Notices
Coronavirus - Dedicated phone lines
Irish citizens in Belgium, or who intend travelling to Belgium, who have COVID-19 travel related queries not covered by our Travel Advice can call the dedicated Department of Foreign Affairs travel advice centre on +353 1 613 1733 (open: 10:00 - 17:00 Irish time).
Please contact the dedicated HSE phone line +353 41 685 0300 with queries relating to public health measures in Ireland.
Travel to Ireland
The Irish Health Authorities require anyone coming into Ireland from Belgium to restrict their movements for 14 days. By law, passengers arriving in Ireland must complete a mandatory Public Health Passenger Locator Form and to submit it to the relevant authority at their port of entry.
Further information for those travelling to Ireland from Belgium is available here.
Exemptions are in place for providers of essential supply chain services such as hauliers, pilots and maritime staff.
Travel Advice for Belgium
The Department of Foreign Affairs advises against all non-essential travel to Belgium.
Our travel advice for Belgium is available here or by downloading the TravelWise app.
Follow @IrishEmbBelgium and @DFATravelWise on Twitter for our latest updates.
Those resident or remaining in Belgium are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the public health measures in place.
- Measures include maintaining a social distancing (1.5 metres), respiratory etiquette and obligatory mask wearing in certain indoor and outdoor spaces.
- Belgium has reopened its borders for travel to and from EU states (including Ireland), the UK and Schengen countries. However, it is important to fully inform yourself of any restrictions in place in your intended destination prior to travel from Belgium or upon your return. Travel advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs for over 200 countries is available here.
- Anyone traveling to Belgium from abroad (inc. Ireland) is required to complete a Public Health Passenger Locator Form. The form should be completed no more than 48 hours in advance of travel. The form is compulsory for anyone travelling to Belgium or prior to return by anyone leaving Belgium for a period of more than 48 hours.
- Sign up to BE-Alert to receive the latest email updates directly from the Belgian Crisis Centre.
Citizens' Registration
Irish citizens travelling to or resident in Belgium are encouraged to register their contact details with the Department of Foreign Affairs so that we can contact you or your family in case of emergency.
Embassy Services
In order to provide a safe environment for our staff and our visitors, and adhere to public health guidelines, the Embassy is currently operating with reduced on-site staffing.
Our public office is closed as the Embassy is currently focused on providing emergency consular services only. Appointments are available for Irish citizens requiring emergency consular assistance by contacting us.
Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions can be found here.
For all other queries, please email us and we will respond to you as soon as possible.
If contacting us by phone, please ensure you include a phone number if leaving a voicemail message so that we can return your call.
Irish Passport Services
The Passport Office has now resumed the processing of online applications. Please bear with us as we process the applications that have been received while our offices have been closed. You should not make travel arrangements without a valid passport.
It is currently only possible to apply for an Irish passport (renewal or first passport) in Belgium using Passport Online. We are unable to process paper application forms at present.
Passport Online FAQ | Passport Application Tracking: Belgium
If you have a query regarding an existing passport application that you have submitted to the Embassy, or if you need a travel document for a genuine emergency (death or serious illness of a family member, or emergency medical treatment), please contact us.
If you have a query in relation to an application submitted using Passport Online, please contact the Passport Office.
Visas for Ireland
We have temporarily ceased accepting new visa applications. For more information, please visit the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service's website.
• From Monday 29 June, we will begin accepting applications for Long Stay Visas (‘D’ categories) by registered post only.
• Please do not visit the Embassy in Brussels as it will not be possible to submit your application.
• Short-stay Visas (‘C’ categories), for visits of less than 90 days, will not be processed due to ongoing restrictions in Ireland.
