Ireland – Initiative to Facilitate International Travel during Christmas Period

Jump to: Context and More About This Initiative | And If Individual Made No Application to Renew IRP Card in Advance of Expiry? | Notice for Employers

Ireland’s Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) has announced an initiative to facilitate international travel over the Christmas period for those who have applied to renew their immigration permission.¹  

Employers should note that in the event their employees are waiting to receive their IRP renewal cards, where the renewal was timely filed prior to the card’s expiration, the employees will be able to travel out of and back into Ireland using a Travel Confirmation Notice, which can be presented to the airlines.  The return to Ireland must occur between 9 December 2022 and 31 January 2023.

This should help relieve any anxiety, stress, and/or administrative burden around this issue as we head into the holiday season and facilitate non-nationals’ re-entry into Ireland (despite their IRP having expired).

Holders of Irish Residence Permit (IRP) cards are required to submit the renewal of their permission before expiry.  An IRP card holder is typically required to present a valid IRP card to enter Ireland after any period of international travel.

The Immigration Services Registration Office is currently experiencing a very large volume of applications and has indicated that those who have applied for renewal may be waiting up to eight weeks to receive their new IRP cards. Processing times may continue to increase during the Christmas period.

To facilitate those who are waiting to receive their renewed IRP cards, but who wish to travel internationally during the Christmas period, the Minister for Justice has drafted a Travel Confirmation Notice that can be presented to airlines.²  The Travel Confirmation Notice, which can be accessed here, advises airlines that non-nationals living in Ireland with recently expired IRP cards may enter Ireland using the expired IRP card, provided they also have proof that they have submitted an application to renew their IRP card in advance of the card’s expiry date.  This initiative will only apply to those who have applied in time to renew their IRP cards, and who are returning to Ireland following international travels between 9 December 2022 and 31 January 2023. 

Any individual who did not apply to renew his or her IRP card prior to its expiry cannot avail of this initiative and will need either a valid IRP card or a valid visa to re-enter Ireland after any period of international travel.  Likewise, those with a single-entry visa who have already used that visa to enter Ireland cannot avail of this initiative.  ISD has issued FAQs with further detailed information.³

• Employees who have applied to renew their IRP cards prior to their expiration but have not yet received their new cards, and who wish to travel internationally during the Christmas period, may do so provided they return to Ireland before 31 January 2023.  Upon arrival in Ireland following their international travel, they should present the Travel Confirmation Notice along with their expired IRP card and the email confirmation they received following the submission of their renewal application.
• The Department of Justice has advised that it will advise all airlines and foreign missions of this initiative.
• Employees planning to return to Ireland after 31 January 2023, are not covered by this initiative.
• Employees should be reminded that entry to Ireland is at the absolute discretion of the immigration officer who reserves the right to seek further information and documentation.

If you require further advice on this situation, please contact your usual qualified immigration counsel or a member of the Corporate Immigration and Employment Law Team with KPMG in Ireland (see the Contacs section).

1  Department of Justice, "ISD announces initiative to facilitate customers travelling at Christmas.”

2  Department of Justice, “Travel Confirmation Notice.”

3  Travel FAQs, FAQs-Travel-Arrangement-Form-09-December-2022-to-31-January-2023.pdf (irishimmigration.ie).

Please note the KPMG International member firm in the United States does not provide immigration or labour law services. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.

The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in Ireland.