Check your crossing
Which crossing are you taking?
Passport required
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries check passports on Dublin to Holyhead, in both directions, from 28 September 2026.
OperatorsStena Line and Irish FerriesAcceptedValid passport or Irish passport card. Stena Line also takes emergency passportsRefusedDriving licenses, national ID cards, birth certificates and other photo IDWhoEvery passenger, any age or nationalityWhat to do
Pack a valid passport or Irish passport card for everyone in the car, babies included. On Irish Ferries, ask before relying on an emergency passport.
Passport required
Stena Line checks passports on Rosslare to Fishguard, in both directions, from 28 September 2026.
OperatorStena LineAcceptedValid passport or Irish passport card, or an emergency passportRefusedDriving licenses, national ID cards, birth certificates and other photo IDWhoEvery passenger, any age or nationalityWhat to do
Staff swipe each passport at check-in, so keep them within reach rather than packed in your luggage.
Passport required
Irish Ferries checks passports on Rosslare to Pembroke, in both directions, from 28 September 2026.
OperatorIrish FerriesAcceptedValid passport or Irish passport cardRefusedDriving licenses, national ID cards and other photo IDWhoEvery passenger, including Irish and British citizens and childrenWhat to do
Irish Ferries won’t accept any other ID, so check every passenger’s document has not expired before you leave home.
No change
Stena Line’s Belfast passenger sailings to Cairnryan and Liverpool keep their current ID rules.
WhyBelfast is in Northern Ireland, so these sailings never leave the UKOperatorStena LineIDStena Line says there is no change for business or leisure passengersPhoto driving licenseBritish and Irish citizens onlyWhat to do
British or Irish citizen with only a photo driving license? These are the Stena Line crossings that still accept it, but you need to reach Northern Ireland first. Other nationalities still need a passport.
Check first
The new rule was announced by Stena Line and Irish Ferries only.
Other operatorsEach company sets its own check-in ID listSafest choiceTravel with a valid passport on any Britain to Ireland crossingWhat to do
Ask your ferry company which documents it accepts before you set off, and get the answer in writing if you plan to travel on anything other than a passport.
Both operators say the change meets UK Border Force requirements on the accuracy of passenger data collected before boarding. Stena Line says staff swipe each passport at check-in to capture the passenger details it needs.
The border deal itself hasn’t changed. Under the Common Travel Area, Irish and British citizens still don’t legally need a passport to travel between the two countries, as Euronews reports. What changed is what ferries accept at check-in.
What works at the ferry desk now
| Document | Accepted from 28 September? |
|---|---|
| Full passport | Yes, on all affected routes |
| Irish passport card | Yes, with both Stena Line and Irish Ferries |
| Emergency passport | Yes with Stena Line. Ask Irish Ferries first |
| Driving license | No |
| National ID card | No |
| Birth certificate | No, including for children |
Already booked without a passport?
Stena Line lets passengers who booked before the announcement move their sailing for free or take a full refund. It won’t cover extra costs such as hotels or onward travel, so settle the change before you set off.
Irish Ferries told RTÉ it would contact customers with existing bookings. If you haven’t heard from it and your trip is close, contact the company directly rather than waiting.
Flying instead?
Euronews notes that Ryanair and Aer Lingus already ask for passports between Britain and Ireland, so you need the same document in the air.
Check what else you need
Who is traveling?
Passport on Wales routes
You don’t need a visa or ETA, but the ferry desk now needs your passport.
At the ferry deskPassport or Irish passport card, with either operatorEntering the UK or IrelandNo visa or ETA, under the Common Travel AreaFrom BelfastYour usual ID still works with Stena LineWhat to do
Check your passport hasn’t expired. The Common Travel Area still means you don’t legally need a passport, but the ferry won’t board you without one.
Own passport
Every child needs their own passport, from babies up.
AcceptedA valid passport in the child’s nameRefusedBirth certificatesApplies toDublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard and Rosslare to PembrokeWhat to do
Passports take time to issue, so apply early if your child doesn’t have one yet, or move the sailing to a later date.
Two checks
You need a passport at the ferry desk and an ETA to enter the UK.
At the ferry deskA valid passportEntering the UKAn Electronic Travel Authorisation, £20, approved before you travelWhoETA nationalities such as UAE citizens and EU citizens other than IrishWhat to do
Apply on the UK government ETA page. The passport rule adds to the ETA; it doesn’t replace it.
Visa before you sail
You need a UK visa issued before you travel, as well as your passport at the ferry desk.
At the ferry deskA valid passportEntering the UKA UK visa, even when arriving from Ireland, unless the UK visa checker lists an exception for youEntering IrelandIreland has its own visa rulesWhat to do
Use the UK visa checker, and check the Irish Immigration Service for the Ireland side.
ETA exemption may apply
If your nationality normally uses an ETA and you live in Ireland, you don’t need one when traveling from Ireland.
At the ferry deskA valid passportEntering the UKNo ETA if you live in Ireland and travel from thereVisa nationalitiesYou still need a UK visaWhat to do
If you’re 16 or older, carry an original, valid Irish government document showing you live in Ireland, such as an Irish Residence Permit or Irish driving license. Under-16s need no proof, says GOV.UK.
Combining the trip with mainland Europe? Our guide on whether the EU’s EES border system affects a UK trip covers that side, and you can compare hotels in Dublin before you book the crossing.
Questions
Do Irish citizens need a passport on the ferry to Wales?
Yes. On Dublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard and Rosslare to Pembroke, Irish citizens now need a passport or an Irish passport card. A driving license is no longer accepted.
Can children travel on a birth certificate?
No. Stena Line says every passenger needs a passport regardless of age, and birth certificates are not accepted on the affected routes.
Do I need a passport for the ferry from Belfast?
Not if you’re a British or Irish citizen on Stena Line’s Belfast sailings to Cairnryan or Liverpool. Those routes stay within the UK, and Stena Line says their ID rules haven’t changed. Other nationalities need a passport.
Can I get a refund if I booked without a passport?
Stena Line lets passengers who booked before the announcement change their sailing for free or take a full refund, but it does not cover hotels or onward travel. Irish Ferries said it would contact customers with existing bookings.
Does the ferry passport rule replace the UK ETA?
No. Visitors who aren’t British or Irish still need an ETA or a UK visa to enter the UK from Ireland, People who live in Ireland can skip the ETA, but not a UK visa if their nationality needs one.
Sources
- Irish Ferries, passport and ETA requirements for travel between Ireland and Britain, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- Stena Line, passport requirements on Holyhead and Fishguard routes, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- RTÉ, ferry passengers to require passport for UK travel, 26 August 2026, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- Euronews, Britain-Ireland ferry travel is changing, 31 August 2026, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- GOV.UK, apply for an electronic travel authorisation, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- GOV.UK, when you do not need an ETA, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- GOV.UK, check if you need a UK visa, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- Irish Immigration Service, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- Gulf News, new passport rule for UK-Ireland ferry passengers, retrieved 29 September 2026.
How this checker was put together
- Routes and accepted documents come from Stena Line’s and Irish Ferries’ own passport pages. Refund terms come from Stena Line, and Irish Ferries’ note on existing bookings from RTÉ on 26 August 2026.
- The Belfast result reflects Stena Line’s statement that ID rules are unchanged for passengers on its Belfast to Cairnryan and Belfast to Liverpool sailings. Belfast to Heysham carries freight only.
- ETA and visa rules come from GOV.UK. The ETA fee is the one listed on 29 September 2026.
- Not covered: ID rules on P&O Ferries and other operators, which this checker did not verify, and freight-only bookings.
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
