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Check-in at Ryanair: which document number do I enter?

Written by Lien Berden | May 10, 2023 9:00:00 PM
Last weekend, I flew to Stockholm with a few colleagues. Last weekend I flew to Stockholm with a few colleagues. We had booked the flights on the Ryanair website itself, which was the cheapest option at the time. Everything went well, until we had to check in. Because which document number exactly should we enter?

Which document should you choose?

To check-in a person on Ryanair's website, you need to add a document first. You can choose between 'EEA National ID Card' and 'Passport'. The choice between these two documents depends on your destination. Generally, for international travel outside the European Union, such as to the United States or Asia, a passport is required. For travel within the European Union, you can usually use an identity card. It's always best to check the specific requirements and recommendations of your destination country before traveling.

Since we were flying to a destination within the European Union, we all selected the 'EEA National ID Card' as the document. However, when adding the document number, we were unsure whether it should be the card number of our identity card or the national identification number.

Which document number should you enter?


For those who have the same question, here's the answer: if you have chosen 'EEA National Identity ID Card' as the document, you should enter the card number of your identity card as the document number.

On a Belgian identity card, you can find this number on the front side of your card, usually at the top. The card number consists of twelve digits and is often labeled as "Kaartnummer" or "Numéro de carte". It is usually mentioned next to a barcode and below the personal details, such as your name and date of birth.

On a Dutch identity card, you can also find the card number on the front side, but it is located at the bottom right. The card number consists of nine digits and is usually displayed under the text "Documentnummer" or "Documentnr."

If you have chosen your passport as the document, you should enter the passport number as the document number. The document number on your passport can vary in length and format, depending on the country of issue. Generally, the document number consists of a combination of letters and numbers. In Belgium and the Netherlands, the document number is usually located on the page with personal information, at the top right next to your photo. On mine, it literally states "Paspoortnummer / N° du passeport" above the required document number.


I hope this blog post has been helpful, and you can now travel without any worries. Have a safe flight!