Can I travel on a residence permit without a passport?
A residence permit is not a travel document. You almost always need a valid passport alongside it to fly or cross a border, and hotels will ask for photo ID at check-in.
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A residence permit is not a travel document
A residence permit proves you are allowed to live in a particular country. It does not prove your nationality, and on its own it will not get you through an international border or onto an international flight.
Almost every airline and border force looks at the passport first and treats the permit as supporting evidence. When you book a stay on trip1, use the name exactly as it appears on the passport you plan to travel with, because that is the document the hotel will ask for at check-in.
Travelling inside the Schengen Area
A residence permit issued by one Schengen country lets you travel to the other Schengen countries for short stays without applying for a separate visa. That is a real advantage and it is what the permit is doing for you.
It does not remove the need for a passport. There are no routine checks at internal Schengen land borders, but airlines run their own identity checks at the gate and police can carry out spot checks anywhere in the area.
Carry the passport and the permit together. If the permit is close to its expiry date, bring your renewal receipt or confirmation letter as well.
What the airline actually checks
Airlines check your documents because they are fined if they carry someone who is then refused entry. That is why check-in staff are often stricter than the border officer you meet later.
For an international flight, expect the airline to want a passport valid for the whole trip, plus the residence permit or visa for the country you are flying to. For domestic flights inside your country of residence, the permit card on its own is usually enough.
Important: An airline can refuse to board you if your passport has expired, even when your residence permit is perfectly valid. A refused boarding is not normally refundable.
If your passport has expired or is lost
Contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are a citizen of. They can renew your passport or issue an emergency travel document that covers a single journey.
If you cannot approach your own country's authorities, for example because you hold refugee status, the country you live in may issue you a travel document instead. Ask the immigration authority that issued your permit.
Hotel check-in on a residence permit
Most hotels accept a residence permit card as photo ID, because it is government issued and carries your photo and date of birth. Some countries require hotels to register foreign guests using passport details, and in those places the permit alone will not be enough.
Bring both documents to the desk and you will not run into trouble. Your trip1 booking confirmation covers the reservation itself, and you can show it from your phone.
Travelling on a residence permit - FAQ
No. A residence permit from a Schengen country lets you visit the other Schengen countries for short stays without a visa, but you still need a valid passport. Airlines check identity at the gate, and some Schengen countries run temporary internal border checks, so carry your passport and permit together.
Not on the permit alone. An EU residence permit does not give you permission to enter the UK, so you need a valid passport plus a UK ETA or visa, depending on your nationality. Check the UK government's visa checker before you book, and get any ETA or visa approved before you travel.
Yes, for international travel. A permanent residence card proves you can live in a country, but not your nationality, so airlines and border officers ask for the passport from your country of citizenship and check the card alongside it. For domestic flights within your country of residence, the card alone is usually enough.
Contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are a citizen of. They can renew your passport or issue an emergency travel document for a single journey. If you cannot approach your own country's authorities, for example because you have refugee status, ask the immigration authority that issued your residence permit about a travel document.
Often yes, because a residence permit card is government-issued photo ID. Some countries require hotels to register foreign guests using passport details, and there the permit alone will not be enough. Bring both documents to the desk, and show your trip1 booking confirmation from your phone.