ID requirements between UK and Ireland?

[Meowster]

I'm a bit confused about the ID requirements between Ireland and the UK. Typically you would just have a passport and that's it... here's my problem.

None of my brothers or sisters, or my mother, have passports. They are Irish, but have never gone abroad. Now, I want them to come visit me in England before the end of summer... they could quite easily apply for passports, but they take many weeks to arrive and also it would cost quite a lot of money. Also I really don't trust my mother to be organized enough to apply for 6 passports without messing everything up.


So here's my question.


Is it possible for my mother to travel from Ireland to the UK and back, using her Driving License as photo ID? Easyjet says that you need a valid form of photo ID, eg driving license, to check in... but I have never seen ANYbody use anything other than a passport, and I'd hardly want my mother to turn up and be told, "Oh, you can use it to check in, but you need a passport to board the plane" or something rubbish like that.

Also, is it true that children under 16, if accompanied by an adult, do not need photo ID when travelling to/from Ireland and the UK?

Also, are passports required for ferries, and are they required for coaches? (Ireland - England coaches...)

Any information is appreciated

It would make things SO much easier if this were all true...

[Nikolas]

Ok.

I'm from GReece, thus we have IDs which we always use (and actually never the passports excpet when we travle abroad).

Since the UK is part of Europe they have to accept the ID.

Now about the driving license, I'm not sure really...

[scotch]

Check with whoever you fly with, because the rules are set down by them. There's no legal requirement for even photo ID within Ireland and the UK, but even on internal UK flights it is required by the airlines. A driver's license is ok instead of a passport. Under 16s don't need any ID on uk/irish flights in Ryanair's TOS, others are about the same, but still check.

Edit: same on ferries

Irish Ferries recommend you bring your passport when travelling abroad. Irish and British citizens do not strictly require a passport to travel between the two countries - some form of identification is however required.

Photo ID, Bank Cards or bills for house utilities addressed to you are all acceptable and useful means of identification. Please note that all other nationalities require passports.

[LimpingFish]

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Personal+Customers/Wizards/Get+a+passport/

Go to a Post Office and ask for a Passport Express application form. For e7.00 more than the normal price of e75.00, under 17yrs for e25.00, you can have a 10 (5 for minors) year Standard Passport  processed and returned to you, GUARANTEED, within ten working days.

Even though you technically don't need a passort between the UK and Ireland, it's the easiest option and would clear up any problems that a drivers license might cause.

Plus travelling with minors, with only a drivers license, and no form of ID for them, might be troublesome.

[timlump]

Im pretty sure a passport is essential,
Its only really continental European countries that don't really use passports,
I think Ireland enforces the use of passports although the EU was trying to get rid of it but apparently that went belly up after the July 7th bombings,
also how could they not have passports seriously.
You need 2 forms of identification to get most things like bank accounts nowadays.

Ohh and on yuor question about ferries yes they do need passports to get on board because you have to go through booths before lining up and they check your tickets and id,
although I'm not sure how it is on pedestrian ferries.