Oh dear I think I'm screwed... (lost my drivers license)

Fionn MacCool · 04-12-2007 5:27pm #1

Basically I'm from London but I'm over in Galway for university. Back in March/April I lost my passport when I was out (had it for ID). It was an Irish one if that makes a difference.

So when I flew over here (RyanAir) in September I used my UK provisional driver's license as Photo ID upon check-in. However last Friday I managed to lose that too. Now I'm pretty much ****ed as far as I understand. I'm supposed to be flying home on Friday 7th but I have no photo ID other than my NUIG student card.

The only hope I have is the fact that I had a friend who flew over with Aerlingus from London to Dublin a few weeks ago for a funeral, and she doesn't drive nor does she have a passport - and amazingly they let her use a bus pass which is like a little bit of card with a photo stuck on it. Then again, she hadn't booked in advance or whatnot.

What can I do? Would I be able to get a passport photo signed by the Gards (I have my birth certificate and stuff) and be able to present that? I applied for an AgeCard back in ****ing September and haven't received that yet.

Help

rainbowtrout · 04-12-2007 5:33pm

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Basically I'm from London but I'm over in Galway for university. Back in March/April I lost my passport when I was out (had it for ID). It was an Irish one if that makes a difference.

So when I flew over here (RyanAir) in September I used my UK provisional driver's license as Photo ID upon check-in. However last Friday I managed to lose that too. Now I'm pretty much ****ed as far as I understand. I'm supposed to be flying home on Friday 7th but I have no photo ID other than my NUIG student card.

The only hope I have is the fact that I had a friend who flew over with Aerlingus from London to Dublin a few weeks ago for a funeral, and she doesn't drive nor does she have a passport - and amazingly they let her use a bus pass which is like a little bit of card with a photo stuck on it. Then again, she hadn't booked in advance or whatnot.

What can I do? Would I be able to get a passport photo signed by the Gards (I have my birth certificate and stuff) and be able to present that? I applied for an AgeCard back in ****ing September and haven't received that yet.

Help

take tomorrow or thursday off, and go to the British Embassy in Dublin, if you have the documentation they should be able to sort you out with a new passport. Don't know how it works but with the Irish Passport office if you are there first thing in the morning and it's an emergency they'll have it ready by the end of the day, i'm sure the British Embassy would do the same.
Give them a ring this evening and see what they say

United Kingdom
THe British Embassy
29 Merrion Rd
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 205 3700
Fax:01 205 3885
E.Mail: chancery.dublx@fco.gov.uk

Dave! · 04-12-2007 5:34pm

Contact the Embassy over there. They'll be able to issue you an emergency passport pronto. Should be able to get it by Friday.

markpb · 04-12-2007 5:36pm

You don't always need official ID flying between England and Ireland but some airlines might insist on it. If you want to get your English passport replaced, the UK embassy in Ballsbridge should be able to issue you with a temporary passport which will let you fly for a short amount amount of time. I've no idea what's involved in getting it, you're probably quicker ringing them.

This happened to my girlfriend in London last year but the embassy was closed over New Years so we ended up flying from London to Belfast (which required no ID, just a credit card with her name on it) and then getting the bus from Belfast to London. Perhaps you could try something similar if you're stuck.

sdanseo · 04-12-2007 5:37pm

He lost an Irish passport. Go to the passport office and get an emergency one, as detailed above.

Riskymove · 04-12-2007 5:38pm

You don't officialy need a passport to enter UK from IRL but most airlines will need some sort of official ID to let you board the plane

I think best bet is indeed travel from the North to UK

ShawnRaven · 04-12-2007 5:39pm

Similar happened me earlier this year when i was headed to Manchester, My passport expired RyanAir need it more for ID purposes than anything else. I still had my old one, i was able to get another one within three days, but you'll need to act fairly fast!

VR!

Riskymove · 04-12-2007 5:40pm

If its an Irish passport then they can issue a replacement one very quickly, within hours if you have proof of travel, i.e.tickets etc

http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/home/index.aspx?id=261

rainbowtrout · 04-12-2007 5:41pm

sdonn_1 wrote: »

He lost an Irish passport. Go to the passport office and get an emergency one, as detailed above.

