LAST UPDATED: 18 November 2020 at 7:00pm CT

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) during COVID-19

Question: I am a U.S. citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland?

The Government of Ireland continues to recommend against any non-essential travel to Ireland at present.  The U.S. government also advises against most non-essential international travel currently, including to Ireland. 

If you must travel to Ireland, you need to fill out a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form online before you travel. This is now an online form. Paper versions of the form are also available at points of entry into Ireland, if required.

Ireland has implemented the EU ‘Traffic Light System’ whereby restrictions are based on the location of the passenger during the 14 days prior to arrival. In general, you are requested to restrict your movements for 14 days if you arrive into Ireland from another country. This applies to all travellers entering the State, including Irish citizens coming home and people with no symptoms. Restricting your movements means avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible (more information can be found on Ireland’s Health Service Executive website).   

From midnight on November 29, the request to restrict movements for 14 days may not apply to passengers entering Ireland from red regions, (which currently includes the United States), following receipt of a negative/not-detected result from a Covid-19 PCR test taken a minimum of five days after arrival in Ireland. Test results can take a few days and passengers are requested to continue to restrict their movements until they receive a negative test result. The PCR COVID-19 test is currently the only test type considered acceptable by public health authorities in Ireland in relation to international travel. Testing provision under Ireland’s framework for international travel will not be provided through the public health system, but will be met by the private commercial sector testing supply and paid for by passengers.

We recommend that U.S. citizens also contact the U.S. State Department and/or the U.S. Embassy in Dublin for travel advice for Ireland.

You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. You may be required to obtain a test before returning to the United States. Please check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.

Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.

Question: I am a U.S. citizen and/or U.S. legal permanent resident currently in Ireland, can I travel to the U.S.?

U.S. and non-U.S. nationals with legal permanent residence in the U.S. (i.e. Green Card holders) and their immediate family, as well as the immediate family (spouse and children) of U.S. nationals, are not restricted from entering the U.S.

You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. You may be required to obtain a test before returning to the United States. Please check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.

Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.

If you have further questions on travel to the U.S., you are advised to visit the website of the U.S. Embassy. 

Question: I am an Irish citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland?

The Government of Ireland continues to recommend against any non-essential travel to Ireland at present.

If you must travel to Ireland, you need to fill out a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form online before you travel. This is now an online form. Paper versions of the form are also available at points of entry into Ireland, if required.

Ireland has implemented the EU ‘Traffic Light System’ whereby restrictions are based on the location of the passenger during the 14 days prior to arrival. In general, you are requested to restrict your movements for 14 days if you arrive into Ireland from another country. This applies to all travellers entering the State, including Irish citizens coming home and people with no symptoms. Restricting your movements means avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible (more information can be found on Ireland’s Health Service Executive website).   

From midnight on November 29, the request to restrict movements for 14 days may not apply to passengers entering Ireland from red regions, (which currently includes the United States), following receipt of a negative/not-detected result from a Covid-19 PCR test taken a minimum of five days after arrival in Ireland. Test results can take a few days and passengers are requested to continue to restrict their movements until they receive a negative test result. The PCR COVID-19 test is currently the only test type considered acceptable by public health authorities in Ireland in relation to international travel. Testing provision under Ireland’s framework for international travel will not be provided through the public health system, but will be met by the private commercial sector testing supply and paid for by passengers.

PLEASE NOTE: Your ability to re-enter the U.S. after your travel to Ireland will depend on your immigration status in the U.S. Non-U.S. nationals, including Irish nationals, who have visited or resided in Ireland or the UK for any period in the 14 days prior to their travel to the U.S. may be denied entry, unless they are legal permanent residents of the U.S. (i.e. green card holders), or are the spouse or child of a U.S. national or permanent resident, or are the siblings of a U.S. national or permanent resident providing both are under 21 years of age.  

In July, the U.S. Government announced further exceptions to this travel restriction which may be considered in the U.S. national interest. This includes certain business travellers, investors, treaty traders, academics and students. For more please visit the website of the U.S. Department of State. This announcement also clarified that exceptions would include students who currently hold valid F1 or M1 visas.

If you have further questions on your ability to re-enter the U.S., you are advised to visit the website of the U.S. Embassy. 

You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. You may be required to obtain a test before returning to the United States. Please check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.

Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.

Question: I am an Irish citizen in Ireland, can I travel to the United States?

