From 28 September 2026, several ferry operators will tighten their boarding requirements on routes between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. On certain Irish Ferries and Stena Line services, all passengers will now have to present a valid passport at check-in. This is an important change to be aware of, particularly for travellers driving to Ireland via the United Kingdom.
Passport required on several ferry routes from 28 September 2026
Travel habits are set to change for passengers using certain sea crossings between Ireland and Great Britain. From Monday 28 September 2026, Irish Ferries will require all passengers travelling between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain to present a valid passport before boarding.
The measure will apply to the Dublin–Holyhead and Rosslare–Pembroke crossings in both directions. It will apply to all passengers, including Irish and British citizens and children.
Irish Ferries specifies that, from this date, driving licences, national identity cards and other photographic ID documents previously accepted will no longer be accepted in place of a passport on these routes.
Which Irish Ferries routes are affected?
- Dublin – Holyhead;
- Holyhead – Dublin;
- Rosslare – Pembroke;
- Pembroke – Rosslare.
According to Irish Ferries, the change is intended to meet UK Border Force requirements concerning the reliability of passenger information provided before boarding.
Stena Line also requires passports on its Dublin and Rosslare routes
Irish Ferries is not the only operator affected. Stena Line will also introduce this new requirement from 28 September 2026 on services using the ports of Dublin, Holyhead, Rosslare and Fishguard.
Passengers on the Dublin–Holyhead and Rosslare–Fishguard crossings will therefore also need to present a valid passport at check-in.
A measure that also applies to children
One key point to note is that this requirement applies to all passengers. Families travelling with children should therefore check well in advance that every traveller has their own valid passport.
Arriving at the port with a document other than the one required by the operator may result in boarding being refused.
What about French travellers?
For French travellers, a passport is already essential for entering the United Kingdom on a standard tourist visit. Since 2025, French nationals have also been subject to the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system when travelling to the United Kingdom, except in exempt cases.
This is particularly important for motorists travelling from France to Ireland via England or Wales: they must take account of both UK entry formalities and the rules imposed by the ferry operator used to reach Ireland.
Is Brittany Ferries affected?
No, not directly by this new rule of 28 September concerning crossings between Ireland and Great Britain.
Brittany Ferries operates direct services from Ireland to France and Spain, including Cherbourg–Rosslare, Roscoff–Cork and Rosslare–Bilbao. These crossings do not pass through Great Britain and are therefore not among the Irish Ferries and Stena Line routes affected by this change.
This is, in fact, one of the benefits of a direct crossing between France and Ireland: French travellers sailing directly from Cherbourg or Roscoff to Ireland do not need to transit through the United Kingdom.
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Travel via Great Britain or take a direct ferry to Ireland?
Both options remain possible. Travelling via Great Britain offers more crossing combinations, particularly via Holyhead, Pembroke or Fishguard. However, it now requires greater attention to travel documents.
A direct crossing between France and Ireland, by contrast, allows you to arrive directly in Rosslare or Cork, without making a second crossing from Great Britain.
This option can be particularly convenient for travellers from Brittany, Normandy or western France who wish to travel with their own vehicle.
Cherbourg–Rosslare, one of the main alternatives
Brittany Ferries serves Rosslare from Cherbourg. Rosslare is then an excellent starting point for exploring south-east Ireland, as well as for reaching Dublin by road.
The operator also offers a route between Roscoff and Cork, particularly useful for direct access to the south-west of the island.
View Brittany Ferries crossings to Ireland
What to check before taking the ferry after 28 September
Before setting off for the port, it will be essential to check the requirements for your particular route. A direct France–Ireland crossing and a France–Great Britain–Ireland journey do not involve exactly the same formalities.
For Irish Ferries and Stena Line routes affected by the 28 September change, passports must be valid and presented at check-in. French travellers transiting through the United Kingdom must also check their ETA and the UK entry requirements in force at the time of travel.
Lastly, ferry operators may change their own boarding conditions independently of national rules. It is therefore advisable to check the operator’s official information a few days before departure.