Oops. Didn't read that properly. Ya go to Passport Office in Molesworth Street, Go to Garda station tonight and get all the forms filled etc. Be there for nine and bring the printout with flight details with you because they might not believe you otherwise, if you are not there in the morning they won't guarantee it will be ready that day

Fionn MacCool · 04-12-2007 5:49pm

I'm in Galway, is there anywhere I can go that's nearer than Dublin....

ShawnRaven · 04-12-2007 5:50pm

Better ring the passport office, you've about 10 minutes before it closes it's phones.
VR!

rainbowtrout · 04-12-2007 5:54pm

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

I'm in Galway, is there anywhere I can go that's nearer than Dublin....

There are only 2 passport offices in the country, Dublin and Cork, Cork only deals with Munster and seeing as you are living outside the country normally you would probably have to go to Dublin.

Fionn MacCool · 04-12-2007 5:58pm

As previously said, you don't need a passport to fly from Ireland to England - and I'd like to avoid the (I expect) hefty fees I'd have to pay for an emergency passport. I think I'll give RyanAir a call tomorrow and ask if there's anything else I can do or if they'll take my college card (seeing as there's no legal requirement for a specigic document AFAIK).

ShawnRaven · 04-12-2007 6:03pm

No you don't need a passport but you do need an official ID, and only two things really come into that category, a drivers licence or a passport. Student cards aren't accept i don't think as they're too easily forged.

VR!

rainbowtrout · 04-12-2007 6:03pm

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

As previously said, you don't need a passport to fly from Ireland to England - and I'd like to avoid the (I expect) hefty fees I'd have to pay for an emergency passport. I think I'll give RyanAir a call tomorrow and ask if there's anything else I can do or if they'll take my college card (seeing as there's no legal requirement for a specigic document AFAIK).

From Ryanair 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 by the government of a European Economic Area (EEA) country.

englander · 04-12-2007 6:18pm

If you need to get home and flying is ruled out, you could always go by ferry - do not need any ID.

rainbowtrout · 04-12-2007 6:26pm

englander wrote: »

If you need to get home and flying is ruled out, you could always go by ferry - do not need any ID.

well you do need ID, it just doesn't have to be a passport, a bank card would do, or i'm guessing the OPs birth cert would be fine too

Fionn MacCool · 04-12-2007 6:37pm

rainbowtrout wrote: »

well you do need ID, it just doesn't have to be a passport, a bank card would do, or i'm guessing the OPs birth cert would be fine too

Ferry is kidna out of the question... I'd have to pay for travel to Rosslare and then from Wales to London. Apart from the cost of that (plus the ferry) it would take aaaaaages.

Santa Claus · 04-12-2007 6:43pm

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

I'm in Galway, is there anywhere I can go that's nearer than Dublin....

You don't have to. The common travel area link is still in place between Ireland and the UK. It's Ryanair that choose to insist you need a driving licence or passport. Simply get a flight with aer arran or aer lingus and they'll accept alternate ID.

EDIT - Have you got a USIT card (if they're even still called that) or an official college ID with a photo. If so then Aer Arann and Aer Lingus will accept those for travel to the UK.

Moral of the story, get one of those Garda ID's for proving age and don't bring your passport out with you !

Fionn MacCool · 04-12-2007 7:14pm

Santa Claus wrote: »

Have you got a USIT card (if they're even still called that) or an official college ID with a photo. If so then Aer Arann and Aer Lingus will accept those for travel to the UK.

No idea what a USIT card is, but I have my NUI Galway ID card which has a photo on it.

Moral of the story, get one of those Garda ID's for proving age and don't bring your passport out with you !

I sent off for an AgeCard (Garda ID) in September, it's supposed to take 6-8 weeks. ****ing joke so it is.

Fionn MacCool · 04-12-2007 7:22pm

Do you know *for certain* that Aer Lingus will take college ID? There's a flight on Friday for only €30 incl taxes.... only trouble is it leaves at 7.40 so I'd have to be in Shannon for about 6am!! I don't think Bus Eireann even start that early! The flight after that is 100 euro which isn't the end of the world, but I'll ring RyanAir first and see if they'd be lenient...

04-12-2007 8:22pm

If you fly out from Dublin you can get a Nestorlink bus at 1:45am that will get you there by 5

Thats if you want to get an early morning flight, theres another one at 5 am that will you get you there by 9

Just in case you'd be stuck for buses

Actually Aer Arann have a flight from Galway to London Luton on the 7th of December at 7:15 that would get you there by 9 for 55euro19cent (without taxes)

Santa Claus · 04-12-2007 8:54pm

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

No idea what a USIT card is, but I have my NUI Galway ID card which has a photo on it.

