End of Common Travel Area affects ferry passengers crossing the Irish Sea

FerryFrom Monday 28 September, all ferry passengers travelling between Ireland and the UK will be required to present a valid passport when crossing the Irish Sea between the two countries and thus passing through a national border. In practice, this includes both Stena Line’s and Irish Ferries’ routes between the two countries. Previously, other forms of valid photo identification were sufficient.

The new requirement applies to all passengers, regardless of age. The new rules follow the termination of the so-called Common Travel Area (CTA), which for around 100 years has enabled passport-free travel between the two countries, as well as the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey.

Stena Line's and P&O Ferries' routes between Northern Ireland and Great Britain are not affected by the termination of the CTA.

Ferry passengers in the Nordic countries can continue to benefit from the Nordic Passport Union, which since 1954 has allowed travel between Denmark, Sweden, Norway,
Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands without a valid passport. All the Nordic countries, including the non-EU countries Norway and Iceland, have participated in the Schengen cooperation since 2001. Neither Ireland nor the UK participates in the Schengen Area.

aug 28 2026