If you’re one of the 1736 fools citizens people victims users of the UK National ID Card (Manchester Area), one of it’s esteemed promises from The Home Office was.
“The Home Office said these ID cards could be used for travel in Europe, as well as being a means of identity in opening up bank accounts and the like.”
Well. A lot of travel companies are really playing ball with this. Not.
In an investigation by the Manchester Evening News (as well as earlier reports of people being denied access to board ferries from Hull, and trying to check in for flights at Stansted for Bonn), 9 travel providers stated they could not use an ID card as the sole travel document. 8 companies later redacted the statements (bar Eurostar who are still unhappy to state if it’s a valid travel document) to state it is possible to travel on an ID card. Only 4 companies in the initial questioning phase got it “right”
However, this is good in theory, but when you’re at the border trying to leave the UK on an ID card, you’ll get odd looks and confusion as the trial hasn’t seemed to be communicated well enough to travel providers.
In particular, Air Berlin and GermanWings have refused point blank to accept this as a valid travel document as it has been not been recognised by the German Federal Authorities.
Identity and Passport Service (IPS) said “The National Identity Card is a valid document for travel and is as good as a passport in Europe.
“We expect all carriers in the UK to accept National Identity Cards for travel as a legal duty and we are confident that the vast majority of travellers will have no problems using their Identity Card as a travel document.
The fact of the matter is this however: UK borders controls, carriers and their agents – as well as foreign governments are not recognising this card as a valid travel document. In other words, you need a passport to travel aboard no matter what IPS say.
Credit: Manchester Evening News
Editors Note: As you might have guessed from the tone of writing – personally I do not support the NIR as well as the National ID Card – something that was done away with in the 1950’s, with the costs of the project being funded by Passport fees and an additional fee. The fact that there are few readers about of the device and that to detect one without an reader requires a distinct sound when twanged is quite frankly laughable. The fact it will also contain biometric details, held in a government database also freaks me slightly too.
