Eurolines from Waterford to Cardiff

Kotek Besar

We need to travel on the Eurolines bus from Waterford to Cardiff in about a week's time. Problem is, we've no passports..

There are three of us - my wife, my baby son and myself. My wife is a Singapore citizen, I'm a British citizen, and my son is a citizen of Ireland, Singapore and the UK. We've lived in Ireland for about 2 1/2 years. My son was born in Waterford early this year.

We lost our passports during a very recent holiday in England. We managed to fly back from Birmingham to Waterford using our work's issued photo ID (our baby had no ID at all). The airline let us fly, but Waterford immigration needed a little convincing to allow us all back in to Ireland (quite rightly so, don't get me wrong). New passports have since been applied for, but I don't think we'll receive them in time to go to Cardiff.

Now, we'll be buying a car from Cardiff (that's the purpose of the trip), and I plan to bring it back using the Stranraer - Belfast route, to avoid a repeat of the hassle we had flying to Waterford recently.

Question is, when we take the Eurolines bus from Ireland to Britain, will we encounter any difficulties? I intend to take my birth certificate and my son's birth certificate, which each confirm that we are both citizens of the UK / Ireland. For my wife, she has her Garda issued residence card, which bears her photo and, of course, confirmation of her right of residence in Ireland. In addition, I will be taking photocopies of all the lost passports of all three of us (lucky I made photocopies before losing them). I also have a photocopy of our marriage cert.

I know from experience of flying from Ireland to Britain, that UK airports do not monitor arrivals from Ireland. I wonder, is this the same when arriving by sea? Will we have problems boarding the coach in Waterford / ferry in Rosslare?

Many thanks to all, and apologies if this is the wrong section, wasn't really sure.

Kotek Besar

*bump*

Anyone?

minxie

passports needed on entrance to uk. no exeptions

Kotek Besar

minxie1 wrote: »

passports needed on entrance to uk. no exeptions

That's rather a blanket and inaccurate statement. Passports are not required at all for British and Irish citizens traveling between the two countries. Also, in practice, no passport checks are made on any passengers arriving by air in to the UK from Ireland.

But thanks for your contribution anyway.. :rolleyes:

minxie

benifa wrote: »

That's rather a blanket and inaccurate statement. Passports are not required at all for British and Irish citizens traveling between the two countries. Also, in practice, no passport checks are made on any passengers arriving by air in to the UK from Ireland.

But thanks for your contribution anyway.. :rolleyes:

fair point. but was coming from an identification point of view

Ponster

benifa wrote: »

Also, in practice, no passport checks are made on any passengers arriving by air in to the UK from Ireland.

Not 100% true. Fly into East Midlands from Ireland and you won't get into the country without a passport. I really think that for such an important trip and Boards is not a place to be getting advice from

I've taken the ferry 4 times from Cork/Rosslare and never needed a passport to enter Wales.

Kotek Besar

Ponster wrote: »

Not 100% true. Fly into East Midlands from Ireland and you won't get into the country without a passport..

But I have flown in to East Mids from Shannon, many times. Incoming flights from ROI are treated as domestic - you just walk out. Occasionally, immigration officers may carry out sporadic checks, but the fact remains that the Common Travel Area that exists in the British Islands and Ireland, furnishes British and Irish citizens with the right to travel among the CTA without the need for a passport.

It can be argued though, that since the onus is on the individual to satisfy an immigration officer (where required) that he is indeed a British or Irish citizen, one may find themselves in a position where they need to carry a passport to prove to the authorities that they are not required to carry one!

Back to the original topic, third country nationals always need a passport to enter Ireland or the UK (or national ID cards, in the case of EU citizens). My question is, in practice, when you board the Eurolines bus / ferry at Rosslare, does anyone check that you have the correct documentation to enter the UK?

jjbrien

I would not even contemplate what you are thinking of doing. Firstly she needs a passport to enter the UK if she is caught without a passprt she can be detained in an immigration center until they can get her a new passprt from the goverment of singapore. Also the guards have stepped up thier checks and now are doing spot checks at the boarder so I would not chance this. My advise get ur passports sorted out and then go.

Kotek Besar

jjbrien wrote: »

I would not even contemplate what you are thinking of doing. Firstly she needs a passport to enter the UK if she is caught without a passprt she can be detained in an immigration center until they can get her a new passprt from the goverment of singapore.

