Are Passports still Required in the EU?

There is a mistaken belief held by many people that national borders within the European Union no longer exist and that no travel documents are necessary for intra-European travel. While this might be the ultimate aim of some European Union countries, it is still far from the reality.

Frontier posts abroad are not always manned and while it is possible to pass through a port such as St Malo without being asked to produce any form of identification it is still essential for British citizens to carry with them a valid passport. It is not only the frontier police who may request proof of identity and nationality; any person who cannot satisfy the authorities could experience delays and inconvenience if, for example, they were involved in an accident and required hospital treatment.

The carrying companies are under an obligation to ensure that all people who travel with them are correctly documented and they can be fined if a passenger is refused leave to enter a port because of a deficiency in the documentation. Consequently, anyone who attempts to travel without a passport runs the risk of being refused permission to board the ship or aircraft.