flying on a driving licence

[DangerousMike]

I am traveling to Ireland (republic) tomorrow, however I have left my passport 300 miles away. The email I have from the airline says that a driving licence is a valid form of photo ID for this journey. I can't find any other websites with this info on.

Has anyone flown from the UK to ROI using their driving licence as ID rather than a passport?

am contemplating a 600 mile round trip in the car today...

[Eric Mc]

How about an express courier - it might work out cheaper.

[Tuscan Tart]

It should be OK, I've not flown to Ireland, but often fly to Jersey with just my driving licence. HTH.

[DangerousMike]

unfortunately its locked in a drawer in my locked house with nobody in it, 300 miles away.

its these e-tickets... If I'd had to pack a real ticket I clearly would have also packed my passport..

[Finlandia]

Jersey is more or less a part of the UK, ROI isn't. UK and ROI aren't part of the Schengen area, within which you can travel with only a national photo ID.

It's possible that you do not need a passport for your trip, I wouldn't bet on it though.

[DangerousMike]

there are a lot of other agreements between UK and ROI though, and I could see easier travel between the two being one of them...

from the airline website:

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 either by the government of a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.

[Finlandia]

DangerousMike said:

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.

Erm, not trying to sound like an arse, but why do you need to ask?
That tells you exactly what you need to know.

Edited to add smiley, for emotional reasons

Edited by Finlandia on Friday 26th December 10:10

[SS HSV]

If the weather is ok, book a passenger express courier. Branson used to do these a while ago, and I booked one to take me into London to meet with a client. They used a Honda Pan European, the rider was an advanced rider who was ex police, and he got me from Maidenhead to Leicester Sq. in one hour

It wasn't particularly cheap or expensive (£70 one way, and a cab would have charged £50), but it got the job done and I was on-time.

This isnt the company I used but you get the idea..

http://www.passengerbikes.com/

[just me]

Driving license is perfectly acceptable. Just like it says. No need to stress.

[DangerousMike]

it says its fine, but I was hoping for people who had done it to confirm that it was indeed possible. I don't want to get to the airport and get turned away...

I don't know how often the website is updated, if the person at the check-in desk is feeling grumpy, etc. etc.

[Eric Mc]

Finlandia said:

Jersey is more or less a part of the UK, ROI isn't. UK and ROI aren't part of the Schengen area, within which you can travel with only a national photo ID.

It's possible that you do not need a passport for your trip, I wouldn't bet on it though.

Jersey ISN'T part of the UK (neither "more" nor "less"). It is an independent "bailiwick" with its own laws and taxes. It is not even in the EU so the general EU waiving of passport rules do not officially apply to trips to any of the Channel Islands. However, as far as the UK airlines are concerned, it is treated as a "domestic" route.

A flight to the Republic of Ireland is technically an international, cross border, journey. However, RofI IS in the EU so, technically, it COULD be undertaken without a passport. Certainly, the one possible land journey from the UK (Northern Ireland) to the Republic does not require any passport or other checks.

HOWEVER, even though passports are not required LEGALLY for journeys from the UK to the Irish Republic, most airlines request that a passport be presented for SECURITY and ID reasons. Therefore, if you have a photo ID driver's licence, they MIGHT accept this instead of a passport. The problem is that they may not.
It can vary from airline to airline - and you may even find that the ID checker at the desk is free to exercise his/her own decision on what constitutes a valid ID.

[DangerousMike]

exactly... my driving license photo ID is nearly 10 years old... (though so is my passport). I look quite different now...

I want to make sure that once I get to the airport I can get on the plane...

[Simpo Two]

Eric Mc said:

How about an express courier - it might work out cheaper.

You mean the OP puts himself in a box and posts himself to Ireland?

[Eric Mc]

Liike Tom Hanks in "Castaway"?

He might end up standed on Rockall with just a football for company.

[Finlandia]

Eric Mc said:

Like Tom Hanks in "Castaway"?

I guess it's not much better ending up like Tom Hanks in Terminal?

Jersey is like Åland in Finland then, not belonging anywhere but not independent either, and not part of the EU, but still a "domestic" island.
Nordic countries have an agreement for their citizens, no passports needed and you can live in any of the Nordic countries, sort of like UK and ROI then as well.

Talking about age of photo ID, my Finnish drivers licence was issued when I was 18, and it is valid to the day I turn 70, somehow I doubt I'll look the same as the photo on it by then.

[Mk2 Jim]

You'll be fine on a driving licence.
I flew my Mrs and her family out to Ireland when there was a sudden death of a relation over there.
After booking said flights my brother in law realised his passport had expired.
He flew on his UK photocard licence no problems.
HTH

[cambiker71]

Yes, a driving license is fine to travel to Ireland, used mine several times.

[fflyingdog]

If i were you mate i would really try to get my passport because pound to a dollar you wont get on with your driving license(Dependant on who you are flying with company policy etc),the UK driving license is so easily forged and alot of airlines will not accept it,i know for sure that my airline will not under any circumstances accept a driving license as a valid form of ID.

Edited by fflyingdog on Friday 26th December 11:59

[Eric Mc]

Finlandia said:

Eric Mc said:

Like Tom Hanks in "Castaway"?

I guess it's not much better ending up like Tom Hanks in Terminal?

Jersey is like Åland in Finland then, not belonging anywhere but not independent either, and not part of the EU, but still a "domestic" island.
Nordic countries have an agreement for their citizens, no passports needed and you can live in any of the Nordic countries, sort of like UK and ROI then as well.

Talking about age of photo ID, my Finnish drivers licence was issued when I was 18, and it is valid to the day I turn 70, somehow I doubt I'll look the same as the photo on it by then.

The Channel Islands have a very odd relationship with the UK. They are more of a protectorate.

Since the 26 counties of Ireland broke away from the UK in 1921, citizens of that part of Ireland (initially called the Irish Free State amd eventually the Irish Republic) have been allowed more or less pretty free access to the UK and have been given automatic rights of residency in the UK. Most of those rights have been reciprocated by the Irish Republic to UK citizens.

When both countries joined the EU in 1973, these mutual rights were further solidified.

[TommyTT]

It really depends on which airline you are flying with. Ryanair do not accept a driving license as a valid form of ID.