The Government of Ireland continues to recommend against any non-essential travel to Ireland at present.

In addition, the U.S. has implemented special entry restrictions for their territory. As detailed in the U.S. President's Proclamation in March, entry into the U.S. has been restricted for those travelling from Ireland, the United Kingdom and the Schengen Area countries in Europe. Non-U.S. nationals, including Irish nationals, who have visited or resided in Ireland or the UK for any period in the 14 days prior to their travel to the U.S. will be denied entry, unless they are legal permanent residents of the U.S. (i.e. green card holders), or are the spouse or child of a U.S. national or permanent resident, or are the siblings of a U.S. national or permanent resident providing both are under 21 years of age.  

Furthermore, an additional U.S. Presidential Proclamation issued in June has suspended the issuance of certain nonimmigrant work visas (H1-B, H-2B, J-1 and L-1A and L-1B) to individuals who are outside the U.S. on 24 June and do not currently possess a valid nonimmigrant visa. This proclamation is set to remain in place on 31 December, 2020 and may be continued. 

On 16 July, the U.S. Government announced further exceptions to this travel restriction which may be considered in the U.S. national interest. This includes certain business travellers, investors, treaty traders, academics and students. For more please visit the website of the U.S. Department of State. This announcement also clarified that exceptions would include students who currently hold valid F1 or M1 visas.

If you have further questions on travel to the U.S., you are advised to visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.

Question: Can I renew my Irish passport at the current time?

Passport application processing is currently suspended due to Level 5 restrictions under Ireland’s National Framework on Living with COVID-19, which entered into force on 22 October and which are to remain in place for at least six weeks.

If you have previously submitted a passport application, your documents are being held and your application will be processed once normal operations resume. 

Citizens seeking to renew existing passports (as distinct from those applying for an Irish passport for the first time) may still submit an application through the Irish Passport Online service. Applications submitted online will be the first processed when the Passport Office resumes full operations.

If are currently located in our consular region and you need an Irish travel document for urgent travel due to a genuine emergency, please call +1.512.792.5500.

Question: Can I apply for my first Irish passport at the current time?

First time passport application processing is currently suspended due to Level 5 restrictions under Ireland’s National Framework on Living with COVID-19, which entered into force on 22 October and which are to remain in place for at least six weeks.

If you are a resident in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas or Missouri your passport application will be processed by the Consulate General in Chicago. Due to COVID-19, we recommend that you visit the website of the Consulate General of Ireland in Chicago before you send your completed application and supporting documents by mail.

If you are resident in Colorado or New Mexico your passport application will be processed by the Consulate General in San Francisco. Due to COVID-19, we recommend that you visit the website of the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco before you send your completed application and supporting documents by mail,

Question: I am in the process of applying for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) process, can I still submit my application at the current time? 

The processing of Foreign Birth Registrations or FBRs (through which Irish citizenship can be claimed by persons with a grandparent born on the island of Ireland) is currently suspended due to Level 5 restrictions under Ireland’s National Framework on Living with COVID-19, which entered into force on 22 October and which are to remain in place for at least six weeks.

When processing operations resume, due to the complex nature of FBR it will take between 12 to 18 months to process a completed FBR application.

Question: Do I require a visa to travel to Ireland and how can I obtain a visa?

You do not need an entry visa for Ireland if you are a passport holder of the United States. 

Please note that our Embassies and Consulates have now resumed accepting long-stay 'D' visa applications, including study visa applications.

Applications for short-stay 'C' visas are not being accepted at this time due to COVID-19. 

Our Embassies and Consulates can also issue visas for certain types of priority/emergency cases. More information can be found here.  

Question: Is the Consulate General of Ireland in Austin open?

The Consulate General of Ireland in Austin is currently operating its public office on an appointment-only basis.

Question: How do I contact the Consulate General of Ireland in Austin? 

For general queries, the main phone line (+1.512.792.5500) is open Monday to Friday from 9:30am-12:30pm. Please leave a detailed voice message with your name, your phone number, and the nature of your enquiry. A staff member will then return your call as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can use the Contact Us section of this website. 

For emergencies (i.e. a genuine emergency involving an Irish citizen who is seeking consular assistance), please note that you can leave an emergency message on the phone system at any time by contacting the Consulate at +1-512-792-5500. Please leave a detailed voice message with your name, your phone number, and the nature of your enquiry. The on-call duty officer will then return your call as soon as possible.