Well not quite. Worst case scenario would be deportation back to Ireland. Though in reality EU legislation would prevent this (specifically, Directive 2004/38/EC).

jjbrien wrote: »

Also the guards have stepped up thier checks and now are doing spot checks at the boarder so I would not chance this.

On departing passengers? Are you sure? Even Dublin airport don't check outbound passengers, and there really isn't any point.

To reiterate, I'm only looking for input regarding the practicalities of taking the bus to Britain. Specifically, when and where are you "checked", and by who?

bittihuduga

2 years back when I took a bus to UK via Dublin port, I was checked for identification at holyhead. I had my passport with me so no problem. Hope that helps.

TheDriver

One other point, and not to sound bad but I presume your wife doesn't look Irish and if they want to check passports, they would probably ask her first?
To be honest, its a gamble and no one here can answer definitely, depends on the day and how the customs are feeling. Also remember you may want to come back to Ireland and have troubles?

Kotek Besar

TheDriver wrote: »

..I presume your wife doesn't look Irish..

Depends what an Irish person looks like I suppose.

Ok, I know what you mean though. And it's a problem certainly that non-caucasian naturalised Irish (and to a lesser extent British) citizens face, sadly. But that goes back to my point, that British / Irish citizens who may not be ethnically Irish or British, may end up having to show their passport when traveling between the two islands, to evidence the fact that they don't need to carry a passport at all (in accordance with the Common Travel Area arrangement).

I digress. I do agree with you also, that it depends how vigilant the GNIB representatives are on the day (customs have nothing to do with immigration). Saying that, I'd be very surprised if the GNIB are interested in departing passengers at all. They certainly are not at the airports (Dublin, Cork, Shannon etc.). Even Heathrow airport do not monitor or check outbound passengers.

I appreciate everyone's input here. I'm not concerned with the legality of my wife crossing the pond sans passport, EU law is on our side in that case. What I am concerned with, is the bus driver in Waterford or other staff in Rosslare, who are likely to be unfamiliar with the applicable EU legislation (understandably) and deny our boarding.

We've driven our car to and from Britain via Rosslare-Fishgaurd before, and never been asked for ID once. I just wonder if taking Eurolines is different; are Eurolines / Stenaline staff required to check (and do they practice checking) for passengers' ID?

TheDriver

I travelled with them 10 years ago (i know, long time!), was checked coming back in Rosslare, not in UK. Officially, you need your passport, anything less is luck

Kotek Besar

TheDriver wrote: »

I travelled with them 10 years ago (i know, long time!), was checked coming back in Rosslare, not in UK. Officially, you need your passport, anything less is luck

Thanks, TheDriver. This is similar to air travel then, whereby UK airports do not check for ID on inbound flights from ROI, however ROI airports do check for ID on inbound flights from the UK.

By the way, officially British and Irish citizens are not required to carry a passport when traveling between the British Islands and Ireland.

whiterebel

I went via Bus to London in May. The coach was emptied in Fishguard, and all occupants had to produce ID to immigration. I didn't have any - Didn't think it was required TBH, so a fruity 5 or 10 minutes was spent with that officer.
Back in ireland Garda looked at me too, but you could hardly mistake the accent. In short, minimum now needed is a form of photo ID such as Driver's licence or passport.

Eurolines will drop you in the middle of bloody nowhere for the Cardiff drop, by the way.

Every UK airport I have gone through in the last couple of years checks for Ids, Inbound and out.

John R

whiterebel wrote: »

I went via Bus to London in May. The coach was emptied in Fishguard, and all occupants had to produce ID to immigration. I didn't have any - Didn't think it was required TBH, so a fruity 5 or 10 minutes was spent with that officer.
Back in ireland Garda looked at me too, but you could hardly mistake the accent. In short, minimum now needed is a form of photo ID such as Driver's licence or passport.

That is the standard procedure for coach passengers in both directions. Passengers are driven off the ferry and then required to walk through the customs/immigration check area before re-boarding the coach.

You will not be asked for documentation by Bus Eireann/Eurolines/Stena Line staff although AFAIR you are asked (or agree in the booking documentation) to declare that you are legally allowed to enter the country you are going to.

whiterebel wrote: »

Eurolines will drop you in the middle of bloody nowhere for the Cardiff drop, by the way.

That is right, the stop is at a motorway services on the outskirts of the city.

whiterebel wrote: »

Every UK airport I have gone through in the last couple of years checks for Ids, Inbound and out.

In most UK airports flights from Ireland are routed through the domestic arrivals and exits are completely un-impeded.

Kotek Besar

Thanks, John R. This is really useful.