UK Border Force

RULES are set to change for any Brits heading to Ireland via ferry from next month.

Passengers will be required to carry a valid passport with no exceptions – or risk being stopped before boarding for the first time in over 100 years.

The change will be enforced from September 28 and is UK Border Force tightening rules on “accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding”.

Currently, passengers are not required to show a passport but can be asked to have another form of photo ID with a photograph like a driving licence or a bus pass.

Ferry operators Stena Line and Irish Ferries which operate regular crossing told customers yesterday of the changes.

Irish Ferries explained: “This is a change to the current ID accepted and means that from 28 September, no other forms of photo ID will be accepted by Irish Ferries for any passengers, including Irish and UK citizens.

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“This is to ensure compliance with UK Border Force requirements relating to the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.”

Irish Ferries operates two routes between Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

These go between Holyhead and Dublin, and Pembroke and Rosslare.

Another ferry enforcing these rules is Stena Line which has crossings between Holyhead and Dublin as well as Fishguard and Rosslare.

Passengers on these crossings must produce a passport on departure and it added that “no other ID is accepted”.

Customers with pre-existing bookings with both ferries will be contacted by customer service prior to their journey.

Previously, passengers didn’t have to carry their passports with them because of what’s known as The Common Travel Area (CTA).

The CTA is a passport-free zone involving the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands dating back to 1923.

British and Irish citizens don’t legally need a passport to travel between the two destinations.

But carrying passports has since became a requirement by airlines like Ryanair and Aer Lingus for passengers flying between the two destinations.

NEW travel rules are due to come into force next week impacting British families – but for the better.

From July 8, more children will be able to use eGates at UK airports.

The new rules will allow children aged eight and nine, who are at least 120cm tall to use eGates when accompanied by an adult.

The height restriction is in place as kids need to be able to see and be captured by the biometric screens at the gates.

Under the current rules, children needed to be 10-years-old to use the eGates and prior to 2023, kids needed to be 12-years-old to use them.

This meant families with younger children would have to go in the standard queue to see a border force officer, which usually involves a longer process and wait time.

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The change means that around 1.5million more children can use the gates.

The rule change will impact 13 airports across the UK that currently use eGates, including:

• London Heathrow
• London Gatwick
• London City
• London Luton
• London Stansted
• Manchester
• Birmingham
• Bristol
• East Midlands
• Newcastle
• Cardiff
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow

These rules will also impact other travel methods from the UK to Europe such as Eurostar and the Eurotunnel.

It will also affect people travelling from non-Schengen countries in Europe along with the US, Australia and Japan.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp said: “Travel with young children can be stressful for parents.”    

“By expanding eGate access, more families can experience a swifter and smoother journey home – freeing up precious time this summer holiday season.”

Karen Dee, Chief Executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, said: “This is a welcome development as it will give more families the ability to take advantage of this technology, speeding up the border process and reducing waiting times for many.”

Some airports in Europe are also allowing Brits to use the eGates – here is the full list.

However, Brits are facing problems travelling to Europe this summer because of the new EES rules, so we’ve explained everything you need to know about them.