anything they could do to see if they could do the one day service with an interview. i explained that it is special circumstances because the trip is to go to a centre offering respite care as we have both been seriously ill. they said they could only do that for government services and if it was life or death, so it was a no.

newlywed

Karfypie wrote: »

thanks for that, i wonder if they would accept an outdated bus pass?! as i know her bus pass needs to be renewed and has ran out.

Can she not get her bus pass renewed quickly and use that?