COVID-19 Updates
News
04 February 2021Travel to Ireland
Irish citizens, and others, are free to travel from the US to Ireland on any scheduled flights from a US airport and transatlantic flights continue to operate, albeit in reduced numbers and from a reduced number of airports. Flights continue to operate directly to Dublin from New York (JFK), Boston and Chicago.
On 26 January the Government of Ireland announced the introduction of additional, short-term restrictions. These will include mandatory quarantine measures applying to all international arrivals and the suspension of visa-free travel to Ireland (with limited exemptions) for nationals of South Africa and all countries in South America. Updated information on these measures will be made available on the gov.ie website, the website of the Irish Immigration and Naturalisation Service, and on this Department’s country specific travel pages.
As of Saturday, 16 January, passengers arriving into Ireland from all countries, including the US, are required to show a negative result of a pre-departure PCR COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival in the State. Checks will be made by the Border Management Unit at Dublin Airport and by An Garda Síochána at other points of entry. Mandatory quarantine at a designated facility will be required for passengers who arrive in breach of the pre-departure negative/'not detected' PCR requirement. Children aged six and under are exempt from this requirement.
You should be aware that the Irish Government continues to recommend against any non-essential travel to Ireland at present. The US government also advises against most non-essential international travel currently, including to Ireland.
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. Ireland’s Health Service Executive has provided guidance on how to restrict movements on their website.
Passengers entering Ireland from red regions (which currently includes the United States) can exit quarantine early 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; passengers are requested to continue to restrict their movements until they have the negative 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.
The links below on Cork and Dublin airports websites give details of the current companies providing PCR tests.
The general request to restrict movements does not apply to persons travelling for an essential need or function as defined by Paragraph 19 of the EU Council Recommendation on Travel for an Essential Purpose. It is the responsibility of each individual to determine if their circumstances fall into one of the categories in Paragraph 19 of the EU Council Recommendation on travel for an essential need or function.
For up-to-date information on what to do if you are travelling to Ireland at this time, please see the Irish Government website.
To ensure that this is being observed, all passengers arriving to Ireland from overseas are obliged to complete a mandatory Public Health Passenger Locator Form and to submit it to the relevant authority at their port of entry. Exemptions are in place for providers of essential supply chain services such as hauliers, pilots and maritime staff. Check the Irish Government Advice Page for full information on these requirements.
Further advice for people who have recently returned from abroad is available from the HSE. Please heed this restriction carefully in order to protect yourself and others. Please also download the new tracker app which will help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ireland.
For our latest travel advice on the United States please see here.
Travel to the USA
We continue to advise against all non-essential travel to the USA in response to the outbreak of Covid-19.
We are also urging all Irish visitors to the USA, including those on short-term visas (including J1) who risk losing employment, financial security and access to healthcare to return to Ireland from the USA, as soon as possible. Direct flights continue to operate from Chicago, New York (JFK) and Boston.
Latest Travel Alert
There is an increased threat of terrorism and extremist violence worldwide and this should be borne in mind by Irish citizens living and working in the USA. The USA has also witnessed a number of mass shootings in recent years.
Protests, in some cases violent, have taken place in major cities across the United States in recent months. Curfews were enforced in many cities as a result. There remains the potential for further protests and curfews. Irish citizens are advised to avoid large gatherings of people, and to follow the advice of the local authorities.
Novel Coronavirus
As a result of the Covid- 19 outbreak the US has implemented special entry restrictions for their territory.
Entry into the US is restricted for those travelling from Ireland, the UK, Schengen Area countries, Brazil, China and Iran.
Non US nationals including Irish nationals who have visited, or are resident in the countries listed above for 14 days or less prior to their travel to the USA will be denied entry, unless they are legal permanent residents of the US, or the spouse or child of a US national.
Non-US nationals with legal permanent residence in the US (e.g. green card holders) and their immediate family, as well as immediate family (spouse and children) of US nationals are not restricted from entering the US. However, if travelling from a restricted country they will now be required to enter the country through one of thirteen designated airports and will undergo additional screening on arrival. Further information can be found here. The US Center for Disease Control have also recommended staying home for 14 days from the time of arrival after international travel. Further information can be found here.
The US Government will not permit entry to the USA of any foreign nationals who have visited China or Iran 14 days or less prior to their travel to the USA.
There are currently no restrictions on flights from the USA to Ireland or the UK. You should check with your airline for any additional information they may require before you can board.
There are also a number of restrictive measures in place at the state or city level. If you are an Irish citizen planning to travel to, or resident in, the US we ask that you refer to us, or to your nearest Irish consulate and the local health authority for the most up to date advice.
For further information related to the Covid-19 pandemic, please see links below for details.
US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
If you are in the USA, you should monitor developments regularly and follow the advice of local authorities.
Be alert to common signs of infection: respiratory problems, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Seek medical advice if you experience these symptoms.
HSE medical advice to protect yourself from getting Covid-19 is below.
Do:
- • wash your hands properly and regularly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub
- • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough and sneeze
- • put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands
Don’t:
- Touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
Additional information on Covid-19 can be found via the following links:
COVID-19 in the United States
Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the USA including the region covered by the Consulate General of Ireland in Los Angeles.
Irish citizens in our consular region can access localised up-to-date information for region through the authorities listed below:
- California: Website & Twitter
- Arizona: Website & Twitter
- Hawaii: Website & Twitter
- Nevada: Website & Twitter
- Utah: Website & Twitter
Please refer to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) for further updates, including on travel restrictions to the US.
Follow medical advice (more information is available from the Irish Health Service Executive to protect yourself from COVID-19). Be alert to common signs of infection: respiratory problems, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Seek medical advice if you experience these symptoms.
Several local authorities throughout our region have issued public health orders at the city, county and state levels to encourage individuals to take measures such a staying at home in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. We recommend that you check with the relevant local authorities for your specific location.
Irish citizens who are abroad and have concerns about the Coronavirus can call the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's dedicated phone line at +353 (0) 1 6131733.
Health-related info is also available from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Consular assistance
If you are in need of general consular assistance or travel advice relating to the COVID-19 situation, please contact the Consulate at: +1 310 424 5538.
If you leave a voicemail, it is essential that you provide the following information in your message:
1. Your name
2. Your phone number
3. Your location
4. The nature of your issue/details of your situation
The answering machine is monitored continuously and the on-call Duty Officer will contact you as soon as possible.
Please note that all consular services, including passports and visas, in the Western United States are processed by the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco. Please refer to their website for current information on the operation of these services.
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