Source: European Union/Re-open EU
31.03.2021
From an EU Member State or Schengen Associated Country, may I enter this country without being subject to extraordinary restrictions?
NO
Ireland is implementing the commonly agreed EU "traffic lights" approach to travel restrictions.
Is a coronavirus test required?
All travellers are subject to the requirement for a pre-departure negative PCR test. The test must be taken within 72 hours prior to arrival.
Children aged 6 and under are exempted.
You will be asked to show evidence of this negative or 'not detected' result before boarding the airplane or ferry from the country you are travelling from, and will be denied boarding if you cannot produce such evidence. Once you arrive in Ireland, you have to provide this evidence to Irish immigration officers.
You should retain the written confirmation of your test result for at least 14 days.
In case of lack of a negative or 'not detected' RT-PCR test or a valid exemption, you can be fined up to €2,500 or get a prison sentence of up to 6 months. You will also be required to take a RT-PCR test after arrival at your own expense.
Is a quarantine required?
All passengers arriving into Ireland from designated States are required to pre-book accommodation in a designated quarantine facility, and to pre-pay for their stay.
If you come into Ireland from any country deemed 'high risk', or If you come to Ireland without a negative or 'not detected' PCR test, you must complete a 14-day mandatory quarantine in a hotel.
If you come to Ireland from any country not deemed 'high risk', you must quarantine at home provided you have a negative or 'not detected' PCR test.
If you are not arriving from high-risk countries, you may also shorten your quarantine period by taking a RT-PCR test no less than 5 days after your arrival. If you receive written confirmation that the result of this test is negative or 'not detected', your period of quarantine can end.
If you do not fulfil the legal requirement for mandatory quarantine you are committing an offence, and can be fined up to €2,500 or get a prison sentence of up to 6 months, or both.
Passenger Locator Form
All travellers coming into Ireland must complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form
Find out more:
gov.ie - Travelling to Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic
Documents you need to travel in Europe
What are the rules to enter this country from outside an EU Member State or Schengen Associated country?
Is a coronavirus test required?
Passenger arrivals from ALL countries are subject to the requirement for a pre-departure negative PCR test. The test must be taken within 72 hours prior to arrival.
You will be asked to show evidence of this negative or 'not detected' result before boarding the airplane or ferry from the country you are travelling from, and will be denied boarding if you cannot produce such evidence. Once you arrive in Ireland, you have to provide this evidence to Irish immigration officers.
You should retain the written confirmation of your test result for at least 14 days.
In case of lack of a negative or 'not detected' RT-PCR test or a valid exemption, you can be fined up to €2,500 or get a prison sentence of up to 6 months. You will also be required to take a RT-PCR test after arrival at your own expense.
Children aged 6 and under are exempted.
Is a quarantine required?
All passengers arriving into Ireland from designated States after 4 am on the morning of Friday, 26 March are now required to pre-book accommodation in a designated quarantine facility, and to pre-pay for their stay.
If you come into Ireland from any country deemed 'high risk', or If you come to Ireland without a negative or 'not detected' PCR test, you must complete a 14-day mandatory quarantine in a hotel.
If you come to Ireland from any country not deemed 'high risk', you must quarantine at home provided you have a negative or 'not detected' PCR test. If you are not arriving from high-risk countries, you may shorten your quarantine period by taking an RT-PCR test no less than 5 days after your arrival. If you receive written confirmation that the result of this test is negative or 'not detected', your period of quarantine can end.
If you do not fulfil the legal requirement for mandatory quarantine you are committing an offence, and can be fined up to €2,500 or get a prison sentence of up to 6 months, or both.
Passenger Locator Form
All travellers coming into Ireland must complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form
Find out more:
gov.ie - Travelling to Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic
May I transit this country?
YES
As a general rule, passengers in transit in the EU+ area are exempted from temporary travel restriction.
EU citizens entering the EU from a third country, as well as their family members, irrespective of their nationality, are exempted from the travel restrictions regardless of whether or not they are returning to their country of nationality or residence.
Passengers travelling from a non-EU country to another non-EU country may transit through the international transit area of airports located in the Schengen area. Rules regarding airport transit visa requirements continue to apply.
Passengers who are travelling immediately onwards to Northern Ireland should indicate this and will only be required to fill out a portion of the online COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form.
General measures
Ireland has established a Plan for living with COVID-19.
This plan sets out 5 levels that correspond to the severity of COVID-19 in a location. Different levels can be in place in different locations in the country.
Level 1 is for locations where COVID-19 is the least severe and means that restrictions on the activities of people and businesses are at their lowest level. Level 5 is for locations where COVID-19 is most severe and means that restrictions on the activities of people and businesses are at their highest level.
