The Home Affairs Minister has confirmed her support for maintaining the current French ID card travel scheme – but warned that its continuation is “not without risk”.

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat gave her backing to maintaining the current French ID card travel scheme for day trips, but urged States Members to reject an amendment to expand the scheme to cover three-day visits.

She said that the current scheme balances the “integrity and security” of Jersey’s border with “the economic and cultural benefits from encouraging day trip visitors from France”.

But the Minister acknowledged that the continued acceptance of French national identity cards in place of passports would “at least to some extent” diminish border security.

“ID cards, when compared to passports, are less secure documents,” she said. “It follows that any acceptance of ID cards over passports reduces security.”

However, Deputy Le Hegarat emphasised that the risks were manageable under the current arrangement.

“This is mitigated by limiting the extent of the scheme to French nationals, on day trips only, where any persons who are not in compliance can be identified and dealt with quickly and reasonably easily,” she explained.

The Home Affairs Minister also recognised the possibility that the UK government could have concerns about the security of the Common Travel Area as a result of the scheme.

“In a worst-case scenario, this may result in the implementation of a hard border between the UK and Jersey,” she said.

Deputy Le Hegarat warned that this would have a “significant negative consequences” for islanders needing to travel to the UK for healthcare or business.

The scheme, which allows French citizens to enter Jersey for day trips using only their national ID cards, operates as an exception to standard UK and Crown Dependency border rules, which typically require passports post-Brexit.

It has been credited with reviving short-term tourism from France, particularly via ferry routes, and is currently set to continue until September 2025.

However, its future is uncertain with the UK preparing to implement a new Electronic Travel Authorisation regime later this year.

Deputy Le Hegarat said Jersey would need to carve out an exemption from these requirements to continue the ID card arrangement – a move that would need careful negotiation with the UK.

“I firmly believe maintaining the scheme for day trips only strikes the right balance between embracing Jersey’s cultural ties with France and supporting Jersey’s economy, alongside the need to maintain border security, and our relationship with fellow members of the Common Travel Area,” she added.