> Additionally, holding an EU passport allows one to work, study, etc. in any EU country, rather than simply visit it.
I don't think you even need a passport, just a proof of nationality (e.g. a national ID card from your country of origin, that's usually free or much cheaper than a passport)
> A citizen of an EU country residing in Germany is under no obligation to hold a passport.
Any EU citizen needs a passport or equivalent in Germany. One needs it already when entering Germany. Though you don't need to carry it all time with you. But you need to have one.
Do you have a reference for this? It might be true, but I live in a small European country and have never met or heard of anyone not having a passport, so it sounds very unlikely to me, though of cause we are a small percentage of the total, but is it really the case?
> also, what about people who have neither a passport nor an identity card?
Not possible. Can't say 100% about all countries, but in my country it's a must to have either passport or ID once you hit 16. There's even a small fine if you don't take out or renew personal document on time.
US and their passport-less life looks very strange from Europe. You can't do anything without ID in EU. No bank account, no employment, no driving license and the list couldgo on and on.
Meanwhile, in this universe, travel inside the Schengen area (which covers an impressive chunk of Europe) does not require a passport, but any kind of national ID, regardless how many borders it crosses. Coincidentally, it's the same as for internal air travel.
> "That's enormously important," says Tom Jenkins, who says that around three quarters of Europeans don't have passports, since they can travel around Europe with their ID cards.
The fact that this article talks about passports is a hint that it is at least partly misreporting based on assumptions from someone who didn't know much about the situation.
This is within the EU, so obviously what would be asked is an EU id.
You don't actually need a passport to travel within the EU. Just a European id card. Still, most people I know do have passports, but that might tell you more about my particular bubble than anything else.
> so I can safely keep my passport in the hotel safe while I visit Schengen countries
Random border checks have always been a thing in Europe, a passport is literally made for crossing borders, why would you keep it in an hotel if you know you'll be doing the only thing it is used for.
> There are also passport checks when you fly to Norway from other EU countries.
Except countries in the Nordic Passport Union: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_Passport_Union You need zero documents to travel between these (well, you need a ticket if you fly or travel by train or a bus).
For intra-schengen travel you are supposed to have a national identity card or passport, not just a photo ID. I don't think Brits have those cards yet so they still need passports.
You don't need any ID to travel but it is recommend to have an ID. The ID can be a passport or National ID. It doesn't have to be a passport.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/eu-c...
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