Passports and Identification

British / Irish Citizens  - Passport / Visa:

For travel between Britain and Ireland, Irish and British citizens do not strictly require a passport to travel between the two countries, but some form of photo identification is however required (except for children under 18 - see note below). There is no requirement for a visa.  Irish Ferries do recommend all passengers bring a passport with them, and if it is expired, it needs to be recent enough for it to be clear it is you.  Accepted means of identification when travelling on this route include:

  • Valid passport
  • Photographic Driving Licence
  • International Student Card
  • Government issued photographic ID cards
  • Health insurance/social security photographic ID
  • Photographic bus/train pass
  • Work photographic ID

Note: for British / Irish citizens under 18 with no photo ID, birth certificates are acceptable as a form of identification.

EU Citizens - Passport / Visa:

To enter Britain, EU Citizens need a passport, which should be valid for the whole time you are in the UK.   EU, EEA and Swiss citizens travelling to the UK for holidays or short trips  up to 6 months, now need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). See full details on the ETA application here.

A visa may be required for trips for other purposes - check the website for UK government visa advice.

You cannot use an EU, EEA or Swiss national ID card to enter the UK, except in a very limited number of cases which are detailed on the UK government website. 

Non-EU nationals:

Non-EU nationals should check requirements with the relevant embassy before travelling, as they may need a visa as well as a passport. A visa can take several weeks to obtain, so please make the necessary arrangements well ahead of your travel date. For further information on visas for travel to Ireland, check the advice on the Irish government website.  For information on visas for travel to England, check the advice on the UK government website. 

Ireland / France routes

It is compulsory for all passengers (including babies) to have their own valid passport or officially recognised European Union I.D. card when travelling to and from Ireland or France. In some cases, a visa may also be required. If you are driving a vehicle you will also need a valid driving licence.

If you are a UK passport holder travelling into a EU member country (except Ireland), as of 1 January 2021, you must make sure your passport:

  • is valid for at least three months from the date you will leave the EU member country, unless the person has a EU-issued residence permit or an EU long-term visa.
  • should be issued within the previous ten years upon the date of arrival.
  • It is your responsibility to make sure your passport is valid to travel to/from the EU.
  • French people not resident in the United Kingdom and entering UK territory will have to carry a passport. The identity card will no longer be accepted as a travel document.
  • For French people resident in the UK who have settled or pre-settled status, the identity card will remain valid until 2025.
  • Note: If you have a passport and an identity card, you are strongly advised to travel with the identity document that is linked to your resident (settled or pre-settled) status in the UK.

It is responsibility of each passenger, parent, guardian or group leader to ensure that the documentation is valid and readily available for inspection at check-in. Irish Ferries does not accept any liability in this regard. The onus is on the passenger to ensure that the documentation is correct.

Non-EU nationals should check with the French Embassy or with the Irish Embassy before travelling as they may need a visa as well as a passport. A visa can take several weeks to obtain so please make the necessary arrangements well ahead of your travel date.

Passengers who turn up at our ports without a valid passport or an officially recognised European Union ID card (and a visa if required) will not be allowed to travel and / or enter either France or Ireland.

Pre-departure boarding of an Irish Ferries vessel is conditional on the passenger(s) being in possession of valid documentation to comply with the immigration laws of the country of destination. This is the personal responsibility of the passenger. Irish Ferries shall also be entitled to recover from the passenger(s) all fines and/or other costs incurred on it by reason of the passenger's failure to produce immigration documentation satisfactory to the relevant authorities.

Drivers of vehicles must carry and be able to produce a valid driving licence. Failure to do so may prevent entry into Ireland or France.

For more specific information see:

Irish Department of Foreign Affairs: www.dfa.ie

British Embassy in Ireland: https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-dublin

French Embassy in Ireland: https://ie.ambafrance.org/

Irish Embassy in France: https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/france/

UK Government: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

French Government: https://uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-UK-28918