Passengers using several ferry routes between Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland will need to present a valid passport at check-in from September 28, 2026.
The new boarding requirement applies to affected Irish Ferries and Stena Line services. It replaces more flexible identification policies that previously allowed some British and Irish passengers to use documents such as a driving licence.
Which ferry routes are affected?
Irish Ferries says the requirement will apply in both directions on its:
- Dublin-Holyhead route
- Rosslare-Pembroke route
Stena Line will introduce the requirement for passengers travelling in either direction on its:
- Dublin-Holyhead route
- Rosslare-Fishguard route
Stena Line says there is no change to the identification requirements for its passenger services through Belfast, Liverpool, Cairnryan or Heysham. Passengers should still check the rules for their specific crossing before travelling.
What documents will be accepted?
Every passenger on the affected routes will need the required document, regardless of age or nationality. That includes children and infants.
Irish Ferries will accept a valid passport or, for Irish citizens, a valid Irish passport card. Driving licences, national identity cards and other forms of photographic identification will no longer be accepted on the affected routes.
Stena Line will also require a valid passport, although it confirms that Irish passport cards and emergency passports will be accepted. Passports must contain a machine-readable zone, which is the section of letters and numbers on the personal-data page.
Passengers who arrive without an accepted document may be unable to board. Stena Line advises customers whose bookings were made before the change was announced to contact the operator if they cannot meet the new requirement.
Is the Common Travel Area ending?
No. The Common Travel Area remains in place, and the rights it provides to British and Irish citizens have not been withdrawn.
Under the longstanding arrangement, British and Irish citizens can move freely between the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The new passport checks are a ferry check-in requirement introduced to meet UK Border Force requirements concerning the accuracy of passenger information before boarding. They are not a new visa or immigration restriction for British or Irish citizens.
UK government guidance still states that British and Irish citizens travelling from Ireland to Great Britain do not legally have to show a passport to a Border Force officer, although they may be asked to prove their identity and nationality. Ferry operators can impose stricter documentation requirements as a condition of carriage.
Some passengers may also need a UK ETA
A passport and a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation serve different purposes. Showing a passport at ferry check-in does not replace any separate requirement to hold an ETA, visa or other UK immigration permission.
British and Irish citizens do not need a UK ETA. Travelers who already have permission to live, work or study in the UK are also exempt.
People who legally live in Ireland and would normally require an ETA are exempt when entering the UK from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. Travelers aged 16 or older relying on this exemption must carry an original, valid document issued by the Irish government that proves they live in Ireland. The exemption does not remove any UK visa requirement for nationalities that ordinarily need a visa.
What passengers should do
Anyone booked on an affected sailing on or after September 28 should make sure every passenger has a valid passport or an accepted Irish passport card before leaving for the port. The name and personal details on the booking should also match the travel document presented at check-in.
Travelers who are not British or Irish citizens should separately confirm whether they need an ETA, visa or other immigration permission for their destination. Because boarding requirements and immigration rules are not the same thing, the safest approach is to check both the ferry operator’s instructions and official government guidance before departure.