Level 5 is currently in place
Every county in Ireland is on alert Level 5 in the 'Plan for living with COVID-19' from 1 December 2020.
Health cover for temporary stays
Use of facemasks
Face coverings are mandatory in retail outlets, in taxis, in bus and rail stations, on public transport and for workers in customer facing roles in cafés, bars and restaurants.
Physical Distancing
physical distancing of at least 2 metres should be respected.
Source: https://reopen.europa.eu/en/map/IRL/7001
26.01.2021
From an EU Member State or Schengen Associated Country, may I enter this country without being subject to extraordinary restrictions?
Partially
Ireland is implementing the commonly agreed EU "traffic lights" approach to travel restrictions, which applies to EU and EEA countries.
From 16 January 2021, passenger arrivals from ALL countries are subject to the requirement for a pre-departure negative PCR test. The test must be taken within 72 hours prior to arrival.
In general, you are also requested to restrict your movements for 14 days if you arrive in Ireland from another country. This applies to all travellers entering the State, including Irish citizens coming home and people with no symptoms.
Restricting your movements means avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible.
In line with the EU traffic lights approach, the request to restrict movements does not apply to travellers from green regions, or those arriving from Northern Ireland.
Currently, all passengers entering Ireland from orange, red, and grey regions are requested to restrict their movements for 14 days. This period of restricted movement can end if you receive a negative result of a PCR test that has been taken a minimum of five days after your arrival in Ireland. You should wait for your negative test result to be returned before ending the period of restricted movements.
This general request to restrict movement for 14 days does not apply to certain defined categories.
Passenger Locator Form
If you arrive in Ireland from another country, you must fill in a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form.
Find out more:
gov.ie - Travelling to Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic
Documents you need to travel in Europe
What are the rules to enter this country from outside an EU Member State or Schengen Associated country?
From 9 January 2021, all passengers arriving at Irish airports and ports whose journey originates in Great Britain or South Africa will be requested to have evidence of a negative result from a pre-departure PCR COVID-19 test (COVID-19 not detected) taken up to 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland.
International Transport Workers, including workers in aviation, maritime and road haulage sectors, are exempt from this requirement.
____________________
For travel from non-EU/EEA countries, the general request to restrict your movements for 14 days does not apply to certain defined categories, as indicated below:
(a) International Transport Workers, including workers in aviation, maritime and road haulage sectors
(b) Travellers with an essential function or need as set out in paragraph 19 of the EU Council Recommendation, including:
I. Passengers travelling for the purposes of an imperative business reason, only while carrying out that essential function
II. Passengers arriving for imperative family reasons, only while pursuing that imperative reason
III. Returning passengers, who have carried out an essential function in another region, but who have otherwise restricted their movement while in that region
The approach to post-arrival testing for red/grey regions in the ECDC categorisation will also apply to arrivals from all non-EU/EEA countries from 29 November 2020.
Passenger Locator Form
If you arrive into Ireland from another country, you must fill in a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form.
May I enter this country by sea transport?
Partially
From 9 January 2021, all passengers arriving at Irish airports and ports whose journey originates in Great Britain or South Africa will be requested to have evidence of a negative result from a pre-departure PCR COVID-19 test (COVID-19 not detected) taken up to 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland.
International Transport Workers, including workers in aviation, maritime and road haulage sectors, are exempt from this requirement.
General measures
Ireland has established a Plan for living with COVID-19.
This plan sets out 5 levels that correspond to the severity of COVID-19 in a location. Different levels can be in place in different locations in the country.
Level 1 is for locations where COVID-19 is the least severe and means that restrictions on the activities of people and businesses are at their lowest level. Level 5 is for locations where COVID-19 is most severe and means that restrictions on the activities of people and businesses are at their highest level.
Level 5 is currently in place
Every county in Ireland is on alert Level 5 in the 'Plan for living with COVID-19' from 1 December 2020.
Health cover for temporary stays
Use of facemasks
Face coverings are mandatory in retail outlets, in taxis, in bus and rail stations, on public transport and for workers in customer facing roles in cafés, bars and restaurants.
Physical Distancing
physical distancing of at least 2 meters should be respected.
Source: https://reopen.europa.eu/en/map/IRL/6001
15.12.2020
From an EU Member State or Schengen Associated Country, may I enter this country without being subject to extraordinary restrictions?
PARTIALLY
Ireland is implementing the new EU 'traffic lights' approach to travel, which applies to countries in the EU / EEA (+ UK).
In general, you are requested to restrict your movements for 14 days if you arrive into Ireland from another country. This applies to all travellers entering the State, including Irish citizens coming home and people with no symptoms.
