Passports no longer required by French visitors under Jersey ID card pilot scheme

Phil Wellbrook was at the arrival of the first ferry from France with this change in place.

French visitors to Jersey do not need a passport to travel for the first time since Brexit, under a pilot scheme announced by the island's government.

It follows a "significant decline" in the number of visitors from France since the UK left the EU and new travel restrictions came into effect.

Under the scheme, passengers travelling on commercial ferries between the island and France for a day trip are allowed to travel using a national ID card rather than a passport.

The President of the Manche region of France previously warned the government there would stop funding ferries between the Channel Islands and France unless the post-Brexit passport requirement was relaxed.

Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Helen Miles, says she hopes the pilot scheme will provide a tourism boost:

"It is important that we are all working together to enable French residents to visit our beautiful island and give them the flexibility they need to do so".

"Jersey has a longstanding history and cultural links with France and my aim is to make sure we create opportunities for this to continue”.

The scheme begins on 22 April 2023 and runs until the end of September 2023.

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