To think I can't take a baby to Northern Ireland from England without a passport?

I do know this really (NI parent) but i am really tired. But you're right.

Your title says Northern Ireland.

Your post says Ireland.

If it's Northern Ireland, I've travelled from England with a baby; no ID required for baby.

Can't remember which airline.

(Travelling to Ireland .... I don't know).

Not nonsense at all.

British Airways and EasyJet don’t require photo identification but for under 16s as long as the adult they are travelling with has photo identification (passport or driving licence)

ryanair require passports

aer lingus requires photo id if checking luggage into the hold

Ryanair website says they need a passport

Airlines require photo identification but ferries don’t.

Nonsense

Any flight within the UK doesn't require a passport but they do require photo ID for anyone over 18. Actually I'm not sure if the age is 18 but if youre bringing a baby then surely they can't expect said baby to have a photo ID! That's just ridiculous 😭 most babies can't even look straight into the camera. I'm sure it'll be fine especially if you go with one of the smaller airline companies.

If you fly with Ryanair then you do need a passport

We have sailed many times from Cairnryan to Belfast. Last time they didn't even count the number of kids in the car, let alone ask for proof that those children corresponded to the information we'd put on the passenger forms. Never had to show any form of ID to anyone.

You don't need a passport. I regularly fly between NI and England with my children and not one of them even own a passport.

NI is part of the UK...

Sorry to be pendantic but you can't travel between the UK and Northern Ireland - because Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

You can travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

British passports say "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" on the front. But for some reason people (sorry, but iny experience, English people) don't seem to read what the front of their passport says, in gold print.

I've had lots of fun conversations in which English people, who were told I'm Northern Irish, have explained GCSEs and their legal system etc. to me.

I asked an airline worker about this recently as I fly the route alot and sometimes get asked for a passport, sometimes not. She said if its a non UK based airline (ie ryanair,) you will be asked for a passport, uk based (easyjet,) you won't be.. and this has been the case for me since asking. However, I would still be worried about not having it- just in case!

Check with whoever you’re booking with but they don’t check id our flights from Birmingham to Belfast and you don’t need to input it beforehand for adults and kids. Aer lingus were telling passengers to put them away last time

NI is the same country as England, why would you need a passport to go there?

Government website advice

That must have been a while ago?

It gets mentioned in the Irish Press from time to time that Irish border officials are a bit over-zealous about border control with Britain. British/Irish people don't need a passport, because of the common travel area, but Irish border officials ask for a passport to prove that someone is British/Irish. A logical conundrum that would please the finest logicians of history.

See, for example:

https://www.irishtimes.com/world/uk/2024/08/14/the-myth-of-passport-free-flying-between-britain-and-ireland-under-the-common-travel-area/

"For all intents and purposes, the CTA does not exist when arriving in Ireland. In practice, only the British authorities show any sort of respect for this 100-year-old agreement, which should embarrass Irish officials given how much noise the State made about its supposed importance during Brexit talks."

Technically you don't need a passport to fly to NI or ROI. But you do need ID, and Ryanair insist on passports. BA might be fine with a BC, call them? DD flew on a expired passport on a UK Ireland route once!

When I used to do this I just said I was from England and was waved through. Obviously non British/ Irish people seemed to have a bit more hassle sadly!

If you're flying I think you would be wise to carry a passport. But you can use other forms of photo ID. But if it's on a ferry it's the same country and I dont think it's necessary.

Yup then you take the bridge from France to NI.

I've been travelling from Scotland to NI by air/sea for years with DD and never needed a passport or photo ID for her, just mine as required by EasyJet etc. DDs surname is different to mine and that's never been queried either. Bring the birth certificate for your peace of mind, and have a great trip.

You mean the one between the UK and France?

I'm currently in N Ireland having sailed over from Liverpool on Saturday. It's a trip we do regularly albeit usually from Scotland and we have never been asked for any type of ID. Neither of my children (13 & 9) have a passport and I have never taken any form of ID with me for them. We have travelled since they were babies

Think it’s been covered by pps but I’m from NI and live in London and have done this journey with kids numerous times.

A passport/photo ID is definitely not needed for kids or adults on the ferry.

Some airlines require photo ID for adults, which can be a driving licence. I think I’ve only ever flown easyJet with the kids and I brought their birth certificates (to prove they were my children) but they weren’t even checked.

I’ve done the journey, both ways, about half a dozen times with (now) 20 month old DD, no passport. Haven’t even been asked for one (or had to show her birth certificate). Ryanair.

Purely anecdotal, though. Do check!