Passport, travelling within the EU.

[Hedgecutter]

I've always required a passport to get back into the UK from Norway when flying back to Aberdeen numerous times.

[H_B]

'

That can't be entirely right, I know for a fact you can travel (fly) between the UK and Bulgaria, and the UK and Germany on just ID cards or Drivers Licence.

That link doesn't support your claim at all.

You can't fly to Bulgaria or Germany from the UK without a passport. No chance.

Are you claiming you have?

[Ivo den Bieman]

when I drove to the Balkans three years ago, once I had shown my passport at Dover (the Frenhc have their passport control there) then the next time I had to show it was on the border between Slovenia and Croatia, which wasn't then in the EU. I crossed bits of France, all of Belgium and Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. It was a little unsettling at first with national borders being no more than English county borders on the M6.

It was great. The multiple paranoid border controls between all the Balkan countries made up for it though.

[Spain]

' That link doesn't support your claim at all.

You can't fly to Bulgaria or Germany from the UK without a passport. No chance.

Are you claiming you have?

No, but my girlfriend has (and I have been standing right beside her when she's done it).

You must still show a valid ID card or passport when travelling to or from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom. Though part of the EU, these countries do not belong to the border-free Schengen area. Before travelling, check what documents you must have to travel outside your home country and to enter the non Schengen EU country you plan to visit.

Lifted directly from that link, I've underlined the fact that a valid ID card is all you need. It doesn't have to be a passport when travelling to an EU country or a member of the Schengen area (with the exception of Swedish citizens actually).

[welshbairn]

No, but my girlfriend has (and I have been standing right beside her when she's done it).

Lifted directly from that link, I've underlined the fact that a valid ID card is all you need. It doesn't have to be a passport when travelling to an EU country or a member of the Schengen area (with the exception of Swedish citizens actually).

What nationality is your girlfriend? There's no such thing as a valid ID card issued in the UK (driving licenses don't work).

[~~~]

Don't you need a passport when flying for security purposes?

[cyderspaceman]

Also the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man both not in the UK.

Edited to add: the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not in the EU.

I worked in Jersey briefly and upset my local colleagues when I asked them why they supported England. With them not being English and all. (They are known as 'Jersey Beans' apparently.)

Neighbouring France would seem a better choice but they could choose anyone.

I suppose it's to their credit that they went for a diddy country thus displaying a lack of glory-hunting.

As has been said, UK nationals need a passport to exit the UK.

[Spain]

What nationality is your girlfriend? There's no such thing as a valid ID card issued in the UK (driving licenses don't work).

I was certain they did, but that's a fair point. For a while there I kinda forgot that she's Bulgarian and has a National ID Card. Fair enough, I hold my hands up, I got it wrong.

[Tight minge]

A good few years ago, not long after the CEE countries had joined Shengen, I was in Poland on business, my passport was in The Russian Embassy in Budapest getting a visa and I needed to fly to Spain urgently. Not having too much time to check into things, I decided to put things to the test and booked a flight to Spain and turned up at the airport in Poland with only my UK Driving Licence on the assumption if they sent me packing it was no loss (work trip). A little surprised they only gave a small glance and checked me on the flight and I was off to Spain. On the way back, I had a few more stern questions at check in in Spain, but eventually they let me through. However, while boarding I was stopped and had a considerable argument with the airline staff and security as a UK Driving licence is not a recognised form of National ID card (obviously). After a lot of 'heated debate' they let me fly and I reckon it was because it was a return flight and if they didn't let me fly it was going to look bad for the airline that I was only stopped on the return leg. So all in all you, you can't as others have said.

The best solution for frequent flyers and people who need frequent visas, have two passports, a privilege that is afforded to UK nationals (if your circumstances allow it).

[Hedgecutter]

The best solution for frequent flyers and people who need frequent visas, have two passports, a privilege that is afforded to UK nationals (if your circumstances allow it).

I take it that "I've got a nasty habit of getting pished on holiday and losing my passport on nights out, hence a spare for the hotel would be ace" is an acceptable reason?

Or is that the reason Brits are given that novelty in the first place?

[Tight minge]

I take it that "I've got a nasty habit of getting pished on holiday and losing my passport on nights out, hence a spare for the hotel would be ace" is an acceptable reason?

Or is that the reason Brits are given that novelty in the first place?

Personally I think thats a fair and reasonable reason.

[RealMaroon]

UK not joining up to the Shengen agreement smacks as a money making excersise IMO. They know fine well most Brits stay in Europe or closer by to Holiday and do not want to lose money on passport sales.

[Casual Bystander]

UK not joining up to the Shengen agreement smacks as a money making excersise IMO. They know fine well most Brits stay in Europe or closer by to Holiday and do not want to lose money on passport sales.

I think you'll find the UK not joining the Schengen Zone is down to petty politics, the xenophobic attitude of Middle England and the Daily Mail reading racists who stand on the coastline and wave their fists in the direction of every incoming ferry. It costs Britain considerably more to be outside of the zone.