Minister Flanagan’s First Eleven top tips for Irish citizens traveling to France for Euro 2016
Minister Flanagan announces his “first 11” Top Tips for Irish citizens travelling to France for the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship
Eight weeks to go – here’s what to know
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Charlie Flanagan TD, today announced that his department has compiled 11 Top Tips for Irish citizens travelling to the upcoming Euro 2016 Football Championship in France in June.
Eight weeks ahead of Ireland’s first game Minister Flanagan said:
“With just eight weeks to go before Ireland’s first game I want to draw the attention of the many supporters who will be travelling to France for the Euro 2016 championship to our 11 Top Tips for travel, which have been uploaded to my Department’s website. “
“With less than 40 working days remaining before Ireland’s first game, I urge travelling fans to check their passport’s validity. I also recommend to fans to apply for the award- winning credit card sized Irish Passport Card which can be used for travel to France and can be applied for online. It fits inside a wallet which helps keep it safe and is accepted instead of a passport booklet”.
The Minister, who has been working closely with our Embassy in Paris, continued:
“It is vital that Irish citizens use the intervening time between now and travelling in June to prepare properly so that they can have an enjoyable and memorable time supporting the Boys in Green in what we hope will be a very successful tournament for them.”
The 11 Top Tips can be found at dfa/ie/euro2016.
Before you go …
1. PASSPORT and PASSPORT CARD
Check your passport now and make sure that it is valid for duration of your intended travel. Make a copy of it and email it to yourself and a family member at home, in case it gets lost or stolen and you need replacement travel documents.
Apply for the new Irish Passport Card. This is valid for travel within Europe and can fit in your wallet, allowing you to leave your passport in a safe place.
As France is in a State of Emergency, a valid form of photo ID should be carried at all times while in France.
2. EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARD
Ensure you bring your European Health Insurance Card with you and if you don’t have one apply now.
3. BE PREPARED
Check out and familiarise yourself with my Department’s latest Travel Advice for France and information on the different regions, laws and customs. Plan your travel itinerary and book accommodation well in advance.
4. INSURANCE
Don’t go to France without comprehensive travel insurance.
5. REGISTER
Let us have your details through our Citizen Registration facility so that we can contact you in case of an emergency.
When you get there…
6. FOLLOW THE RULES
Local laws and customs – familiarise yourself with the local laws and customs. You can learn a lot from our comprehensive travel advice at www.dfa.ie/travel.There are likely to be long queues to access public transport and stadiums and Fanzones, so arrive early and follow advice from the local authorities.
7. CONTACT
Win, lose or draw, let your family and friends know that you’re ok. Call, text or post on social media, and ensure your loved ones have information about your itinerary and travel plans.
8. BE RESPONSIBLE
Avoid unnecessary risks – steer clear of trouble, drink responsibly and behave respectfully when engaging with local authorities, including local law enforcement agencies.
9. IF YOU NEED HELP
For an emergency in France dial 112. For consular assistance from the Irish Embassy in Paris, a dedicated phone line will go live on 10th June: +33 1441 767 80.
You can also send an email query through the Embassy’s website.
10. STAY CONNECTED
Follow us on @dfatirl @dfatravel and @irlembparis and keep an eye our for the DFAT travel app which will be launched at the end of May.
11. COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN!
ENDS
Press Office 18 April 2016
Notes to Editors
Passport Card
• Citizens must be over 18 years of age to apply for a passport card.
• Citizens must be in possession of a valid passport book to apply for a passport card.
• Passport card personal details must be exactly as they are on the applicant’s passport book.
• The card has a maximum validity of 5 years or the remaining validity of the passport book. There must be at least 30 days validity on the passport book.
• The application fee is €35 plus a credit card transaction cost. Additional delivery costs outside Ireland are approximately €5.
• Applications will be received online via the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website (www.dfa.ie/passportcard) or through the free app for smart phones and tablet devices which is available in iOS (via Apple App Store), Android (via Google Play Store) and Microsoft (via Windows Store) formats
• The Passport Service has the capacity to process 3,000 Passport Card applications per week. Currently cards are processed in approximately 10 working days
• The passport card is valid for entry into the following thirty countries:
EU Countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
The European Economic Area (EEA): The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
• Citizens can use the card alone for travel to these countries but the Passport Book must be used for all other foreign travel, including to the United States.
• Further information on the application process can be found at www.dfa.ie/passportcard
• The passport card represented the culmination of co-operation among some of Ireland's leading technology and security companies. This project is leading the way in secure MRTD deployment and further demonstrates that Ireland is at the cutting edge of innovation in the technological arena. The consortium comprised both large and small companies, led by DLRS, with security design and APP development supplied by Absolute Graphics in Wicklow and Purple Pod in Meath. The final product is a state-of-the-art polycarbonate supplied by HID in Galway.
• The passport card enrolment process relies on cutting edge technology that adheres to the highest levels of security to ensure that applicants are safe and secure at all times while applying for their card. The software solution was developed to work across a number of mobile platforms including iOS, Android and Windows Phone and also features a secure website for desktop users. The enrolment process allows users to submit a passport compliant photo taken on mobile phones or upload a suitable photo on the website where advanced biometric algorithms will test each one to ensure ICAO Standards are reached. Once all verification checks have been achieved, the user can pay their fees through the secure payment portal.