Travelling in Europe without a passport

I thought I’d try and treat my wife with a weekend away and it would be nice to go somewhere other than the UK for a change. Unfortunately, her passport is expired and she’s not filled out the renewal yet.

Is it possible to travel to the EU, specifically Germany or France, without a valid passport using other photo ID?

Theoretically yes, but I wouldn’t want to try it in practice.

You can get a passport in half a day:

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

£138 though

within europe no sweat.

getting out or into the uk – id expect trouble.

Go by yourself,but take lots of pictures,and buy a nice pressie,you could be cheeky and ask her to take you too the airport. 😉

Theoretically no, the problem with, for example, a driving licence is that it is only valid in the country it is issued as identity. Within Schengen you don’t need to worry but the UK isn’t in Schengen.

how soon do you want to go?
I renewed recently, took less than 2 weeks. It has a stated turnaround of 3.

In theory you don’t need it to exit or enter the UK or for travelling within the EU. But it’s nigh on impossible to buy a ticket or get through customs without one. Airports require you to have one to board a plane to confirm you are the ticket holder.

Makes no sense. Without her reapplying there will be no surprise get away. Sorry.

Within Schengen you don’t need to worry but the UK isn’t in Schengen.

This is correct.

I had a similar issue. Phoned up the French embassy and the woman said in a think French accent ‘of course not, do you think we would let just anybody in!‘

Isle of Man and/or Ireland, by ferry? (I’m assuming airlines like some kind of ID)

Went to Europe last weekend, the woman in front of me had some sort of photocard thing instead of a passport. No idea what it was though.

Airport security has tightened up somewhat since I flew last. In my 42 years on this Earth, I can honestly say that it’s the first time another man has grabbed my willy.

do what my mates did when one of their group lost a passport just before going to the alps, go through the chunnel in the boot of the car….

Next weekend? I need to burn three days of carry-over holiday that I have left by the end of March and this is the last opportunity to use them for something decent.

I doubt she’d be up for spending time at the local passport office. Our’s is in Peterborough and ’tis a proper shithole.

sort of photocard thing instead of a passport

national ID card is fine for travel within EU (at least for EU and/or EEA citizens)

So go to Kings Lynn if she can’t be arsed getting a passport.

That photocard was probably an EU identity card, Cougar. You don’t have those in the UK. The idea of someone being able to travel on most French photo ID apart for the ID card is not realistic. My driving licence is on pink paper, the adresse hasn’t been valid for 13 years and the photo looks more like my son with a beard – there’s no obligation update it.

iolo, I like my wife and want to treat her. If I’d wanted to get rid of her, or make her hate me I might follow your advice.

Cougar – Moderator

Airport security has tightened up somewhat since I flew last. In my 42 years on this Earth, I can honestly say that it’s the first time another man has grabbed my willy.

Try working in Holland for 6 months, flying home every weekend out of Amsterdam. They sure do like their latex gloves in Schiphol. 😯

So much for “don’t leave town until you have seen the country”.

Take her to some super posh castle in the Scottish Highlands with spa treatments, posh romantic dinners and a decent whisky selection. Women like that kind of thing.

Have been to Ireland without a passport with no issues. Or how about the Channel Islands or Scilly?

You do have to update your driving licence photo, every 10 years. The licence might not expire, but the photo does.

rwc03 – Member
You can get a passport in half a day:

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

£138 though
Cheap! Up to about £200 so far and the forms haven’t got to Liverpool yep. Still the value is there when you call the consulate and get to speak to people who were taught to speak proper 🙂

I was close to making a 3 day return trip to the UK last week to use the 1 day service

Yeah, national ID cards are accepted as alternatives to passport of some countries, by some countries. UK doesn’t have a national ID card.

“You do have to update your driving licence photo, every 10 years. The licence might not expire, but the photo does. “

unless its french ?

You do have to update your driving licence photo, every 10 years. The licence might not expire, but the photo does.

I’m still on the old paper licence. If they need to know what I look like they have to look at my face, it’s always up-to-date.

We have never had to show ours when going through the tunnel to France. Never had to show it on the Alps crossings. Always had to show them at the tunnel on the way back. Work friend left theirs in the room safe at Euro Disney, got back to crossing and took them six hours and a lot of hassle before they were allowed back in the country without them. Passports were cancelled and they had to buy new ones.

In my 42 years on this Earth, I can honestly say that it’s the first time another man has grabbed my willy

You haven’t lived Cougar 😉

You won’t be allowed on the outbound flight without a valid UK passport to return, unless you’re flying to Ireland. Parents got caught out like this as they hadn’t realise their passports expired the year before.

getting out or into the uk – id expect trouble.

stw in poor punctuation produces amusing results shocker
unless it was deliberate in which case applause is due

Cheers for all the replies. I had suggested heading somewhere like Manchester or Liverpool, but the travelling (i.e. my driving) would be a bar to that. For some reason, the short drive to Stanstead and flight to somewhere like Berlin would be a better option for her than five hours in a car somewhere else in the UK.

Maybe it’s my driving.

Anyway, London is looking likely.

So get her to apply for another passport now for the next ho;iday.
Fill the form online. They post it back to you. Get an up to date picture taken. Pay the fee. You get a passport.
It won’t take long and she can go wherever her heart desires.

You can fly to Guernsey/Jersey without a passport, just a recognised photo id, drivers license does the trick.

I got a passport in 4 hours last year.

Was flying on a Tuesday, looked out my passport on Sunday, its expiry date was Monday. Phoned the emergency number for the passport office, got an appointment at 8:30 on Monday morning, had the passport by 12pm.

Cost a few quid more than normal but was a lot cheaper than a cancelled holiday