Can I travel to the Republic of Ireland from the UK without a passport?
I've searched on the net, and I'm getting mixed answers. Some sites saying "You don't need a passport, a form of identification (ie: driving license) is fine", and others saying "You need a passport".
I'm living in England (south west) and I wish to travel to Dublin (Ireland) in 2 weeks time. I've realised my passport is out of date and most likely I won't get an updated/renewed one before November 11th - which is when I am to travel to Dublin.
- To travel by air, would I need a valid passport or would another form of identification be fine?
- To travel by sea, would that be the same answer as to travel by air?
My confusion comes from Brexit (the UK coming out of Europe).
Best Answer
You may be lucky and not need it, depending on your route and travel mode. But the safest is to travel with a passport, even if you are an Irish or UK citizen. A better-than-nothing option is to at least have a national ID card if you are an EU citizen as it's accepted in EU countries, including The Republic of Ireland, but the UK is no longer required or expected to accept it.
Note that the Common Travel Area is intended for Irish and UK citizens:
Common Travel Area rights can only be exercised by citizens of Ireland and the UK. If you are not a citizen of Ireland or the UK, you cannot exercise Common Travel Area rights.
For example, having a valid visa for the UK, technically does not mean that one can travel freely to Ireland. They also say:
There are no routine passport controls in operation for Irish and UK citizens travelling between the 2 countries.
However, you must show identification to board a ferry or an airplane, and some airlines and sea carriers only accept a passport as valid identification. You may also be asked by an immigration officer to prove that you are a citizen of Ireland or the UK, so you should carry a passport with you. You can also use an Irish passport card, or other proof that you are an Irish citizen.
In practice this means that if your form of identification is accepted for you to get on a plane from the UK to Ireland, and the plane takes you to a disembarking point where only travelers from the UK are expected, there may not be a border control at all. The reality of some airports is that sometimes travelers may be all lumped together from different flights, which means they all have go through passport control to enter the country.
Pictures about "Can I travel to the Republic of Ireland from the UK without a passport?"
How do I travel from UK to Ireland without a passport?
Border control and the Common Travel Area. There are no routine passport controls in operation for Irish and UK citizens travelling between the 2 countries. However, you must show identification to board a ferry or an airplane, and some airlines and sea carriers only accept a passport as valid identification.Can you get into Ireland without a passport?
It is compulsory for all passengers (including babies) to have their own valid passport or officially recognised European Union I.D. card when travelling to and from Ireland or France. In some cases, a visa may also be required. If you are driving a vehicle you will also need a valid driving licence.Can I fly from UK to Dublin without a passport?
Ireland and the UK are part of the Common Travel Area (CTA), which means Irish and UK citizens can travel freely between the two countries without a passport. However, all airlines require some form of ID and most airlines do require that you have a valid passport for travel.Do you need a passport from UK to Ireland by ferry?
Irish Ferries recommends all passengers bring a passport with them. Irish and British citizens do not strictly require a passport to travel between the two countries, but some form of (photo) identification is however required.Can you travel from Northern Ireland to England without a passport?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ethan Wilkinson, Marcin Jozwiak, Leah Kelley, Pixabay