Passports are over rated

[Deathside]

Been staying at a hotel in Eindhoven (Netherlands) for the last few days on a work trip

Yesterday evening I drove from Eindhoven to Brussels Airport - Only after I'd checked in my hire car did I realise that my passport (and driving licence) were still in the room safe at the hotel (about 1½ - 2 hours drive away)

I went to the airline's customer services desk to see what options I had and was quite surprised when they said they'd call UK immigration dept to see if I can fly without a passport

In the meantime I called the hotel, who had now found my passport, and they faxed a copy of the photo page through to the airline

Immigration decided to allow me to fly - I had to be accompanied by an airline representitive through passport control at Brussels

On arrival at Heathrow passport control I was detained for almost an hour - most of which was spent waiting for someone to interview me - The interview only took 5 mins or so and then I was free to go

The downside is that I missed the last train out of London to Leicester and had to get a train to Peterburgh and then taxi it back to Leicester

[Rincewind]

That seems fair enough what happened. At least you informed the authorities which I expect made things easier. The escort and interview would be just normal procedure. Without coming clean and helping by telephoning the hotel and having an escort you could have been hauled in for a much tougher interview with latex gloves included.

[cisono]

That seems fair enough what happened. At least you informed the authorities which I expect made things easier. The escort and interview would be just normal procedure. Without coming clean and helping by telephoning the hotel and having an escort you could have been hauled in for a much tougher interview with latex gloves included.

OUCH!

I believe you are correct in this particular instance at least ...

Whatever happened to the borderless EU anyway?!?!

[Guest]

Whatever happened to the borderless EU anyway?!?!

The UK didn't sign up to it.

[cisono]

The UK didn't sign up to it.

Sounds about right

[Head Honcho]

I read today that a UK passport costs £5000 on the black market

............and not surprisingly 330,000 have been lost in the past three years

Fancy six months travelling?

Tell the passport office you've lost your passport, get your new one, sell your old one for £5k and........

Bobs your fathers brother!

Not that I'd advocate such behaviour!

[cisono]

I read today that a UK passport costs £5000 on the black market

............and not surprisingly 330,000 have been lost in the past three years

Fancy six months travelling?

Tell the passport office you've lost your passport, get your new one, sell your old one for £5k and........

Bobs your fathers brother!

Not that I'd advocate such behaviour!

1) I would never consider such appalling (and illegal) behaviour.

2) I'd be afraid of having problems due to bad behaviour by people using my stolen passport.

(Of course, this can happen anyway, whenever your passport is stolen)

[Daggers]

Whatever happened to the borderless EU anyway?!?!

The departmental officials kept getting paper-cuts while trying to remove them.

[lookwhaticando]

The EU is borderless - you can easily cross the borders without encountering border control. I've done it often enough.

Aviation is a special case though, always has been and probably always will be.

[Dr The Singh]

I read today that a UK passport costs £5000 on the black market

............and not surprisingly 330,000 have been lost in the past three years

Fancy six months travelling?

Tell the passport office you've lost your passport, get your new one, sell your old one for £5k and........

Bobs your fathers brother!

Not that I'd advocate such behaviour!

So, can you give me an address to post the passpor to, and can you give me my 5k in used 20 notes!!!

[cisono]

The EU is borderless - you can easily cross the borders without encountering border control. I've done it often enough.

Not true. You can easily cross the borders without being bothered, but if they ask you, you cannot simply say you don't have any documents on you.

In fact, in Italy, due to some antiquated law (read Mussolini-instated one), you are supposed to always have some document on you (in theory, even when going to the beach!). If they stop you and you don't have your ID or passport, they can fine you on the spot!

[lookwhaticando]

You're not required to pass through regular border control points - that's the point I was making. You don't stand in line for hours on end just to flash your proverbials at some nosey bastard in a booth.

Documentation is required by most countries, obviously, but being asked to show your documentation isn't a frequent occurrence.

[Head Honcho]

Not true. You can easily cross the borders without being bothered, but if they ask you, you cannot simply say you don't have any documents on you.

In fact, in Italy, due to some antiquated law (read Mussolini-instated one), you are supposed to always have some document on you (in theory, even when going to the beach!). If they stop you and you don't have your ID or passport, they can fine you on the spot!

I think this applies to many European countries, not just Italy!

[bold_fox]

I travel a lot with work and have come across some strange policies.

I remember once that the name on my Airline Ticket was in fact different to that on my Passport.... Yet this wasn't questioned and i was allowed to fly with out question !

i also returned a week later and again it wasn't checked !

Makes you think.

[cisono]

I think this applies to many European countries, not just Italy!

I cannot exclude, but I haven't examined all their laws.

And by the way, in theory, you are also required to let the local police know when you travel to another town to spend some time there. I don't know of anyone actually doing that though...