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Based on the expats question "If asked for ID in France by the police, as an EU national what is considered valid?", I know what the rules are for carrying ID as a Brit in France.

Secondly, I know that the Schengen Area (including France and Belgium) doesn't permit systematic checks, and that as an EU National travelling in the Schengen area, I do not need to show an national ID card or passport when travelling from one border-free Schengen EU country to another.

However, as the Europe.eu page says, it's highly recommended to take a passport or ID card with you when travelling between Schengen countries as an EU National.

So, as an EU national, if I start out in north-east France, and cross over into Belgium (on a local train, a bus, a bicycle or similar), what (if any) ID do I need to have with me?

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Gagravarr
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2 Answers2

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Short answer: Your passport or EU-based national identity card. However, chances are slim that you will be checked, but it is not uncommon and you are obliged to show an accepted travel document.

Usually those checkups are done in the context of some specific objective (drugs, wanted criminals, or another multinational collaborative effort by the authorities) and often if you are not suspected anything will do (e.g. driver's license, residence permit, bank card, etc.). If however they choose to go formal on you, you need to have a proper travel document stating your resident status and citizenship.

There is a website stating what official identity cards are issued per country.

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If anything, your ID card. Passport, of course, does the job as well. In most cases, nothing is required, but just in case its always good to have one of the two on you.

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