If your neighbour is going on a compulsory work related meeting the cost of the passport could be covered by their place of work. I know I worked at a company that did this. I would suggest your neighbour talk to the relevant people at work.
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Ty Mawr - March
Hurley Riverside Park - May
Quote: Originally posted by MikeJ on 27/8/2012In theory you actually only have to prove you are a British national to travel freely within the EU. This is easily done with a passport BUT a full UK birth certificate would technically suffice. I say technically because in reality you try and get across any border with checkpoints and you will be refused. You have the right to cross but technically they can stop you passage for the slightest reason.
Having a UK birth certificate doesn't make you British.
Anyone born after 1982(when the law changed) can only proove they are British by having a British passport or providing their parents birth certificates.(showing their place of births)
Children born here to parents of other nationalities have British birth certificates (because they have to be registered here) but that doesn't make them British. They would be able to apply to become British Citizens if their parents were applying or met certain immigration rules.
I once used my driving licence to cross from Holland into Belgium, because I had stupidly left my passport in a holdall buried in the boot of the car. I think it was because they really didn't want us holding everyone up while we unloaded and reloaded the car to get at it though!
I think confusion arises because so many EU countries have ID cards virtually indistinguishable from the photocard bit of a driving licence. They permit travel anywhere in the EU. I've even had job centre staff try and tell me that they're not valid as proof of ID, because "it's just a driving licence".
Passports were always needed to RETURN, not to leave. However, since governments started fining airlines for bringing in illegals, the airlines have started to insist that you have all the correct documentation (passport and visa if necessary) you need to enable you to LEAVE the destination airport. I'm retired now, but when working my company alwayspaid for mine because it was essential that I could travel for my job, so you could probably expense it.
I take on board everything that has been said here. I know when I have driven abroad, I have just crossed boarders and never battered an eyelid. I guess if we didnt have to cross the channel, we probably wouldnt require passports in the way that we do at the moment. We will only be buying passports when we have made a final decision that we are going abroad, but its one more expense on top of your holiday cost. Now if these lottery numbers come up tonight, it will be a different story altogether.lol.
As for my neighbour, well, he could come back as an illegal imigrant I suppose, and get better thought of by this government (somebody drag down off my soap box please)
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Fat people are harder to kidnap
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Quote: Originally posted by martin2410 on 29/8/2012I take on board everything that has been said here. I know when I have driven abroad, I have just crossed boarders and never battered an eyelid. I guess if we didnt have to cross the channel, we probably wouldnt require passports in the way that we do at the moment.
That's because, as mentioned above, the UK never signed the Schengen agreement, so even if we didn't have to cross the Channel but we were physically bordering say France, we would still have to show the passport to the French on the way out, and to the British on the way back in. All the other Western European countries (and some of the Eastern ones) signed this agreement, which means that once in the Continent you can cross borders without having to go through customs, unless your are flying between them, due to airlines rules.
Quote: Originally posted by smashing69 on 31/8/2012It would be great if the UK joined the Schengen?
Not sure... It would be great for a tourist I suppose, but it would also be great for any illegal who for some reason has had enough of Spain/Germany/Italy/France etc and decides to try his/her luck in the UK...
Maybe a National ID would be a better alternative? I'm Italian and use my ID to travel within Europe, including to and from the UK. It costs about 5 euros to renew it every 5 years, so until I'll be in a position to travel further afield in the future, this is saving me lots of money on a passport!
My passport is in the process of being renewed - but if the saving is only £5 it doesn't make a huge different to the cost of £77!
Also when we've traveled via Eurotunnel we've always been ssked for our passports at Border Control.
Quote: Originally posted by Xantippe on 28/8/2012
French law says that you need to carry an identity card or your passport at all times.
Spanish law is the same. I wonder how many people pop down to the beach without theirs? 999/1000 if asked to produce your passport (in law it should actually be the original) in Spain you politely inform the police that you were instructed by the hotel to keep your passport safe in the room but you have a photocopy they will accept the photocopy. Get stroppy with them and you can find yourself in trouble. Don't know what the French official view would be on photocopies for everyday use (ie, whilst walking around shops etc)
------------- It'll work out in the end!!!!
I didn't do it !! Nobody saw me do it !! You can't prove anything !!
I've been to Spain 2-3 time a year for years now and have only ever been asked for my passport by the hotel or campsite on check-in.
Might be different for spaniards but I'm pretty sure they aren't going to risk the tourist industry by enforcing that.
I'll message a couple of friends though to get the Spanish opinion and see what they say.
------------- Dogs die in hot cars!
They also die if you leave them in the freezer.
Please keep your dogs at room temperature!
. My friend said you have to have ID when driving and she needed ID to register a new sim card.
She's never been asked for ID by the police though in 25yrs of living there. She's not even heard of anyone carrying it either. Suggested it might be a leftover law from years back
------------- Dogs die in hot cars!
They also die if you leave them in the freezer.
Please keep your dogs at room temperature!
Well I don't have a passport due to the costs. However from reading the above it appears I can leave the country and then on my return because I have no documentation I will be classed as trying to enter illegally. Wonder if this means we will finally be given a council house
------------- If you see a family struggling to put up the tent then it must be us!
Quote: Originally posted by smashing69 on 31/8/2012
It would be great if the UK joined the Schengen?
It would be a sensible idea. Our reason for not joining Schengen is because we continue to rely on the 'island fortress' method of controlling entry to the UK, ie border control, which clearly does not work that well anymore. European countries rely on documentation being carried to prove on demand that you are entitled to be in that country with fairly swift removal if you are not.
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Topic: No passport.
