Travel Notices

As of 16 March, the Government of Ireland is recommending against all non-essential international travel, including to Canada.

While the Canadian Government has introduced restrictions on travel to Canada from Ireland, there are no restrictions on flights from Canada to Ireland. Irish citizens, and others, are free to leave Canada on any scheduled flights from a Canadian airport and transatlantic flights continue to operate, albeit with schedule changes.

This is a fast-moving situation, however. As such, we strongly encourage all Irish citizens and residents wishing to return to Ireland to make provision to do so now.

You should book or make changes to your existing bookings directly with your airline, recognising that airlines’ call centers are under significant pressure.

You should check regularly with your airline’s website for status updates and for any additional information they may require before you can board.

We strongly recommend that you do not travel to an airport without a confirmed booking.

On return to Ireland, all travellers will be required to restrict their movements for 14 days, and people arriving in Ireland will be required to complete a Public Health Passenger Locator Form, details here.

Canadian Travel Restrictions

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau has announced that, beginning March 18, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. EDT, the Government of Canada will, for air travel specifically:

• Bar foreign nationals from all countries from entering Canada. The measure would not apply in designated exceptional circumstances, including to air crews, travellers arriving in Canada in transit to a third country, Canadian permanent residents, diplomats, immediate family members of Canadian citizens, or those people with a work or study permit issued before March 18th 2020. 

• Redirect international passenger flight arrivals to four airports: Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, and Calgary International Airport.

• Strengthen screening measures at airports, including stronger and more visible messaging, health screening at kiosks, and enhanced cleaning and disinfection of high-traffic areas and facilities at airports.

• In addition, airlines will prevent all travellers who present COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of their citizenship, from boarding international flights to Canada. Airlines will conduct a basic health assessment of all air travellers based on guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
• All travellers, including those who present as healthy or asymptomatic, will have to present a clear and acceptable self-isolation plan on arrival in Canada or be quarantined directly for 14 days by Health Canada.

We strongly advise you to check with your airline before travel.

COVID-19

A number of cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed across Canada.

Please refer to the Government of Canada’s Outbreak Update page and the World Health Organisation for latest updates on the outbreak at national level and to our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland’s official travel advice.

Latest information for the response in the Canadian provinces can be found here: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia.

Anyone intending to travel to Ireland in the coming weeks should carefully monitor the HSE.ie coronavirus information page before travel.

Embassy Measures

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Embassy has introduced the following changes to opening times and procedures as a precautionary measure. The changes will remain in effect until March 29 when they will be reviewed depending on developments.

The Embassy will be open to the public Monday to Friday from 10:00-12:30 and from 14:00-16:00 by appointment only.

You can book an appointment via email (ottawaembassy@dfa.ie) or by phone (+1 613 233 6281).

Please note that at this time, only urgent appointments will be accepted.

Phone lines remain open from 10:00-12:00, and from 14:00-16:00.

Please do not visit the Embassy without an appointment. The only exception to this will be for consular emergencies.

For consular emergencies outside working hours please call the Embassy on +1 613 233 6281 and leave a voicemail. This voicemail is monitored by the Embassy Duty Officer. Alternatively, you can call the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade in Dublin on +353 1 408 2000.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we implement these changes.

Passports

Please note, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Passport Service has currently stopped all passport processing.

As such, the Embassy will no longer be accepting new passport applications at this time. This includes passport renewals, first time applications, and re-submissions of applications that were returned. All applications received at the Embassy on or after April 27, 2020 will be returned.

While you can still apply for your passport using Passport Online, we cannot guarantee the usual turnaround times. If you have already sent an application, your application is safe and will be processed once we resume services.

If you need a passport for travel in a genuine emergency (death or serious illness of a family member or for emergency medical treatment of the applicant), please contact us through our Webchat service.

Please see the following link for further information:

Passport Service

Visas

We have taken the decision to temporarily cease accepting new visa applications. This is effective from close of business 20th of March 2020. For further information please see the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).

Honorary Consulate Jamaica

Please note that the Honorary Consulate in Jamaica is closed to the public for at least two weeks, including for visa applicants.

The Honorary Consul can still be reached at:

Tel: 1-(876) 932-8423
Email: irishconsulateja@gmail.com

Honorary Consulate Montreal

Please note that Concordia University is closed for at least two weeks.

The Honorary Consul General can still be reached at:

E-mail: michael.kenneally@concordia.ca