ALL Passport Related Questions in here! Please Read Post#1 first!

17-03-2010 09:07AM

The passport office was closed yesterday due to flooding, not striking. They wouldn't have been opening at 7.30 anyway.

Why not just go to the post office and do a 10 day express post passport? you'll have it by the end of the month.

mikedragon32 · 17-03-2010 09:30AM

Already covered in the passport office thread.

penexpers · 17-03-2010 10:12AM

Mr.S wrote: »

Get the bus to London from Dublin, no ID is checked on ferrys. Think its something like 55euro 1 way?

https://194.106.151.95/EurolinesPublic/EurolinesPublicWebApp/EuroPublicTravelDetails.aspx

Takes about 12hours though.

Last time I went via ferry, there was a border control at Holyhead where they look for either passport or drivers license.

robinph · 17-03-2010 10:12AM

Boston wrote: »

You could be check though, going into england or coming back. You may end up being held by customs.

They definitely won't be stopping the bus going across the Severn Bridge for passport checks.

You do not require any form of ID to cross the Irish - UK border if you are an Irish or UK citizen. The Aer Lingus/ Ryanair requirements for various forms of ID are to do with airport "security" and them getting fined for people that may then get refused at the port of entry to wherever they fly you to. That is not an issue on the ferry and no form of ID is needed, unless your not originally from round these parts.

MistyCheese · 17-03-2010 10:26AM

I've travelled Dublin to London with just work ID. No date of birth on it, the information was pretty much just my name and employee number. I've also sucessfully used gym ID, which doesn't have any more info than the work ID. The only problem was coming back, they mentioned my surname "wasn't Irish" so I showed my Social Welfare card and they let me go.

I'd suggest, if you haven't already, ringing Air Lingus and asking them what they would accept as ID. Also try and get the persons name in case you need it later. This way you get a definate answer and if anyone on the day questions you, you can say that you rang and were informed that X, Y or Z would be sufficent.

Boston · 17-03-2010 01:10PM

robinph wrote: »

They definitely won't be stopping the bus going across the Severn Bridge for passport checks.

You do not require any form of ID to cross the Irish - UK border if you are an Irish or UK citizen. The Aer Lingus/ Ryanair requirements for various forms of ID are to do with airport "security" and them getting fined for people that may then get refused at the port of entry to wherever they fly you to. That is not an issue on the ferry and no form of ID is needed, unless your not originally from round these parts.

Mate of mine was stopped and asked for ID coming back from Wales on the ferry at Dublin port. He protested and yer man let him back no problem.

robinph · 17-03-2010 01:19PM

Boston wrote: »

Mate of mine was stopped and asked for ID coming back from Wales on the ferry at Dublin port. He protested and yer man let him back no problem.

Yep, they may ask you for ID, but there is no requirement to show any for crossing the Irish-UK border. You do not have to have any form of ID on you for any reason just going about your day to day wanderings in the UK, fairly similar in Ireland except that you need to have a driving license on you if your driving a car which you don't in the UK.

Theta · 17-03-2010 01:21PM

Boston wrote: »

Mate of mine was stopped and asked for ID coming back from Wales on the ferry at Dublin port. He protested and yer man let him back no problem.

Yup Its because Ireland and England have whats called the CTA which technically does not make us part of the Schengen_zone but most of the time that doesnt matter for us anyway!

Butch Cassidy · 17-03-2010 01:25PM

Yes you CAN travel on an Aer Lingus flight with just about any piece of photo identification includng a Garda card. I've one it many times. Ryanair are very anal about it and will only accept Passports because of their online check in fiasco.

Ireland and Britain is a common travel area. There's no official requirement for passport checks between the two countries. The idea is that Irish and British people can pass between each other's border hassle and passport free. The only thing is the common travel area is supposed to be for Irish and British people ONLY. When you land in Britain the airport will have a separate arrivals section for "Inland, Republic of Ireland and Channel ISlands" which won't have any immigration/passport checks. So you can get into Britain no trouble.

When you fly back into Dublin that's when you'll have difficulty because Dublin Airport has no such separate arrivals bit. The Immigration Gardai at Dublin will want some photo ID to ascertain that you're either Irish or British and pretty much the only acceptable ID is a passport or a driver's licence for people born in Ireland pre-2005. Driver's licences have your place of birth on it and there was a time when someone born on Irish soil was afforded citizenship.

Being that the NIMB Gardai aren't the gestapo, you should be able to pass through with a Garda age card, a print out of Aer Lingus' ID requirements thing that say "any national ID card" and maybe if you have some other sort of ID like a Social WElfare card or something. If the Garda says anything to you then tell him/her that Aer Lingus said you could travel on the Garda Age Card no problem. I flew only 3weeks ago with my age card. It is only to check the passenger's name against the name on the boarding pass just before you board the plane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/moving-country/moving-abroad/freedom-of-movement-within-the-eu/common_travel_area_between_ireland_and_the_UK
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/ecg/commontravelarea

Boston · 17-03-2010 01:28PM

On that note, flying from cork to dublin airport we had the same trouble. Had to go through immigration, with them looking for passports.

