BruceM Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 My mother in law has a French ID card. It’s issued free of charge and allows her to travel throughout the EU (inc the UK) without the requirement for a passport. In France ID cards should always be carried so the same applied to passports if you’re a UK citizen , other EU countries are probably the same. As previously mentioned, they look much like a UK driving licence. It’s a great system that doesn’t burden the citizen with the high cost of a passport. My eldest son was considering taking his young family for a visit to France but once he’d worked out the cost of five passports he’d had to ditch the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAJay Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 BruceM - 2018-10-22 10:49 AM My mother in law has a French ID card. It’s issued free of charge and allows her to travel throughout the EU (inc the UK) without the requirement for a passport. In France ID cards should always be carried so the same applied to passports if you’re a UK citizen , other EU countries are probably the same. As previously mentioned, they look much like a UK driving licence. It’s a great system that doesn’t burden the citizen with the high cost of a passport. My eldest son was considering taking his young family for a visit to France but once he’d worked out the cost of five passports he’d had to ditch the idea. Can you not put kids on parents passport now? It is a lot of money for a family, even if they do last 20 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 But whenever a national ID card has been proposed in the UK there has been an uproar over the perceived abuse of civil liberties. IMO it would make a lot of things much easier and safer, and should have happened years ago. But I am not a criminal and don't consider myself paranoid :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 dmcvit - 2018-10-20 6:00 PM If you go way for more than a year what happens about the MOT? We are planning to got for a minimum of twelve months, probably 18 months and maybe 2 years around europe. If your vehicle requires an MOT test it must be in the UK to have it done . without an MOT it is illegal to drive it on public roads ,here or foreign , end of ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 witzend - 2018-10-22 9:53 AM goldi - 2018-10-22 9:29 AM I was told in 1975 that I would not require any kind of passport in Europe . Another bunch of lies. I can't recall having to use a passport in Europe until you get back to UK I was first in Europe in 1965, then 1968 and 1975. I recall my passport very well as it was the dark blue hardback which in '68 i'd used to hitch hike through four countries. Not only border controls at each country but the passport was stamped. I wouldn''t have got into Europe without it let alone through four countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 witzend - 2018-10-22 9:53 AM goldi - 2018-10-22 9:29 AM I was told in 1975 that I would not require any kind of passport in Europe . Another bunch of lies. I can't recall having to use a passport in Europe until you get back to UK On our earliest continental camping tour in 1963, to Switzerland, Austria ( plus all the borders on the way there and back ) we were stopped at customs posts at least ten times - very often in long queues. We also had a transfer inside our windscreen with a copy of all the continental road signs. It was certainly more of an adventure in those days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec176 Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Think I'm right but you dont actually need a passport to travel in the EU but you do need it to prove you dont. Work that out! If you dont bother to tax/MOT/insure your van while away then there's a good chance you'll get picked up when you return to the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 PAJay - 2018-10-22 10:54 AM BruceM - 2018-10-22 10:49 AM My mother in law has a French ID card. It’s issued free of charge and allows her to travel throughout the EU (inc the UK) without the requirement for a passport. In France ID cards should always be carried so the same applied to passports if you’re a UK citizen , other EU countries are probably the same. As previously mentioned, they look much like a UK driving licence. It’s a great system that doesn’t burden the citizen with the high cost of a passport. My eldest son was considering taking his young family for a visit to France but once he’d worked out the cost of five passports he’d had to ditch the idea. Can you not put kids on parents passport now? It is a lot of money for a family, even if they do last 20 years Nope, they all have to have a passport, even a new born. A child passport last 5 years and an adult passport lasts 10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Bulletguy - 2018-10-22 2:34 PM witzend - 2018-10-22 9:53 AM goldi - 2018-10-22 9:29 AM I was told in 1975 that I would not require any kind of passport in Europe . Another bunch of lies. I can't recall having to use a passport in Europe until you get back to UK I was first in Europe in 1965, then 1968 and 1975. I recall my passport very well as it was the dark blue hardback which in '68 i'd used to hitch hike through four countries. Not only border controls at each country but the passport was stamped. I wouldn''t have got into