Ireland: passport and entry requirements
Ireland shares the Common Travel Area with the UK, so there's no passport control between the two and no visa to think about. You'll still need photo ID to travel, and most airlines and ferries ask for a passport.
On this page
Your passport
There's no fixed passport-validity rule for British citizens visiting Ireland, because there's no passport control at the border. The Common Travel Area, the long-standing arrangement between the UK and Ireland, lets citizens of both move freely between them.
In practice the requirement comes from the airline or ferry company. Most ask for a passport, and each sets its own list of accepted ID, so an in-date passport is the safe thing to carry for everyone. Check each family member's when you book all the same, because a child's lasts five years against an adult's ten and it's easy to miss one that's out of date.
Getting in
You don't need a visa or a permit to visit Ireland, and under the Common Travel Area a British citizen can stay as long as they like. Ireland isn't in the Schengen area, so EES, the EU's new biometric border system, doesn't apply, and there's nothing to register or apply for before you go.
Every child needs their own ID for the journey, however young, since none can travel on a parent's document.
Official sources
Last checked 11 August 2026. Passport and entry rules change, so always confirm on GOV.UK before you book or travel.
