I do not have a passport for my 3 month old daughter yet. In fact, we are still going through the process of registering her birth at the hospital (already had our application denied 3 times for various reasons).

Anyways, my question is can we cross the border with her? I would really like to do some shopping in France this weekend because our rain cover for our stroller broke and I need a new one. But we have no passport, no identity card, nothing for her. I was thinking about stopping in at the border before crossing and see if they can maybe write me a "permission slip" of sorts

I don't know what to do. At the rate we are going, she won't have a passport until she's 18.

I'll try calling the authorities to see if they can help, but in the meantime I thought I'd check here to see if anyone has any insight into what I can do...

No.

Of course, you can cross, but if you get controlled, you will be in big doo-doo.

Tom

These might shed some light:

border crossing (CH to GER) w/ infant who doesn't have birth cert yet

Travelling with baby to Germany, without baby's passport

Thanks for the links. I should have used the search tool first

No worries - these are dated and buried deep, might be a challenge for some.

Given that your location is N/A, I guess your query is also N/A.

Hard to help without that reference point.

In Basel, we got given a birth card. This is a small (A6) pink (I think) card that I nearly threw away as I thought it was a note card just FYI. Turns out it was an abbreviated birth certificate and allowed us to travel over the border to France and Germany while waiting for other documentation.

As I said though, don't know if that applies to the land of N/A.

I live near Biel.

As for the pink card, I guess I need to search for that. I don't remember coming home with anything except the blue family book.

I tried to call the border control office to find out specifics, but the receptionist couldn't answer my question and said no one else was at the office right now So I have to call tomorrow.

Why? You don't actually need a passport to travel between Schengen countries, you know...

You do need to carry photo ID, though.

Tom

My son crosses the border (near Geneva) several times a month with his 6 month-old. He's not sorting out a passport yet (she's entitled to both UK and Swiss), he just carries a copy of the family book. Not had any trouble so far.... although we tend to use one of the smaller crossing points.

I was told by the Kreisburo to always carry my passport even when traveling to Schengen countries. The reason being, that you(r) (passport) might be banned in certain countries and you could be breaking the law!

If you get stopped going out. No problem turn around and come back.

If you get stopped coming back. They can't just leave you in France....or can they?

*dramatic music*

I trust you'd have no problem getting back in the country as long as you have ID with you.

Still you are subject to a Spot Fine for such offences - is this correct?

Not true... you should be in possession of your travel document regardless (could be an national ID card for those countries that issues it). Schengen simply means border-free... the obligation to carry a passport is separate.

even if you're a 3 month old baby?

That's not what the treaty says... but ok...
I've traveled between countries, and when requested by authorities for my Passport, I've presented just my Swiss permit.

You don't need a passport if you're not crossing immigration controls.

Note: National IDs and Permits are not travel documents.

National IDs are, I can go to non-Schengen countries with just the ID (been doing that for 15 years), only need a passport for outside of Europe.

Tom

Yes, you are correct. European (EU + EEA + CH) National IDs are valid within all countries as a travel document.

Likewise, Mercosur ID cards are also valid within those countries as travel documents.