Restricting your movements means avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible.
In line with the EU traffic lights approach, the request to restrict movements does not apply to travellers from green regions, or those arriving from Northern Ireland.
Currently, all passengers entering Ireland from orange, red, and grey regions are requested to restrict their movements for 14 days. This period of restricted movement can end if you receive a negative/'not detected' result of a PCR test that has been taken a minimum of five days after your arrival in Ireland. You should wait for your negative test result to be returned before ending the period of restricted movements.
This general request to restrict movement for 14 days does not apply to certain defined categories.
What are the rules to enter this country from outside an EU Member State or Schengen Associated country?
For travel from non-EU/EEA countries, the general request to restrict your movements for 14 days does not apply to certain defined categories, as indicated below:
(a) International Transport Workers, including workers in aviation, maritime and road haulage sectors
(b) Travellers with an essential function or need as set out in paragraph 19 of the EU Council Recommendation, including:
I. Passengers travelling for the purposes of an imperative business reason, only while carrying out that essential function
II. Passengers arriving for imperative family reasons, only while pursuing that imperative reason
III. Returning passengers, who have carried out an essential function in another region, but who have otherwise restricted their movement while in that region
The approach to post-arrival testing for red/grey regions in the ECDC categorisation will also apply to arrivals from all non-EU/EEA countries from 29 November 2020.
What are the rules if I go abroad from this country, and when I return from abroad?
From Monday 9 November, Ireland is implementing the new EU 'traffic lights' approach to travel, which applies to countries in the EU / EEA.
The current advice for travel to these countries is 'exercise a high degree of caution'. The general advice for any other overseas travel remains 'avoid non-essential travel' or in some cases, 'do not travel'.
More information at: gov.ie - Travelling outside of Ireland
Passenger Locator Form
If you arrive into Ireland from another country, you must fill in a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form.
Find out more:
gov.ie - Travelling to Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic
Documents you need to travel in Europe
14.09.2020
Entry Restrictions
A COVID-19 green list is reviewed on a fortnightly basis.
Travel to a very limited set of locations (COVID-19 green list) is exempted from the general advice against non-essential travel overseas. Individuals arriving into Ireland from these locations will not be requested to restrict their movements upon entry.
Passengers from any other location not on this list are asked to restrict their movements for 14 days. The general advice against non-essential travel includes Great Britain but does not apply to Northern Ireland.
Travelling to Ireland from a location that is on the COVID-19 green list
Travelling to Ireland from a location that is NOT on the COVID-19 green list
Travelling from (or returning to) Ireland
Travelling abroad from Ireland
Travel advice by country from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Rules and Exceptions
The Irish Authorities advise anyone coming into Ireland, apart from Northern Ireland and from locations with a security rating of "normal precautions" (green), to restrict their movements for 14 days. This includes citizens and residents returning to Ireland. Restricting your movements means staying indoors in one location and avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible.
Before starting your journey, please check visa requirements at www.inis.gov.ie.
Mandatory Travel Documentation
COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form
Find out more
COVID-19 Travel Advice
Driving abroad
Source: European Commission
07.04.2020
Support measures for strategic maritime connections to Ireland
The Irish Government has announced the designation, on a temporary basis only, of five strategic maritime routes into and out of Ireland as Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes during COVID-19 for a period of up to three months. These are Dublin/Cherbourg and Rosslare/Fishguard, Pembroke, Cherbourg and Bilbao, with the emergency provision of a maximum contribution of €15 million towards the costs involved in the continued operation of passenger ferry services on these routes in that period. The operators currently providing these services are Irish Ferries, Stena Line and Brittany Ferries.
Further information:
https://www.gov.ie/en/news/fb9743-government-support-measure...
More info:
https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c36c85-covid-19-coronavirus/
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/coronavirus-response_en
Quarantine of 14 days for travellers coming to Ireland (16.03.2020)
Anyone coming into Ireland, apart from Northern Ireland, will be required to restrict their movements on arrival for 14 days. This includes Irish residents. Essential supply chain services such as hauliers, pilots and maritime staff are exempt.
Start date: 16.03.2020
End date: not available
Further information: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus/
Temporary and limited relaxation of the enforcement of driving and rest times for the drivers of vehicles engaged in goods transport
Ireland has notified a temporary and limited relaxation of the enforcement of driving and rest times for the drivers of vehicles engaged in goods transport. This relaxation is granted pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006. It will apply to those drivers involved in domestic and international transport.
Start date: 18.03.2020
End date: 16.04.2020
further information: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/temporary-relaxatio...