Do you need six months on your passport to travel to Ireland?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Most airlines will require some form of ID for a flight to Dublin from the UK (levers2007/iStock)

Q My grandson, who lives in the UK, has a passport which expires in May 2019. Can he travel to Ireland on this, or does he need to renew it? I have heard conflicting information about having to have six months remaining on it from Ryanair and Aer Lingus.

Dave P

A Plenty of nonsense prevails about the travel rules that may or may not prevail after Brexit. But for journeys between Britain and Ireland, fortunately the regulations are clear. Both countries are in the common travel area (CTA), which also includes the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. There is no legal obligation for British or Irish citizens to carry a passport when crossing from one territory to another. And the government says that after Brexit there will be no practical changes to the red tape: “As now there will be no routine immigration controls on journeys from within the CTA to the UK.”

But while the law does not require a passport to be carried, individual transport providers are entitled to implement tougher requirements.

Aer Lingus says: “To travel between Ireland and Britain with photo identification other than a passport, you must have been born in Ireland or the UK and also be a citizen of either country.” It asks for some form of photographic ID such as a driving licence, an international student card, a bus pass or a work ID.

British Airways requires citizens of the UK or Republic of Ireland to carry some form of photographic identification, such as a driving licence.

But Ryanair insists: “Flights between the UK and Ireland require a passport.” Driving licences are not acceptable.

On sea routes, the requirements are more relaxed. Irish Ferries and Stena Line are happy with a utility bill or birth certificate. But P&O Ferries says: “For travel between Eire and England, photographic identification is required for all passengers (including children and infants) as they may be asked to prove citizenship at any time.”

Despite what you have been told, there has never been any “six months’ validity” stipulation for passports. So your grandson can use his passport up to and including the expiry date. If he chooses not to renew, after it runs out he can travel with anyone except Ryanair.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder