Your identity card and your passport have expired and you want to go abroad? Do not panic: it is possible depending on the destination you choose, even outside the European Union.
To travel around the world, whether by train, boat or plane, the French must present an identity document. Depending on the destination, you will need to bring a national identity card or a passport. But what if these documents are out of date? Do they still need to be renewed?
A map not necessarily useful
A valid identity card is not necessarily useful depending on the destination you choose this summer. Since January 1, 2014, the validity period of the national identity card has increased from 10 to 15 years for adults only.
Authorities in some countries have officially explained that they accept ID cards that appear to be out of date. And not just in the European Union. Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Czech Republic and Slovenia are in this process.
Outside the European Union, Andorra, Iceland, Monaco, Saint-Martin, Serbia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey and Montenegro also accept expired identity cards.
Ban on expired card
Three countries have officially declared that they refuse identity cards whose validity is extended by five years. These are Lithuania, Norway and Belgium.
Other countries have not officially transmitted their position even within the European Union. These are Germany, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Sweden. It is better to consult the France Diplomatie website to make sure that the country accepts the document you have in possession.
Needless to say that it is therefore better to have a valid passport or identity card. You can request the early renewal of your apparently expired identity card provided that you provide proof of your intention to travel and that you do not hold a valid passport, indicates the website of the Ministry of the Interior.
Possible to fly
You will no doubt have noticed: it is impossible to book a plane ticket online if the expiry date of your identity card or passport is before 2022. A solution: you must go to the airport with from the counter of the airline you are interested in.
It is only on this condition that you will be able to buy a plane ticket, provided you go to a country that accepts it. A flight certificate, obtained at the police station, can sometimes be enough to board.
This article is originally published on midilibre.fr
