From Monday 28 September 2026, all passengers travelling by ferry between the UK mainland and the Republic of Ireland will be required to present a valid passport at check-in.

This includes Stena Line and Irish Ferries with routes including Dublin-Holyhead, Fishguard-Rosslare, Pembroke-Rosslare. The requirement applies to all passengers, regardless of age or nationality, including passengers from the UK and Ireland. No other forms of identification will be accepted for travel.

The new requirement is being introduced to comply with UK Border Force data requirements.

If a passenger does not currently have a passport, they should apply to the relevant passport authority as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the passport to be issued.

More information from Stena Line is available here, and more information from Irish Ferries is available here.