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Original poster

Is there a good reason not to take your passport on a business trip to Europe?

139 replies

lisbey · 20/09/2009 20:19

Just that really. A married man, telling his wife he has to spend 2 nights a week in main land Europe for the foreseeable future, while a troublesome job is completed.

After the first trip she realised he hadn't asked her to find his passport, and whilst he's an intelligent man she would usually do such things for him. 2nd time, she checked the drawer while he was away and the passport was still there. Trying to be positive for her, but I can't think of a decent explanation.

She doesn't want to confront him because she "trusts him", but also, I suspect because she doesn't really want to know.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 20/09/2009 20:22

Errr no, there is no reason not to take his passport and if he's flown out there it would be difficult to get on the plane without it.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 20/09/2009 20:22

Is hse sure he doesn't have 2 passports?
I have known people in business to have 2 copies.
Don't you need a passport to go from uk to europe????
So if he doesn't have 2 he isn't in europe is he?

RealityIsNOTDetoxing · 20/09/2009 20:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

letsblowthistacostand · 20/09/2009 20:22

Am I being thick? Don't you have to show your passport to enter and leave the country?

bigchris · 20/09/2009 20:23

very suspicious

humblemum · 20/09/2009 20:23

he would not have got on a plane without a passport! i think you can more or less guarantee hes not in europe! Poor woman! she needs to ask some questions IMO

Lonicera · 20/09/2009 20:24

What cargirl said

AMumInScotland · 20/09/2009 20:24

I can't think of any innocent explanation I'm afraid. Up to her if she doesn't want ot know, though personally, I'd dig out the passport and ask how he'd managed without it...

FannyWaglour · 20/09/2009 20:25

He needs a passport to go to Europe. The UK is not in Schengen, so the passport is necessary between the UK and other countries in the Schengen agreement. Once within Europe, passports are not necessary to travel within Europe.

LaurieFairyCake · 20/09/2009 20:27

Fairly obviously shagging someone else

or is secretly ill and undergoing treatment

Othersideofthechannel · 20/09/2009 20:33

Is he a British national?
DH usually leaves his passport at home when he travels from EU countries to UK but he is not British and has an ID card.

AMumInScotland · 20/09/2009 20:33

I think I've occasionally seen on Airport/Airline when they've let someone in without a passport by phoning passport office/embassy etc - but absolutely no way he'd get away with that a second time - he'd have come home and told her how daft he'd been, and remembered it the second time for absolute sure.

FannyWaglour · 20/09/2009 20:35

Do you reckon he could be serving a short prison sentence?

Original poster
lisbey · 20/09/2009 20:36

Bugger - I haven't been on a plane in years {polishes green credentials}and was hoping you'd tell be about some on-line check in method, where you could input passport details from home and didn't need the actual document to travel, although I recognise I was clutching at straws.

Sad world when DH being seriously ill would be the good news.

OP posts:
sayanything · 20/09/2009 20:36

Is he by any chance the national of another EU member state? If he is French, for example, he will also have French ID and he can travel in and out of the UK with that. That's the only other plausible explanation I can come up with.

Original poster
lisbey · 20/09/2009 20:37

No he's British

OP posts:
browntrout · 20/09/2009 20:37

if he is abroad his mobile will ring differently than if he was in the UK. Has she tried calling it?

DillyTantay · 20/09/2009 20:40

mine has three!

AMumInScotland · 20/09/2009 20:40

You have to show it, even with the online checkin. You also need it on the channel tunnel. Haven't tried a ferry for a while, but I'm sure they'll check them on those too.

DillyTantay · 20/09/2009 20:40

yes ring the mobile

DillyTantay · 20/09/2009 20:41

bit FIRST text him to ask hwo he is
and as he replies( so phone ON) ring
then catch him out

LittleWhiteWolf · 20/09/2009 20:43

Definately odd. Sadly unless he has multiple passports it doesnt look good...
your poor friend.

Portofino · 20/09/2009 20:45

Yep - you need to show your passport at the ferry too! A friend of mine travelled with his Belgian ID card (perfectly valid as a travel doc within the EU) and got grief at Dover. This guy has NOT left the country, unless he has ANOTHER passport. (My ex boss had two as he had to travel to Middle East and couldn't do it with the Israel visa stamped in one)

!!!

tribpot · 20/09/2009 20:47

Cannot get on a plane without it (or indeed a ferry). He's not in Europe. The ring tone thing is a good idea. She doesn't want to confront him because she "trusts" him - well, no problem then. Except why is she telling you about it if she "trusts" him? Unless he's a diplomat, how can he be leaving the country?

LaurieFairyCake · 20/09/2009 20:48

he could be Superman......