Consular Services

Please note that our phone lines are closed until further notice.  Queries should be submitted in writing through the Contact Us facility. All emails will be responded to within 24-48 hours. In the event of a genuine emergency involving an Irish citizen, leave a voice message and the duty officer will respond. 

The Embassy's public office is temporarily closed to the public. You can request an appointment from Monday 23rd August to collect or deliver documents in person by emailing pretoriaappointments@dfa.ie You can also submit and collect documents by courier between 9.00 a.m. and 12 noon, Monday to Thursday. Payments must be made by EFT

Travel to Ireland

For updates on travel to Ireland, you are referred to the COVID-19 Travel Advice website.  South Africa,  Botswana, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe have been removed from the list of designated “Category 2 Countries” by the Department of Health.

All passengers will have to complete the Passenger Locator Form before travelling.

Please note that all passport renewal applications, for adults and children, must be made online.  First-time applications must be made on paper application forms, which you can request from the Embassy.  Please note that the processing time for passport applications is significantly affected by COVID-19 response measures in South Africa and in Ireland. 

Short-stay Visas

The Minister for Justice, Heather Humphreys TD, and the Minister of State for Law Reform, Youth Justice and Immigration, James Browne TD, have today announced the resumption of short-stay entry visa processing.

The move will come into effect from Monday, 13 September 2021.

The move to resume short-stay visa processing is in line with the next phase of the Government’s response to the pandemic, Covid-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting.

All remaining COVID-19 restrictions on entry visa and preclearance processing, which were brought in as a necessary interim measure to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, have now been lifted.

All travellers arriving into Ireland must continue to comply fully with measures required by law including producing proof of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19 or a negative PCR test.

If you are unsure as to whether you require a visa/preclearance to enter Ireland you can check here by entering your nationality.

Travel to South Africa and COVID-19

South Africa continues to experience community transmission of COVID-19 and a number of restrictions are in place to control the spread of the virus.  The lockdown measures remain under review and are adjusted from time to time. We advise Irish citizens in South Africa to respect lockdown regulations and follow public health requirements. The latest information on South Africa’s COVID-19 response and restrictive measures in place is available at www.sacoronavirus.co.za.  If you are visiting South Africa and are in need of support, please contact us.  All Irish citizens currently visiting South Africa are also asked to ensure that they have registered with the Embassy of Ireland and also ensure that you remain compliant with South African immigration requirements. 

International flights to and from South Africa are operating under certain restrictions. On arrival, all travellers will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result not older than 72 hours prior to the time of departure. All travellers will be screened on arrival and those presenting with symptoms will be required to have a COVID-19 test.  Where necessary, travellers will need to enter mandatory quarantine facilities at their own cost.  Travellers will also be required to download the COVID Alert South Africa mobile app.  

Before travelling, you are advised to confirm the requirements for entry to South Africa with the Embassy of South Africa in Ireland. Citizens intending to undertake essential travel to South Africa should also be aware that South Africa continues to adjust its COVID-19 lockdown measures in response to the rate of transmission of the virus, and it cannot be guaranteed that suspensions of international flights may not be re-imposed on short notice.  Irish citizens travelling to South Africa should also be aware of the requirements for re-entry to Ireland or to their country of normal residence following their trip.