Ireland has introduced a temporary measure allowing eligible foreign residents to travel with recently expired Irish Residence Permit (IRP) cards until August 31, 2026, while authorities work to reduce a backlog in residence permit renewals.
The initiative, announced by the Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, is intended to support legally resident non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals whose applications to renew their residence permits are still being processed.
The announcement was contained in a statement published on the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Immigration website on July 13 and seen on Wednesday.
According to the department, the Immigration Services Registration Office at Burgh Quay in Dublin is experiencing a sharp increase in renewal applications, with processing times exceeding 17 weeks for some categories.
It said, “The Immigration Services Registration Office Burgh Quay, Dublin, is currently experiencing a very large volume of applications with a current processing time to renew an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card in excess of 17 weeks for some categories.”
It added that after the renewal of registration is completed, applicants may wait a further two weeks before receiving their new IRP cards.
To ease travel during the summer period, the department said eligible applicants whose renewal applications were submitted before their current IRP cards expired would be allowed to travel using the expired cards.
It stated, “To facilitate Non EEA Nationals legally resident in the State who are required to renew their current permission and who wish to travel internationally during the summer period, the Minister is issuing a Travel Confirmation Notice requesting carriers to allow individuals to travel on their recently expired IRP card where an application to renew their permission was submitted in advance of the expiry date of their IRP card.”
According to the department, the temporary arrangement will remain in effect from July 13 to August 31, 2026.
“Non-EEA Nationals in the State who are required to apply for a renewal of their IRP card may use their current recently expired IRP card to enable them to travel in confidence from 13 July 2026 to 31 August 2026, provided an application to renew their registration permission was submitted in advance of the expiry date of their IRP Card,” the statement added.
The department advised affected travellers to print and carry the Travel Confirmation Notice, their expired IRP card and proof that they submitted their renewal application before the card expired.
It also encouraged travellers to contact their airlines before departure to confirm that the temporary arrangement would be recognised. Those transiting through third countries were advised to verify whether the travel notice would be accepted before booking their flights.
“The Department will advise all airlines and foreign missions of the initiatives in place. The Department will continue to process applications for renewals,” it said.
The latest measure comes as Ireland continues to grapple with growing backlogs in processing residence permit renewals, with applicants in several immigration categories reportedly waiting as long as 17 weeks to receive renewed documentation.
The announcement also comes after recent changes to Ireland’s employment permit system, including reforms designed to tackle labour shortages in key sectors such as construction, healthcare, transport, agri-food and specialist services.