Travel to UK with just driving licence - OK?

xabi_a

I need to travel to the UK this week, but forgot that I won't have my passport because I need to hand it in to get a visa for China, a totally separate thing.

I'm an Irish citizen. From the Aer Lingus website and from the Dept. of Foreign Affairs, it looks like it should be OK to travel with just a valid driver's licence. (Flying Aer Lingus).

Can anyone confirm that this is/isn't OK?

robinph

Get the ferry.

mikemac1

No prob on the ferry

Don't know where you are going but there are Sail and Rail offers which are good value

km79

Are lingus yes.
Ryan air no they only accept passport

xabi_a

Thanks for replies.

I can't get the ferry, Aer Lingus is all booked. It's a business trip.

It really looks like it's OK though.

km79

xabi_a wrote: »

Thanks for replies.

I can't get the ferry, Aer Lingus is all booked. It's a business trip.

It really looks like it's OK though.

It is . I've done it recently

BuffyBot

DL is fine for travel to the UK with Aer Lingus.

schemingbohemia

robinph wrote: »

Get the ferry.

mikemac1 wrote: »

No prob on the ferry

Don't know where you are going but there are Sail and Rail offers which are good value

FFS if you don't know what you're talking about don't post! :mad:

Only Ryanair require a Passport for travel within the common area.

L1011

Hold on to your boarding card in case of a check (both directions); been asked for it once in Ireland to "prove" I was coming from the CTA and some UK airports have occasional checks; or no CTA specific arrivals area.

robinph

schemingbohemia wrote: »

FFS if you don't know what you're talking about don't post! :mad:

Only Ryanair require a Passport for travel within the common area.

Huh!?!

You do not require a passport to travel between the UK and Ireland on the ferry if you are a UK or Irish citizen.

How you prove that you are a UK or Irish citizen without a passport is another issue, but anyway.

What are you suggesting that we don't know about?

notsobusy

Yes it's fine to travel on Aerlingus with a DL.

Ryanair won't let you on without a passport. This happened to me and my BF recently, he couldn't find his passport so we had to either drive to Belfast and fly easyjet or fly aerlingus.

Louche Lad

robinph wrote: »

Huh!?!

What are you suggesting that we don't know about?

I think the poster was referring to someone's suggestion about sail and rail offers which is not what the OP was asking about - that's all.

In my case, I once forgot my passport but easyJet let me on after showing my work ID card and credit card. (This was some years ago, so maybe things have changed.)

schemingbohemia

robinph wrote: »

Huh!?!

You do not require a passport to travel between the UK and Ireland on the ferry if you are a UK or Irish citizen.

How you prove that you are a UK or Irish citizen without a passport is another issue, but anyway.

What are you suggesting that we don't know about?

Louchelad got it right.

You confused the issue by answering a question you weren't asked. The OP had stated they were flying Aer Lingus. So answer the question asked rather than confusing someone who might be in a panic.

robinph

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Louchelad got it right.

You confused the issue by answering a question you weren't asked. The OP had stated they were flying Aer Lingus. So answer the question asked rather than confusing someone who might be in a panic.

Well the issue is how to get to the UK without a passport. Then there was the secondary point as to if it could be done by Aer Lingus.

schemingbohemia

robinph wrote: »

Well the issue is how to get to the UK without a passport. Then there was the secondary point as to if it could be done by Aer Lingus.

It's hardly a secondary point when the OP states that that is how they are travelling there!