Passports now required for UK–Ireland ferry passengers
Irish Ferries and Stena Line will require all passengers to show a passport on UK–Ireland ferry routes from Monday; driving licences and national ID cards will no longer be accepted.
Passengers travelling on ferries between the UK and Ireland will need to show a passport from Monday, under new rules announced by ferry operators Irish Ferries and Stena Line.
The requirement applies to all passengers, including Irish and UK citizens. Driving licences and national identity cards, previously accepted for boarding, will no longer be valid on the routes in question.
Irish Ferries said the rule covers its Dublin to Holyhead and Rosslare to Pembroke routes in both directions. Stena Line said all passengers travelling from the Dublin, Holyhead, Fishguard or Rosslare ports must present a valid passport at check-in.
The operators said the change is to comply with UK Border Force rules. In a statement on its website, Stena Line said it would meet UK Border Force requirements “in relation to the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding”.
Irish Ferries also said passengers who are not British or Irish citizens and are visiting the UK for a short stay of up to six months may need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which allows travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to six months.
Both operators will also accept passport cards.
Sources
- BBC News — “Passports needed for ferry passengers travelling between UK and Ireland”, by Gabija Gataveckaite, Dublin correspondent, BBC News NI, 28 September 2026
More on this topic: all UK Broadband stories