Butch Cassidy · 17-03-2010 01:29PM

robinph wrote: »

Yep, they may ask you for ID, but there is no requirement to show any for crossing the Irish-UK border. You do not have to have any form of ID on you for any reason just going about your day to day wanderings in the UK, fairly similar in Ireland except that you need to have a driving license on you if your driving a car which you don't in the UK.

The big thing is getting back into Ireland. You can enter the UK no questions asked from Ireland but vice-versa is where it's real tricky. In 1997 there was a law passed that required people arriving from Britian to have SOME form of photo-id but I don't think it stipulated what sort of ID. The Gardai in Dublin Airport also try to deman a passport of driver's licence so you can prove you deserve to avail of the CTA. I don't know just how much power they have anyway.

Worst case scenario op, you'll get some Garda giving you hassle in Dublin airport.

Crossing through the ferry ports is much the same. You might be asked for ID but a passport isn't essential.

Butch Cassidy · 17-03-2010 01:31PM

Yep. It's a croc of ****! Getting hassled to prove your citizenship when you've not even left the country!

About half of all arrivals to Dublin Airport are either FROM Ireland or from Britain. They should really do something. It's murder during peak travel times cause you're stuck in massive queues with families coming back from Spain and all that.

robinph · 17-03-2010 01:49PM

Boston wrote: »

On that note, flying from cork to dublin airport we had the same trouble. Had to go through immigration, with them looking for passports.

You should be able to get through by just showing your boarding card in that case, you don't nee to prove anything to them other than you used a plane that came from Cork in order to get to Dublin airport.

Butch Cassidy wrote: »

Yep. It's a croc of ****! Getting hassled to prove your citizenship when you've not even left the country!

About half of all arrivals to Dublin Airport are either FROM Ireland or from Britain. They should really do something. It's murder during peak travel times cause you're stuck in massive queues with families coming back from Spain and all that.

Don't tell anyone else or they will all be doing it, but I've just skipped the line and gone through the "All Passports/ Non-EU" line when the normal queue is more than a 30 second wait in line.

Butch Cassidy · 17-03-2010 01:53PM

robinph wrote: »

You should be able to get through by just showing your boarding card in that case, you don't nee to prove anything to them other than you used a plane that came from Cork in order to get to Dublin airport.

I showed my boarding card to prove I flew from the UK along with my photo ID to prove it was my name ont he card but the Garda wasn't happy. Mind you, the boarding card doesn't explicitly state your country of departure, just the airport's three letter abbrev.

You damn well should be able to just flash yr boarding card for inland flights though including Northern Ireland! There should be a separate arrivals though. Maybe with T2...

Don't tell anyone else or they will all be doing it, but I've just skipped the line and gone through the "All Passports/ Non-EU" line when the normal queue is more than a 30 second wait in line.

Haha must try that one.

Butch Cassidy · 17-03-2010 01:58PM

Don't forget, you won't need a passport flying to the UK.

I heard about some scam where you can get a TD to get your passport application done quick. Mary Coughlan I think had racked up about 500 applications last year! There's some special privilage they have.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to go banging on some politician's doors about this anyway...

mikedragon32 · 17-03-2010 03:29PM

Butch Cassidy wrote: »

Don't forget, you won't need a passport flying to the UK.

I heard about some scam where you can get a TD to get your passport application done quick. Mary Coughlan I think had racked up about 500 applications last year! There's some special privilage they have.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to go banging on some politician's doors about this anyway...

You NEED a passport for Ryanair.

At the moment even a TD can't help you. If anything, under the circumstances, it'll slow you down!

BuffyBot · 17-03-2010 03:40PM

Nope you can get an emergency passport if you are flying within 24 hours or something. A mate got one there about 3 weeks ago because he couldnt find his passport the day of his flight!

That may of been the case 3 weeks ago. It's not the case at the moment.

Mr. Presentable · 17-03-2010 03:47PM

OP, use the An Post express passport service

Boston · 17-03-2010 03:53PM

robinph wrote: »

You should be able to get through by just showing your boarding card in that case, you don't nee to prove anything to them other than you used a plane that came from Cork in order to get to Dublin airport.

Oh, I was fine. The arab guy with me from Saudi, not so much.

lynchie · 17-03-2010 05:31PM

nipplenuts wrote: »

OP, use the An Post express passport service

Service has been suspended for the past 2 weeks or there abouts.

17-03-2010 05:48PM

lynchie wrote: »

Service has been suspended for the past 2 weeks or there abouts.

I don't know how so many people have got this mis-information. Passport Express IS NOT SUSPENDED.

However due to work to rule it MAY take up to 15 days rather than the normal 10 days.

Proof - a colleague used it last week in Newbridge PO and passport has already arrived. She was warned that it COULD take an additional 5 days due to industrial action. But absolutely no question of the service being suspended whatsoever.

