Passports - Are they illegal to carry around?

TouchingVirus

Just a question that popped up elsewhere and has me curious...

Under what law would carrying an Irish passport on your person (you being Irish) be illegal? And the same for a colour photocopy of your passport?. I've searched but I can't find any material relating to this.

Maximilian

What makes you think either is illegal?

TouchingVirus

I went into a Garda station before with a colour photocopy and they gave me a signed, stamped B&W copy and kept the colour one, telling me I shouldn't be carrying it around.

EdgarAllenPoo

All passport photos are now black and white. It's to do with those new biometric things. Or so I'm told.

dermot_sheehan

nothing illegal with carrying around a passport

Victor

Their concern might have been that it was a colour copy. There is of course the matter of falsifying an ID or 'uttering it so'.

johnnyskeleton

TouchingVirus wrote: »

I went into a Garda station before with a colour photocopy and they gave me a signed, stamped B&W copy and kept the colour one, telling me I shouldn't be carrying it around.

Sorry, I think I misread your post - you went in with a colour photocopy or the actual passport?

TouchingVirus

Speaking from personal experience, I went into the Garda Station with a colour photocopy to be stamped and signed and was given a black & white one in return and told that colour photocopies are illegal.

I have heard from other sources though that carrying one around (if you're Irish) while in Ireland is against the law - I was just wondering what law because I couldn't find any

cushtac

Out of curiosity, why did you want the Gardai to stamp a copy of your passport?

johnfás

cushtac wrote: »

Out of curiosity, why did you want the Gardai to stamp a copy of your passport?

People do that regular. For example I know someone who was applying to a university abroad and they needed several original or verified copies of certain documentation. Though the passport was not explicitly required, given that most students don't receive the same number of utility bills and so on as other members of society it was a natural choice to use for this person. They obviously did not want to send their passport off in the post so they photocopied it and got the Gardaí to stamp and sign the copy for verification purposes.

johnfás

TouchingVirus wrote: »

I have heard from other sources though that carrying one around (if you're Irish) while in Ireland is against the law - I was just wondering what law because I couldn't find any

I highly doubt that is true. I mean how is it enforceable? Do you have to prove that you are on your way to the airport en route to leaving the country in order for it to be permissible to have your passport on you? Seems very far fetched.

AceofSpades001

I can't think of any reason why having a passport on you would be illegal. Maybe if you were under investigation in a criminal matter or being charged but then wouldn't your passport be seized? It's probably just not advisable to carry it around as a form of ID, it's a pain losing them and after you lose two you can be issued a passport with limited validity i.e. a 2 year passport instead of a 10 year one. Haven't a clue why colour and black and white has anything to do with the legality of the copy.