A spokesman for Irish Ferries told The Telegraph: “To comply with UK border control requirements, ferry companies must verify all passengers’ passports before boarding.”
Stena Line is telling passengers: “No other forms of ID will be accepted. All passengers will be required to show their passport or passport card, regardless of age or nationality.
“This change is being introduced to meet the requirements of the UK Border Force in relation to the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.”
The two leading Irish airlines, Aer Lingus and Ryanair, both require passengers to carry passports or national IDs on flights between Ireland and Great Britain. At present, British Airways and Loganair do not.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “No change has been made to the requirements needed to travel to the UK. Requiring a passport to provide this information was a decision made by the ferry companies operating international routes between Ireland and Britain.
“Anyone travelling to the UK, including those within the Common Travel Area, continue to need to enter in line with the UK’s Immigration Rules. This means information about passengers in advance of travel, such as nationality, is required to ensure the UK’s border security is protected.”
A leading travel industry executive welcomed the move. Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “I think all of us, whether in the industry or as consumers, would welcome increasing border controls, and digitalisation really ensures that we are keeping our borders safe.”
While most British and Irish citizens have passports, there is a significant contingent where the only international travel they do is on Irish Sea ferries. They will be barred from their traditional routes unless they go to the trouble and expense of getting a passport. It will particularly affect the very young and very old.
What is the Common Travel Area?
The Common Travel Area (CTA) has its roots in the border arrangements agreed in 1923 between the newly created Irish Free State and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
For over a century, citizens of the UK and Ireland have been able to travel between both countries without a passport. The CTA also extends to the Crown Dependencies of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
