Travel documents from Charleroi: ID card, passport, EES and ETIAS

Is a Belgian identity card enough to fly from Charleroi?

Within the Schengen area, yes. It has 29 countries since Bulgaria and Romania joined on 1 January 2025, according to the European Commission. Sofia, Varna, Bucharest and Cluj, all served from Charleroi, can therefore be reached with an identity card alone, just like Spain or Italy. Ireland stays outside Schengen, but the Belgian Foreign Affairs service says it accepts either the identity card or the passport.

The service reminds Belgians abroad that they must always be able to identify themselves with a valid Belgian identity card or passport, whatever their age. Where no minimum validity is given for a country, the document must remain valid for the whole stay.

Ryanair accepts only two documents: a valid passport or a valid national identity card. Driving licences and birth certificates are refused for every destination, according to its help centre as consulted on 7 November 2026.

If a document is lost or stolen before you leave, have it blocked straight away through DOCSTOP, on 00800 2123 2123 or +32 2 518 2123. The service also suggests keeping a photo of your documents on your phone: it does not replace them, but it helps if they go missing.

Which Charleroi destinations need more than an identity card?

The table lists the non-Schengen countries in Charleroi's network, with the rule published by the Belgian Foreign Affairs service for a Belgian on a tourist trip, and the number of departures in our log of flights from 30 October to 9 November 2026.

Podgorica appears in Ryanair's network as listed on 4 November 2026, but no departure shows up in our log. Sarajevo is one of the 13 routes Ryanair is withdrawing from Charleroi this winter, according to Air Journal. For North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the service notes that some airlines require a document valid for at least 3 months. Its country sheets were updated between 2023 and 2026, so reread yours a few days before you leave.

Flights to Istanbul are operated by Pegasus: see the Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen page. For Morocco, our guide to flights to Morocco covers the cities, departure days and Ryanair's rules for the return flight.

United Kingdom: do you need a passport and an ETA?

Yes, both. The Belgian Foreign Affairs service says a Belgian must show a valid passport and an ETA, the UK's electronic travel authorisation. An identity card is therefore not enough for Manchester or Edinburgh. Ryanair confirms that EU nationals need an ETA for a short stay in the United Kingdom.

According to the UK government website, as consulted on 7 November 2026: - an ETA costs £20 and covers stays of up to 6 months; - every traveller needs one, including babies and children; - a decision usually arrives by email within a day, but can take up to 3 working days; - other websites charge more, so use the official app or GOV.UK.

The ETA is valid for 2 years and tied to your passport: with a new passport, you need a new ETA. At Ryanair, if your ETA check is not finished, the app issues a restricted boarding pass and sends you to the airport desk, where the check is free. Leave time for that stop. The United Kingdom page shows the day's flights to Manchester and Edinburgh.

EES: who has to give fingerprints at the border?

The EES, or Entry/Exit System, registers nationals of non-EU countries coming for a short stay, each time they cross the external border of one of the 29 European countries that use it. The European Commission says it stores the name, travel document data, fingerprints, a facial image and the date and place of entry and exit. It replaces passport stamping.

Its progressive start began on 12 October 2025 and the system has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, according to the Commission and the EU agency eu-LISA. From 12 October to 31 December 2025, the EES recorded 8,180 refusals of entry, according to eu-LISA's first quarterly report.

Belgians, like all EU citizens, are not affected. The EES does, however, apply to a Moroccan, Turkish or British relative coming to Belgium through Charleroi: they are registered at the border, fingerprints and facial image included. For a non-European traveller leaving Charleroi with Ryanair, the airline also asks for the visa or residence permit to be checked in the app, or otherwise at the desk before security. Its desks close strictly 60 minutes before departure for flights from 10 November 2026 (40 minutes before that date), and without this check boarding is refused. To plan the time you need, see how early to get to the airport.

ETIAS: is a travel authorisation already needed to enter Europe?

Not yet. As of 7 November 2026, the European Commission states that ETIAS is not in operation and that no applications are being collected. The EU will announce the start date several months in advance.

Once it is running, ETIAS will apply to travellers from 59 visa-exempt countries visiting 30 European countries for a short stay, meaning up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Border guards will check the authorisation together with the passport. The planned fee is 20 euros instead of the 7 euros first set; the new fee is still under review by the Council and the European Parliament.

Belgian and other EU citizens will not need it. Be wary of websites already offering to apply for ETIAS for a fee: the Commission says no applications are being collected at this stage and that applications will go through an official website or mobile app.

Children: Kids-ID, passport and parental consent

The Belgian Foreign Affairs service is clear: a child needs their own document, a Kids-ID, electronic identity card or passport, even under 12 and even for travel within the European Union. The Kids-ID is the card for Belgian children under 12. You apply at your local council, with the child present and a recent photo. According to the Federal Public Service Interior, it costs 6.60 euros excluding the local council fee and takes 3 weeks; the fast-track procedure costs considerably more.

For Morocco or the United Kingdom, a Kids-ID is not enough: the child travels on a passport, valid for 5 years for a minor against 7 years for an adult. For the UK, a baby also needs their own ETA.

If the child travels with only one parent, a copy of the birth certificate can prove the relationship, especially if their surnames differ. Some countries require their own parental consent form, separate from the council one. Our travelling with children guide covers the airlines' rules for babies and pushchairs.