They're the Student travel agency and issue the International Student Card in Ireland. They have a shop on Mary Street in Galway so check with them.

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Do you know *for certain* that Aer Lingus will take college ID? There's a flight on Friday for only €30 incl taxes.... only trouble is it leaves at 7.40 so I'd have to be in Shannon for about 6am!! I don't think Bus Eireann even start that early! The flight after that is 100 euro which isn't the end of the world, but I'll ring RyanAir first and see if they'd be lenient...

Don't expect any leniancy from Ryanair. As for whether Aer Lingus will accept ID, ring them and ask.

MarkR · 04-12-2007 9:23pm

From aer lingus site..

Travel between Ireland and the UK or UK Domestic travel

* Irish passengers travelling to the U.K. or within the UK are not required to carry their passport however it is still required to bring either a passport or some form of official photo identification when travelling to or within the U.K. You will often have to produce your passport when registering at hotels or cashing travellers cheques.

Pull the finger out and get on the phone to find out what they deem official. Failing that you'll need a new passport or Drivers licence.

tbh · 04-12-2007 9:47pm

Why don't you just ring them?

KamiKazi · 04-12-2007 11:21pm

markpb wrote: »

You don't always need official ID flying between England and Ireland but some airlines might insist on it.

ditto, just ring the airline to make sure

Fionn MacCool · 05-12-2007 5:59pm

Just rang RyanAir and they won't take anything else, so that's them out of the question.

On the phone to AerLingus now, listening to loads of automated ****e....

CONCLUSION: AerLingus said they'd take "basically any form of ID" including my college card. RyanAir are ****e and won't take anything but drivers license/passport. Why they can't take my NUI card and AerLingus can I don't know, but it's probably because they're a clowns airline.

I'm gonna get a Saturday flight for €32 which isn't too bad - although my parents will still be pissed off no doubt!

Mr. Incognito · 05-12-2007 6:30pm

I'm in Galway, is there anywhere I can go that's nearer than Dublin....

You lazy bastard, no wonder you lost your passport. Where are you flying from? Please say Dublin.....please

Fionn MacCool · 05-12-2007 6:50pm

SetantaL wrote: »

You lazy bastard, no wonder you lost your passport. Where are you flying from? Please say Dublin.....please

It's hardly lazy - I had an exam this afternoon and an exam tomorrow morning so I wouldn't have had time to get there.

And I'm (hopefully) flying from Shannon. Why 'please say Dublin'?

rainbowtrout · 05-12-2007 7:40pm

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Just rang RyanAir and they won't take anything else, so that's them out of the question.

On the phone to AerLingus now, listening to loads of automated ****e....

CONCLUSION: AerLingus said they'd take "basically any form of ID" including my college card. RyanAir are ****e and won't take anything but drivers license/passport. Why they can't take my NUI card and AerLingus can I don't know, but it's probably because they're a clowns airline.

I'm gonna get a Saturday flight for €32 which isn't too bad - although my parents will still be pissed off no doubt!

They won't take your NUI ID card (and rightly so) because they can be easily faked. My brother used to work making cards for new first years in UL and he has loads of fake UL IDs.... whether you like it or not you are visiting a different country and while there exists an agreement that allows people to travel between Britain and Ireland without a passport (for now), the airlines do not have to comply with this. They have to have security measures in place and if anyone can get onto a plane without some form of proper ID, it would make the whole system a farce.

It is still completely possible to go to Dublin get a passport on Friday and get an evening flight or one the next morning, but that's up to you if you actually want to get a passport. Think your parents will be more annoyed that you managed to lose your passport and driving licence rather than the change of flight.

Fionn MacCool · 05-12-2007 9:08pm

But that means I could turn up to the check-in desk with my birth cert, college card with photo ID, bank cards with my name on, passport photos signed by the Gards as being me and they still wouldn't let me take my flight - desptie the fact that I'm obviously who I say I am. Bearing in mind AerLingus will accept just my NUI card I fail to see what RyanAir's problem is.

Oh dear I think I'm screwed... (lost my drivers license)

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