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

[DownmarketSellingSunset]

I'm due a baby later this year, and then approx. 2 months later we're due to go to Ireland for a family gathering. It's quite an important family party, and my DH would really like to go if possible. Chances are we'll drive rather than fly, but I don't think that's necessarily relevant.

The internet seems to suggest I don't legally need photo ID for the baby, a birth certificate would be fine. That seems risky to me, has anyone ever done it? I'll try and get a passport in time whatever happens, but I don't know how long they're likely to take in late spring so it's possible we won't be able to register the birth and get the passport in time.

Disclaimer - this is my second baby so I have some idea what I'm letting myself in for in terms of travelling so soon after the birth. Obviously, I'm aware that it might not be a straightforward birth this time, or the baby could need extra support after the birth etc, which means we might not be able to travel so soon anyway...

My toddler has a passport already.

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.

If you fly with Ryanair then you do need a passport

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.

Nonsense

Airlines require photo identification but ferries don’t.

Ryanair website says they need a passport

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

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).

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

To Ireland?! 🤔

I think they mean in the same country as England.

Though I'm not actually sure what the "official" definition of the UK is (is it a state, a country?). There are obviously countries within it, so can it also be a country?

Northern Ireland can be defined as all sorts of things, I think, from memory (a state, a country, a province (?))

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.

TBF there are differences in the legal system in England and Northern Ireland. And not all countries in the UK take GCSEs.

They weren't referring to any differences between the legal system in Northern Ireland and England.

They were saying "well I don't know how it is in Ireland, but ...." (having been told we are Northern Irish, more than once).

As to other countries in the UK not doing GCSEs etc. - one would think that people might be aware that Northern Ireland does do them, given that Northern Irish schools regularly get the top results in the UK in them, (which is reported by the British media every time the results come out).

Also had a nice convo in which a sub contractor asked my name on the phone and then exclaimed "that's not a very Irish name!".

I'm in Scotland and didn't know you did GCSEs in NI as we don't do them here. I wouldn't know that NI gets top results in GCSEs as that info is no use to me given we don't have the same exam system in Scotland

What port? We live in the Republic but often travel over and back to visit my OH family, we are border people so mostly fly/drive from Derry or Belfast. But have driven into Dublin. Children don't need ID north or south and it is never checked going into Belfast or Derry. In fact my 6 year old recently flew over from Derry with my OH with no passport and there was no issue.

Have flown between NI and England hundreds of times over the last 30 years and only ever been asked for ID a couple of times - driving licence is always fine. DS has never been asked for ID, not even a BC (and it never occurred to me to bring his in 15 years of flying back and forth with him since he was 4 weeks old - we don’t have the same surname). Even Ryanair backed down a couple of months ago as I was “between passports”, having just sent mine off for renewal and I used driving licence and photo of my about to expire old passport photo page. I haven’t used Ryanair for about 13 years so probably wouldn’t have even thought to take it - just as well I could prove it was about to expire and had the application documentation in my email had they not believed me.

I travel all the time with my 1 year old. with ryanair and easyjet and for domestic flights between NI and england up to 16 ID isn't required. I have misplaced the screenshot for easyjet I had just in case I was queried at security (which I was at Stansted for my then 7 month old ID) but double check if it's a different airline. However I believe Gov guidelines are the same for domestic flights and as other posters have said the ferries between both Scotland and England to NI do not ask for ID

Wouldn’t it be great if there WAS a tunnel between England and Ireland? You could take your car without braving the ferry.

Of course you can travel it’s in the uk

You can even go to the Republic of Ireland with just a birth cert I took my 8 week old in the summer on Irish ferries.(common travel area)

Ryanair though you’d have to have passport even for internal flights like that as it’s just their rule and only form of ID they accept.

@DownmarketSellingSunset I have travelled from London to Belfast using Easyjet with my 3 yo and she definitely didn't need a passport as she didn't have one.

I did this in 2023 with a 3 month old. No passport and drove then ferry to Belfast. Took birth certificate but no one looked.
We then flew in Jan 2024 with passports and were delayed 2 days by the bad storm. Lots of internal flights were redirected to Europe so if we'd have been in that scenario, we'd have needed a passport.
I'd ferry with a young baby if possible. Also more room for everything you need. And can stop etc when needed.

I commented about a screen shot of the ryanair policy re domestic flights and ID requirements, and just found easyjets

ferry - never shown any photo or other I’d (but carry it).

air - government official you don’t need a passport but some carriers have their own rule (probably to ensure consistency with other non uk flights. Easy jet require a passport of one traveller if luggage checked, Ryanair ask all to have passports.

You definitely need a passport as a form of ID for a flight.