Stuck in the Uk with No Photo ID - Need to get home

albarr01

Hi All,

I am in a bit of a predicament at the moment. I am currently living in the Uk for six months. I have lost both my passport and licence and need to travel home on Friday.

I was working up near Birmingham during the week and had my mother send over my birth certificate as the lady in the passport office in Knightsbridge told me to do.

I took my police report of the stolen passport, my birth cert, photos, proff of travel etc etc to the passport office in Knightsbridge and I was told that due to industrial action at home there are no emergency passports currently being issued. I can apply for a standard passport now and at the quickest it will take two weeks.

I really need to travel home the next two weekends.

Does anyone have any idea what the best/quickest way to get a photo id in a week would be?

Could I send my mother to the driving licence office with my photos and copy of birth cert and get a licence there and then(when I got my full licence in Cork they gave it to me immediately).

Anyone any ideas to help??

Alex

AARRRRGH

Get the ferry. Ive never had my ID checked on the Ferry.

muppet26

Who are you flying with? I know that ryanair only accept passport only now for Irish people.

twowheelsonly

Swansea Cork Ferries are up and running now.

It's probably the easiest option for you right now.

http://www.fastnetline.com/

alpha2zulu

Last time I checked anyway both Aer Lingus and Aer Arann accepted work ID's amongst other things as photo id on IRL-UK flights. Check the small print of their websites to be sure. Other than that the sail/rail option is probably a runner too.

albarr01

Ya I'm thinking the ferry is the way to go. I was meant to go home this weekend too and get the ferry home with my car but I got a phone call from Fastnet Line on Friday to say that the Swansea Cork is still experiecing tech difficulties and the ferry is still not running.

Meant to be flying Heathrow to Cork with Aer Lingus.

Can anoyone confirm about getting asked for ID on the ferry, foot passenger that is. I know that when I've gone in the car I've never been asked for it!

(insert name)

Ferry sounds promising - never been checked on it (only taken it with coach trips though)

Have you a similar looking sibling? get a d8.a for stamped by a *friendly* garda and have them call into your local tax office. they'll post out a replacement licence within the week.

TDs have the power to speed up passport applications for constituents - most do it to get a vote but you should defo get it due to circumstances. Either phone/email your local one or have a amily member do it. (don't know if the strike will affect this)

alpha2zulu

albarr01 wrote: »

Meant to be flying Heathrow to Cork with Aer Lingus.

From the AerLingus website

Travel between Ireland and the UK or UK Domestic travel

Citizens of Ireland and the UK must carry some form of official photo identification. The following forms of photo identification are acceptable:

• Valid Passport
• Driver's licence with photo
• International student card
• National ID card / Government issued photo ID cards
• Health Insurance cards with photo / Social security cards with photo
• Bus pass with photo
• Work ID with photo

Citizens of Ireland and the UK under the age of 16, do not need a photo ID, if travelling with their parent/guardian.

Citizens of countries other than Ireland and the UK must produce a valid passport and visa where applicable, for travel between Ireland and the United Kingdom.

http://www.aerlingus.com/cgi-bin/obel01im1/Services/visaPassport.jsp?P_OID=-536881297&Category=3#ireuk

robinph

They might ask you for ID on the ferry, but if you can convince them that your a UK or Irish citizen then they have no reason to stop you. They same actually applies for flying, but airport security means they require better forms of proving who you are before letting you into the airport. But that is to do with the aiport, not the border.

Get the ferry.

dave_t

I lost my driving license when I was in Bangkok and my mother had to get me a duplicate and send it over. She got it straight away in the office for €10 so if you have to go that route it's easy enough.

adamski8

Ryanair let me travel back with them from liverpool when I only had a student card and a police report on my stolen passport.
Think they only let me away with it as it was a short trip and couldnt get a new passport.
Ferry sounds the best way

Random

My mate returned from Amsterdam before with Aer Lingus using a police report (re lost passport) instead of photo ID. I'm sure it must be possible from the UK.

annex

A friend travelled from Glasgow to Dublin last year with a student card (ISIC) and got on the flight OK but when she showed the ISIC card to passport control in Dublin airport they wouldn't accept it because her country of birth wasn't on it, she was lucky she brought her out of date passport.

rsta

Can you call into the Irish Embassy? Or ring them, I see your in Birmingham, I think our embassy in the UK is probably in London.

They should be able to issue you with a temporary passport.

I lost my passport when I was in the US just days before my flight home. I called into the Irish Embassy and they issued me a temporary passport. I had to get my mother to fax them my birth cert and all was grand.

I do agree with everyone who's recommended the ferry tho, Ive never been id'd on a ferry between Ireland and the UK.

number10a

Aer Lingus are very lax about photo ID. Ryanair are not any longer I'm afraid. My aunt showed up at Heathrow once with no passport or any other form if ID and Aer Lingus told her to go down into the Underground station and get an Underground ID card. That worked no problem.

You could also try Eurolines buses. It's a service that Bus Éireann offer between Dublin and Cork and most UK cites. Basically get on the bus in the UK and they ferry you across to Ireland.

jackthelad321

you can get train and ferry combined from England to Dublin for 44 quid or 80ish return, rail sail on stenna line or irish ferries, i'm getting it myself next tuesday- ferry dublin to hollyhead, train to london euston. Buy at the train station.

but there is a chance they'll check id, as it's happened to me once, and they didn't check three or four times. They won't check between Belfast and the Uk, but the only route i have used is Scotland to Belfast and, you know, so...

I'd risk it anyway if desperate

Offside

My mate got back from malaga with aer lingus with just a police report. They just rang ahead and asked security in Dublin if they'd take him and they said yes, little bit of trouble with passport control goin into departures but got through eventually. Say it can easily be done.