Please please please do not post statements such as this unless you are 100% certain, as it can cause many people to unnecessarily panic.

Butch Cassidy · 17-03-2010 10:00PM

mikedragon32 wrote: »

You NEED a passport for Ryanair.

At the moment even a TD can't help you. If anything, under the circumstances, it'll slow you down!

I mentioned it on another post that Ryanair demand a passport because of their check in policies. Legally though a passport isn't required for travel between Ireland and the UK. Just saying...

Butch Cassidy · 17-03-2010 10:01PM

TDs have some privilage where they can get passports done in quick time. Mary Coughlan racked up a few hundred favours for her voters last year. As someone else said though, it might take even longer!

lynchie · 18-03-2010 09:45AM

91011 wrote: »

I don't know how so many people have got this mis-information. Passport Express IS NOT SUSPENDED.

However due to work to rule it MAY take up to 15 days rather than the normal 10 days.

Proof - a colleague used it last week in Newbridge PO and passport has already arrived. She was warned that it COULD take an additional 5 days due to industrial action. But absolutely no question of the service being suspended whatsoever.

Please please please do not post statements such as this unless you are 100% certain, as it can cause many people to unnecessarily panic.

Agreed.. What I should have said was the 10 day guarantee of the passport express service is suspended not the actual passport express service itself.

Slane Resident · 18-03-2010 12:25PM

OP - this is direct from an Aer Lingus check-in person - any form of photo ID will do. A monthly bus pass, work ID, driver's licence, etc. If you go onto the Aer Lingus website it'll show you exactly what you need. You do NOT have to have the Dept of Social Welfare issued bus passes.

Butch Cassidy · 18-03-2010 01:27PM

And even an age card? :-)

18-03-2010 01:42PM

robinph wrote: »

They definitely won't be stopping the bus going across the Severn Bridge for passport checks.

You do not require any form of ID to cross the Irish - UK border if you are an Irish or UK citizen. The Aer Lingus/ Ryanair requirements for various forms of ID are to do with airport "security" and them getting fined for people that may then get refused at the port of entry to wherever they fly you to. That is not an issue on the ferry and no form of ID is needed, unless your not originally from round these parts.

And how would they know if you were originally from round these parts if you had no ID?

I always found that a really weird and confusing rule. I often get asked for ID on the bus between Dublin and Belfast, when it gets stopped at the border, and I feel like I have to prove I AM British by producing ID, even though I theoretically have no obligation to do so. On the few occasions I had no ID on me, what if they'd decided I didn't seem British/Irish enough?

robinph · 18-03-2010 01:51PM

It is a slightly odd rule alright, but I think they would have to prove that your not from UK/ Ireland rather than you having to prove that you are. The simpliest way of doing that of course is with a passport.

It's mostly a case of they will just let everyone through though, unless they are bored or someone recently changed the colour of the bulb in the terror alert warning system.

18-03-2010 01:54PM

robinph wrote: »

It is a slightly odd rule alright, but I think they would have to prove that your not from UK/ Ireland rather than you having to prove that you are. The simpliest way of doing that of course is with a passport.

It's mostly a case of they will just let everyone through though, unless they are bored or someone recently changed the colour of the bulb in the terror alert warning system.

How could they prove it either way? Every time I get checked I think how utterly bizarre it is. Sometimes when I get off the Enterprise in Dublin the guards ask where I'm from and I say 'here' and they say 'grand so'. Surely anyone can just say Irish or British?

I Drink It Up! · 18-03-2010 02:09PM

Many thanks indeed to all of you who helped out.

The situation is that I queued up again today, Thursday, and it was a good job I did.

When I handed in the application at the counter, the chap took one look at the 2nd passport photo and said it was no use as it was "creased". So I forked out ANOTHER jaysus €6 and got the photos done there and then. So if I had gone Passport Express route I would have got a phone call or a letter saying it was all fooked and to come back in again.

The reason, of course, why it was creased was because they had me walking around for 4 days with the shagging photos. Post Office insisted on going straight to Molesworth street......and Molesworth street {Via Mr. Nugent, head of the passport office} said it was no slower going via the Post Office and Passport Express.

When pressed on this matter he conceded that in practical terms, around 24 hours were saved by queing outside the office rather than going thru the post office method. It is worth noting that he acknowledged the total break down in communications between An Post and the Passport Office on the matter.

So I have been given a tentative collection date for the passport of March 30th. That leaves me with a 3 day window of error, as I travel April 3rd. I was given a receipt and a tracking number.

So, some small amount of light at the end of what has been undoubtedly an arduous tunnel.

For what it is worth, the staff in the social welfare offices cut a far more inspired figure than the lads in the passport office. They were one jaded, tatty, upset and confused looking lot. The lad on the payment desk was lugubriousness personified. I mean he looked like he was about to burst into tears, any minute.

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ALL Passport Related Questions in here! Please Read Post#1 first!