Irish Ferries and Stena Line have introduced passport-only requirements on several routes between Britain and the Republic of Ireland, although the Common Travel Area remains unchanged.
Passengers travelling by ferry between Britain and the Republic of Ireland must now carry a valid passport or, where accepted, an Irish passport card, following new identification requirements that came into force on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The change affects passengers using several major ferry routes operated by Irish Ferries and Stena Line. It applies to British and Irish citizens as well as passengers of other nationalities.
The new requirement does not mean that the UK and Ireland have ended or changed the Common Travel Area. British and Irish citizens continue to have the right to travel freely between the two countries under the long-standing arrangement.
Instead, the passport requirement has been introduced by ferry operators to comply with updated UK Border Force requirements concerning the accuracy and integrity of passenger information collected before travel.
Which Ferry Routes Are Affected?
The new passport-only requirement applies to specific ferry services between Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
For Irish Ferries, passengers must present a valid passport or Irish passport card on:
• Dublin–Holyhead, in both directions
• Rosslare–Pembroke, in both directions
Irish Ferries says the requirement applies to all passengers, including British and Irish citizens. Driving licences, national identity cards and other forms of photographic identification are no longer accepted on these services from September 28.
Stena Line has introduced the requirement for passengers travelling through Dublin, Holyhead, Fishguard and Rosslare.
Its affected routes include:
• Holyhead–Dublin
• Fishguard–Rosslare
The company says all passengers travelling from those ports must present a valid passport at check-in.
Dublin Port has also confirmed the new arrangements, advising passengers using the relevant Irish Ferries and Stena Line services to carry a valid passport or passport card.
Common Travel Area Has Not Been Abolished
The passport requirement could cause confusion because British and Irish citizens do not generally need a passport to enter the other country under the Common Travel Area (CTA).
The UK government has confirmed that there has been no change to the operation of the Common Travel Area.
The CTA is a long-standing arrangement between the UK and Ireland that allows British and Irish citizens to move freely between the two jurisdictions and provides associated rights concerning residence, employment, education and access to certain services.
The British government continues to state that British citizens are not legally required to show a passport when entering Ireland.
However, the government also acknowledges that some airlines and ferry operators have introduced their own passport-only identification requirements.
The official advice is therefore to check the requirements of the carrier before travelling and, where necessary, carry a valid passport.
This distinction is important.
The legal Common Travel Area has not changed, but the documentation required to board particular ferry services has changed.
Why Are Ferry Companies Introducing the Passport Requirement?
The new requirement follows instructions relating to passenger information provided to UK authorities before travel.
Stena Line said the change was being introduced to meet UK Border Force requirements concerning the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.
Ferry operators collect passenger information before departures and provide relevant details to government authorities.
The passport requirement allows operators to use a standardised travel document containing information that can be matched more reliably with passenger records.
Irish Ferries has similarly told passengers that from September 28, everyone travelling between Britain and the Republic of Ireland on its affected services must present a valid passport or Irish passport card.
The change therefore concerns the boarding and passenger-identification process, rather than a new immigration requirement imposed on British and Irish citizens.
Driving Licences Are No Longer Enough
Before the change, passengers on some ferry routes could use a range of photographic identification documents.
Depending on the operator and passenger's nationality, accepted documents could include photographic driving licences, government-issued identification cards, student cards and other forms of identification.
That flexibility has now been removed on the affected services.
Irish Ferries says that driving licences, national identity cards and other photographic identification will no longer be accepted for travel on its relevant Britain-Ireland routes.
Stena Line has similarly warned passengers travelling through Dublin, Holyhead, Fishguard and Rosslare that they must present a valid passport.
Passengers who arrive at the port without the required documentation could therefore face problems boarding their booked ferry.
What About Children?
The requirement applies to passengers regardless of age on the affected services.
That means families travelling with children should check their documentation before arriving at the port.
Stena Line's guidance states that the new passport requirement applies to all passengers, while its general travel documentation guidance also stresses the importance of ensuring passenger details match the identification documents presented at check-in.
Parents and guardians should therefore avoid assuming that children can travel using only a birth certificate or another form of identification on routes covered by the new passport requirement.
The exact documentation accepted can depend on nationality and destination, so passengers should check directly with their ferry operator before travelling.
Irish Passport Cards
Irish citizens have an additional option on the affected routes.
Irish Ferries accepts an Irish passport card as an alternative to a conventional Irish passport.
The UK government's Common Travel Area guidance also confirms that Irish citizens can continue to use an Irish passport card when travelling to the UK.
However, passengers should distinguish an Irish passport card from other national identity cards. The new ferry requirements do not mean that every type of national identity card is accepted.
Rules Differ for Other Ferry Routes
The new requirement does not automatically apply to every ferry journey between the UK and Ireland.
Stena Line has specifically highlighted its routes through Dublin, Holyhead, Fishguard and Rosslare.
Earlier guidance from the company indicated that its services involving Belfast, Liverpool, Cairnryan and Heysham were not subject to the same passport requirement at the time the change was announced.
Passengers should therefore check their exact route rather than assuming that every Irish Sea ferry service has identical documentation rules.
The distinction is particularly relevant for passengers travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, because Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and has a different relationship with the Republic of Ireland under the Common Travel Area.
What About Passengers From Other Countries?
The passport requirement is particularly straightforward for non-British and non-Irish passengers because many already need passports for international travel.
However, other immigration requirements can also apply.
For example, passengers travelling to Britain who are not British or Irish citizens may require a UK visa or Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) depending on their nationality and immigration status.
Stena Line's guidance states that passengers who do not require a visa may still need an ETA for short visits to the UK. British and Irish citizens do not require an ETA under the Common Travel Area arrangements.
The passport itself therefore does not necessarily constitute permission to enter Britain.
Passengers should check both their identity-document requirement and immigration requirement before travelling.
No Passport Checks Between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
The new ferry rules should also not be confused with the land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
There are no routine immigration controls on the land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The UK government's Common Travel Area guidance continues to provide for free movement between the two jurisdictions for British and Irish citizens.
The new ferry requirements instead concern particular commercial transport services and the documentation those operators require before passengers board.
What Passengers Should Do Before Travelling
Passengers planning to travel by ferry between Britain and the Republic of Ireland should now check their documentation before leaving for the port.
For affected routes, travellers should:
1. Carry a valid passport.
2. Irish citizens can use an Irish passport card where accepted.
3. Do not rely on a driving licence as a substitute for a passport.
4. Check whether a visa or UK ETA is required based on nationality.
5. Make sure passenger details on the booking match the travel document.
6. Check the latest requirements directly with the ferry operator before departure.
Stena Line specifically advises passengers to ensure that names, dates of birth, genders and nationalities entered during booking correspond with the identification presented at check-in.
The Change Does Not Alter the UK-Ireland Travel Agreement
The introduction of passport requirements on several ferry routes may appear to represent a major change to UK-Ireland travel, but the underlying legal arrangement between the two countries remains intact.
The UK government has explicitly stated that no change has been made to the operation of the Common Travel Area.
The change is instead about the documentation ferry operators require from passengers before boarding.
For travellers, however, the practical effect is significant: anyone using the affected ferry routes from September 28 can no longer assume that a driving licence or another form of photo identification will be enough.
A valid passport should now be packed alongside the ferry booking.
