Do you need a passport for Jersey?

In simple terms, no you won’t need a passport when flying to Jersey by air.  But you will be required to carry a identify card for immigration purposes and airline check in requirements – which means that most people end up taking their passport anyway!  There are no immigration controls between the United Kingdom and Jersey because it is part of The Common Travel Area (CTA).  This is basically an open borders area comprising the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

However it’s important to carry some ID because airlines will ask to see this when you check in.  We’ve pulled together the carriers who fly to Jersey so you bring the correct form of photo ID that they will accept.

Because you don’t need a passport to travel to Jersey from England, you should make sure that you carry alternative ID.   The Channel Islands are deemed to be in The Common Travel Area, which covers the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Island of Man, and the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Guernsey, Alderney, Herm and Sark) (CTA).  All of these areas have no immigration controls which means you can travel without a passport.  It is recommended you do take a form of photographic ID, this could be:

When travelling with FlyBe you will need to carry one of the following forms of identification to enable you to board the plane.  Most people decide to take their passport ‘just to be sure!’  You can even travel on a expired passport on domestic flights, for two years beyond its expiry date)

EasyJet inform all its customers that you’ll need to have some form of Photographic identification when travelling to Jersey on a domestic flight.  The good thing about EasyJet is that they allow customers with expired passports to travel up to a maximum of 5 years beyond the expiry date (this is much better than the 2 years Flybe allow).  They only provide a few examples of what ID is accepted when you travel with them:

Blue Islands is now a franchise operator of Flybe, so please refer to Flybe passport requirements for detailed information.

All passengers aged 16 and over are required to show photographic ID at the check in desk and then again at the departure gate prior to boarding the aircraft.  They even go as far as telling their customers that without suitable ID you will not be permitted to travel with them to Jersey.  Unlike other airline carriers they will only let you use an expired passport up to 6 months beyond its expiry date.  So it’s worth checking the list of acceptable ID:

When travelling to Jersey by ferry either on foot or with your car, it’s now compulsory that you bring photographic ID (this changed in April 2019).

Please remember this information provided here is based on the fact you are a British Citizen travelling to or from Jersey in the Channel Islands. If you are travelling from outside the UK or are not a British Citizen, then unfortunately different rules will apply.

Here is an updated list of what Condor Ferries accepts:

If you have children which are under the age of 16, you are not required to travel with a passport or show any form of ID on a domestic route from England to Jersey.  However the adult who is travelling with them will have to vouch for the infant’s/child’s identification and then show their own relevant photo ID (of the adult).  This is only the case for those travelling by air.  If you are travelling by sea then you wont need any ID for the child or yourself.

If you have booked a flight for your child who will be travelling unaccompanied and is aged between 12 years and 16 years old, it is necessary to produce photographic ID.

The good thing is if you don’t have any photographic ID, we’d recommend you apply for a CitizenCard which is easily obtained from your local post office, alternatively you can download the form online.

A CitizenCard helps you prove both your age and identity, and is great for travelling as it fits nicely into your wallet or purse.  If you are in a rush for some ID the you can apply for their fast track service.