Updated: 30 September 2026
For decades, sailing between Britain and Ireland felt almost like a domestic trip. Thanks to the Common Travel Area, many British and Irish travellers simply showed a driving licence at check-in, drove on board and that was it.
That has now changed on the busiest crossings. Since 28 September 2026, Stena Line and Irish Ferries require a valid passport for every passenger on their routes between Wales and the Republic of Ireland. No passport, no boarding.
It is a small rule with a big practical impact. Especially for families, for people who travel between Britain and Ireland often, and for anyone who has always relied on a driving licence at the port.
In a nutshell
- Since 28 September 2026, a valid passport is required on Stena Line and Irish Ferries sailings between Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
- It applies to every passenger, regardless of age or nationality, including British and Irish citizens.
- Driving licences and other photo ID are no longer accepted on these routes.
- Irish Ferries also accepts a valid Irish passport card. Stena Line requires a passport with a machine-readable zone (MRZ).
- Belfast–Cairnryan and Belfast–Liverpool are not affected, because those sailings stay within the UK.
- This is an operator requirement linked to UK Border Force passenger-data checks. The Common Travel Area itself has not changed.
Do you need a passport for your Irish Sea ferry?
| Route | Operator | Passport required since 28 September 2026? |
|---|---|---|
| Holyhead – Dublin | Stena Line and Irish Ferries | Yes, in both directions |
| Fishguard – Rosslare | Stena Line | Yes, in both directions |
| Pembroke – Rosslare | Irish Ferries | Yes, in both directions |
| Cairnryan – Belfast | Stena Line | No change. Current ID rules still apply |
| Liverpool (Birkenhead) – Belfast | Stena Line | No change. Current ID rules still apply |
| Other Irish Sea routes | Various | Check your booking confirmation and the operator’s ID rules before you travel |
Always use your booking confirmation and the operator’s latest information as the final reference.
What exactly has changed?
Until now, the two big operators on the southern Irish Sea routes accepted a range of photo ID from British and Irish passengers, with a driving licence being the most common. That flexibility has gone.
Since 28 September, check-in staff at Holyhead, Fishguard, Pembroke, Dublin and Rosslare ask every passenger for a valid passport. That includes children, and it includes British and Irish citizens who have never needed one for this trip before. As Euronews and Travel Tomorrow reported, passengers without one can be refused boarding.
There are two details worth knowing:
- Irish Ferries also accepts a valid Irish passport card. Handy if that is what you normally travel with.
- Stena Line requires a passport with a machine-readable zone (MRZ): the two lines of code at the bottom of the photo page. Every modern British and Irish passport has one, but it is worth a quick look if yours is old or damaged.
Why is this happening?
The change is being introduced to meet UK Border Force requirements for accurate passenger data before boarding. A passport with a machine-readable zone gives the operators exactly that: reliable, standardised data for every traveller.
What it is not is the end of the Common Travel Area. British and Irish citizens can still travel between the two countries without a passport as far as the Common Travel Area is concerned. The difference is that the ferry companies now set a stricter boarding requirement on these routes. And at the port, the operator’s rule is the one that counts.
In Ferrygogo terms: the law hasn’t changed, but the check-in desk has.
What about Belfast and Northern Ireland?
Good news if you sail to or from Belfast. Stena Line’s passenger sailings from Belfast to Cairnryan and Liverpool keep their current ID rules. Belfast is in Northern Ireland, so these sailings never leave the UK.
That makes the Scotland–Northern Ireland crossings an interesting option for travellers without a passport. Just keep in mind that if you then drive on into the Republic of Ireland, you still need the right documents for your nationality.
Who will notice this most?
- Families: every child needs a valid passport now. If a child’s passport has expired, renew it well before the trip.
- Regular travellers: people who visit family on the other side of the Irish Sea and have always used a driving licence.
- Foot passengers and rail & sail travellers on Holyhead–Dublin, who may not have thought about ID at all.
- Anyone with an old or damaged passport: check the MRZ code if you travel with Stena Line.
Our verdict: what should you do?
Simple: treat the Wales–Ireland ferry like any other international crossing. Pack a valid passport for everyone in the car, just as you would for France or the Netherlands.
- Check every passport in your group now, including the children’s.
- Booked with Stena Line? Make sure every passport has a machine-readable zone.
- Travelling with Irish Ferries on an Irish passport card? That is still accepted.
- No passport and no time to get one? Look at the Belfast routes to Cairnryan or Liverpool instead.
- Keep passports in your onboard bag, not in the boot. You need them at check-in, and often again when you arrive.
Still choosing a route? Our guide to ferries from Wales to Ireland compares Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke. For the full picture, including the Scottish and Liverpool routes, see all ferries from the UK to Ireland.
Related FerryGoGo guides
- Holyhead to Dublin: the busiest Irish Sea crossing
- Ferries from Wales to Ireland: Dublin or Rosslare?
- Ferry to Ireland from the UK: all routes compared
- Belfast to Scotland ferry
- UK to Europe by ferry: passport, ETA & border checklist
FAQ
Do I need a passport for the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin?
Yes. Since 28 September 2026, both Stena Line and Irish Ferries require a valid passport for every passenger on Holyhead–Dublin, in both directions. Irish Ferries also accepts a valid Irish passport card.
Can I still use my driving licence as ID?
Not on Holyhead–Dublin, Fishguard–Rosslare or Pembroke–Rosslare with Stena Line or Irish Ferries. Driving licences and other photo ID are no longer accepted on these routes.
Do children need a passport too?
Yes. The requirement applies to every passenger, regardless of age.
Does this end the Common Travel Area?
No. The Common Travel Area still applies. This is a boarding requirement set by the ferry operators, linked to UK Border Force passenger-data checks.
Do I need a passport for Belfast to Cairnryan?
No change there. Stena Line’s Belfast sailings to Cairnryan and Liverpool keep their current ID rules, because they stay within the UK.
Get our latest ferry guides, route updates and travel tips in your Google feed. Add FerryGoGo as a preferred source in Google, and follow us in Discover when Google shows the option.
