Today the Department of Justice have announced, people holding an Irish Residence Permit card that was in-date at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, will now have its validity period extended to 15 January 2022. This means that they may use their current expired card to enable them to depart from and return to Ireland in confidence over Christmas and until 15 January 2022.
Anyone travelling during this time will be able to print a copy of a travel confirmation notice and display this with your existing IRP card to show proof of residence when returning to Ireland before the 15 January 2022.
The re-entry visa requirements for children under the age of 16 have also been suspended until 15 January 2022.
The Department is engaging with airline carriers to notify them of this new arrangement and to ensure that the process runs smoothly. It can also be displayed as proof of residence for employment purposes or to access any State services and supports that people are ordinarily eligible for.
The travel confirmation notice and FAQ document are available on the Department’s Irish Immigration website at:
