French identity card scheme for day trippers extended until September 2025
The ongoing scheme to allow French day trippers into the Bailiwick using only their identity cards has been extended until the end of the 2025 summer visitor season, before the ETA scheme is introduced.
09 August 2024
The Committee for Home Affairs made this decision inline with the States of Jersey’s Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, following joint discussions with the UK government.
Originally due to end in September 2024, the scheme has allowed French travellers to come into the Channel Islands using an identity card as an alternative to a valid passport, with the aim of benefiting the local tourism and hospitality industries.
It should be noted it is unlikely the scheme will extend beyond September 2025, as the UK and the Crown Dependencies, will introduce a complete Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, currently planned for the end of next year, which will require non-visa nationals travelling to the Common Travel Area to provide passport details. Identity cards will not be compatible with this process.
Deputy Rob Prow, President of the Committee for Home Affairs, said:
“This scheme was initially introduced just for the summer of 2023, but the benefits to local businesses in allowing French travellers into the Bailiwick for day trips were clear, and so we are pleased to have been able to continue it since. France is a country where the number of people who hold a passport is relatively low, and so ensuring they can still travel following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU has been very valuable. It is unlikely the scheme will continue when ETAs are introduced, however that scheme will increase the security of the Common Travel Area, and therefore the Bailiwick.”