Europe without it let alone through four countries. In 1980 we drove from France around Lake Lucerne and back into France, I only realised we where back in France as I noticed the public buildings had the French flag flying, it then occurred to me that the 'copper' with the fancy plumed helmet who had been standing in middle of road had probably been the border control. On Sunday we drove through four countries, I recall once or twice seeing a sign on border, but aside from that the only indication was a change in the road signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 witzend - 2018-10-22 9:53 AM goldi - 2018-10-22 9:29 AM I was told in 1975 that I would not require any kind of passport in Europe . Another bunch of lies. I can't recall having to use a passport in Europe until you get back to UK If you don't have a national ID card you are still required to be able to identify yourself to any officer who rightfully demands it, and your passport is the only legally acceptable document. You should carry it at all times when out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Good evening, To enter Belgium form the Zeebrugge ferry six weeks ago we had to show our passports as did everyone else on the ferry.I also noticed guards on the French Belgium border Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 colin - 2018-10-22 5:40 PM Bulletguy - 2018-10-22 2:34 PM witzend - 2018-10-22 9:53 AM goldi - 2018-10-22 9:29 AM I was told in 1975 that I would not require any kind of passport in Europe . Another bunch of lies. I can't recall having to use a passport in Europe until you get back to UK I was first in Europe in 1965, then 1968 and 1975. I recall my passport very well as it was the dark blue hardback which in '68 i'd used to hitch hike through four countries. Not only border controls at each country but the passport was stamped. I wouldn''t have got into Europe without it let alone through four countries. In 1980 we drove from France around Lake Lucerne and back into France, I only realised we where back in France as I noticed the public buildings had the French flag flying, it then occurred to me that the 'copper' with the fancy plumed helmet who had been standing in middle of road had probably been the border control. On Sunday we drove through four countries, I recall once or twice seeing a sign on border, but aside from that the only indication was a change in the road signs. Surprised you didn't notice the vehicle plates which are very different, particularly Swiss which use two letters from the canton they are registered to which makes up part of the plate along with the canton emblem. Very distinctive. It's possible to enter Switzerland without going through border control via country roads but all major roads and autoroutes have manned controls. Unless you've already got a vignette you have to buy one there because you'll end up on an autoroute within a few miles and the cost isn't even worth batting an eyelid at as it's one of the cheapest in Europe. I was driving from UK to Bern and back on a regular basis during the early 90's and crossed the border at Basel. Checks depended on the type you'd got at the control booth. Some would ask for passport and purpose of travel whilst others simply waved you through. But it wasn't just us 'foreigners'.....Swiss were subject to the same as some nip over the border into France to buy meat at lower prices but Switzerland has strict allowances on amounts (used to be 500g but no idea if it's increased since), and customs would come down heavy on any Swiss found with amounts of meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickyfin Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Depends on how old your van is, here for example, if the year is 2011 on, you have 24 months between tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 phalange - 2018-10-20 6:02 PM dmcvit - 2018-10-20 6:00 PM If you go way for more than a year what happens about the MOT? it will expire and you will be driving an illegal vehicle Unless the vehicle is 40 years old :D ......... https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Mickyfin - 2018-10-23 4:26 AM Depends on how old your van is, here for example, if the year is 2011 on, you have 24 months between tests. Micky, Where did you get that info from please? All I can find on the Gov.uk website is that vehicles must be tested on their third anniversary and then EVERY year after. (Note some vehicles require an MOT after one year). Quote "An MOT lasts for a year. " https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot Keith. Edit to add: Note: Rules in different countries do vary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 stevec176 - 2018-10-22 5:05 PM Think I'm right but you dont actually need a passport to travel in the EU but you do need it to prove you dont. Work that out! If you dont bother to tax/MOT/insure your van while away then there's a good chance you'll get picked up when you return to the UK. Mines expired a few times while away. As long as you book it in for MOT for the day you come back you should be ok. My MOT station is in Darlington 310 miles from Dover. I had expected to pick up a fine but maybe if its been clocked they then twigged it was later tested that day or the day after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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