Frequently Asked Questions during Covid-19

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Frequently Asked Questions during Covid-19

Below, you can find answers to the following questions:

• I am a U.S. citizen in the U.S. Can I travel to Ireland?
• I am a U.S. citizen and/or U.S. legal permanent resident currently in Ireland, can I travel to the U.S.?
• I am an Irish citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland?
• I am an Irish citizen in Ireland, can I travel to the United States?
• What Covid-19 public health restrictions are currently in place in Ireland?
• Can I renew my Irish passport at the current time?
• Can I apply for my first Irish passport at the current time?
• I am in the process of applying for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) process, can I still submit my application at the current time?
• Do I require a visa to travel to Ireland and how can I obtain a visa?
• Is the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco open?
• How do I contact the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco?

Question: I am a U.S. citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland? 

Yes, U.S. citizens can travel to Ireland for up to 90 days on their U.S. passports. U.S. citizens will not have to quarantine if they have valid proof that: they are fully vaccinated, or recovered from Covid-19. Those who travel on the basis of a negative PCR test will have to self-quarantine, this can be ended if they receive a second negative PCR test taken from day 5 onwards.

If you travel to Ireland, please note: 

• You will need to fill out a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form online before you depart for Ireland.
  • To complete the COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form online, please click here.

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET BEEN VACCINATED:

• You will be required to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Ireland. This can be done in private residence and does not require a Mandatory Hotel Quarantine. This can be ended after 5 days with a negative PCR test.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN VACCINATED:

If you are fully vaccinated and have the required documents to prove that then you do not have to quarantine when you come to Ireland.

What 'fully vaccinated' means:

Note: Children between the ages of 12 and 17 will be required to have a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival into the country, unless they have valid proof of vaccination or recovery, then a COVID test in not necessary. Unvaccinated dependents (including minors/children) travelling with a fully vaccinated person will not be required to quarentine, unless one accompanying adult needs to self-quarantine, then all children must also self-quarantine. Unvaccinated children who are too young to get the vaccines will need a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland.

For example, if two vaccinated parents are traveling to Ireland with an unvaccinated child who is 5 years old, the child will not have to quarentine but will need a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland. 

We recommend that U.S. citizens also consult the U.S. State Department and/or the U.S. Embassy in Dublin for travel advice for returning from Ireland.

You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. Since 26 January 2021, all airline passengers to the United States aged two years and older must provide a negative Covid-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel. For more information, please visit the website of the U.S. Embassy in Dublin.

Please also check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.

Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.

If you have further questions on travel to the U.S. we advise that you visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.

Question: I am a U.S. citizen and/or U.S. legal permanent resident currently in Ireland, can I travel to the U.S.? 

Yes, U.S. and non-U.S. nationals with legal permanent residence in the U.S. (i.e. Green Card holders) and their immediate family, as well as the immediate family (spouse and children) of U.S. nationals, are not restricted from entering the U.S.

You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. Since 26 January 2021, all airline passengers to the United States aged two years and older must provide a negative Covid-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel. For more information, please visit the website of the U.S. Embassy in Dublin.

Please also check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.

Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.

If you have further questions on travel to the U.S. we advise that you visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.

Question: I am an Irish citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland? 

Yes, however as of 19 July 2021 the U.S. Travel Restrictions remain in place, and only U.S. citizens/non-U.S. Green Card holders will be allowed back into the United States. Please check the U.S. State Department's website for any additional updates. 

• You will also need to fill out a Covid-19 Passenger Locator Form online before you travel.
  • To complete the COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form online, please click here.

Question: I am an Irish citizen in Ireland, can I travel to the United States? 

No. As of 19 July 2021, U.S. Travel Restrictions remain in place, and only U.S. citizens/non-U.S. Green Card holders are being allowed into the United States.  

If you are eligible enter the U.S., you will also need to check any entry requirements for the United States. Effective 26 January 2021, all airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older must provide a negative Covid-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel. For more information, please visit the website of the U.S. Embassy in Dublin.

Please also check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.

Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.

If you have further questions on travel to the U.S., you are advised to visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.

Question: What Covid-19 public health restrictions are currently in place in Ireland? 

Ireland is currently in Level 5 restrictions under Ireland’s National Framework on Living with COVID-19.

For more information about these restrictions, please click here.

Question: Can I renew my Irish passport at the current time? 

Yes. All passport applications are being done through Passport Online which is currently open to all applicants, including children, renewing their passports in the United States. 

To renew your Passport Online, please click here.

If you are currently located in our consular region and you need an Irish travel document for urgent travel due to a genuine emergency, please call us on +1 415 823 7150 and leave a message with your name, number and the emergency situation.

Question: Can I apply for my first Irish passport at the current time? 

Yes. All passport applications are being done through Passport Online so first time applicants can apply online as well. 

To apply via Passport Online, please click here.

Passport Online is a fast and simple way to apply for your passport. Once you upload a photograph, it takes about ten minutes to complete the online application form and pay with a credit card. If you are an adult renewing your passport with the same information, it is unlikely that you will be required to submit supporting documentation. If you are a first time applicant, renewing for a child or changing the information on your passport, Passport Online will e-mail you a list of documents which you need to submit directly to the Passport Service in Ireland. When your passport is printed, it will be posted back to you directly.

If you previously received a passport application form from us, please be aware that we will not be processing paper applications apart from in exceptional cases from now on. We will not be accepting paper applications and will return same to the applicant.

If you are currently located in our consular region and you need an Irish travel document for urgent travel due to a genuine emergency, please call +1 415 823 7150 and leave a message with your name, number and the emergency situation.

Question: I am in the process of applying for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) process, can I still submit my application at the current time? 

No. The processing of Foreign Birth Registrations or FBRs (through which Irish citizenship can be claimed by persons with a grandparent born on the island of Ireland) is currently paused in order to help clear the backlog of passport applications that were interrupted due to COVID-19.

Please do not send supporting documentation as these cannot be processed at this time.

Please also note that the Consulate General San Francisco no longer processes Foreign Birth Registrations (FBR), and does not have access to FBR applications. The FBR office is hoping to have an update on resuming applications later this year. For applications that are already in progress or require immediate attention please contact the FBR office via WebChat.

Please visit the Foreign Birth Registration page of the Department of Foreign Affairs website for the latest updates on this service.

When processing resumes, it is estimated that it will take between 12 to 18 months to process a completed FBR application.

Question: Do I require a visa to travel to Ireland and how can I obtain a visa? 

You do not need an entry visa for Ireland if you are a passport holder of the United States.

If you are a national of another country that is visa required for Ireland (please note that all countries in South America are now visa required), please note the Department of Justice and Equality has temporarily ceased accepting new visa/ preclearance applications globally with the exception of those in the Emergency/Priority list, since 29 January.

While it will still be possible to apply for an Irish visa/preclearance online in the normal manner, these temporary measures mean that applicants will not be able to complete their application process and we apologise for any inconvenience this might cause. Please note that any application made online will remain valid until such time as restrictions are lifted.

We intend to resume accepting applications as soon as safety concerns abate.

Certain priority/emergency cases will continue to be processed. For further information please see the website of Immigration Service Delivery.

We currently are only issuing visas for certain types of priority/emergency cases. More information can be found here.

For priority/emergency visa applications, please contact us directly so that we can guide you through the application process and advise you how to submit your documentation.

Question: Is the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco open? 

Yes. We are currently operating on a skeletal in office basis. However, our public office is not open at this time. 

Question: How do I contact the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco? 

For general queries, the main phone line (+1 415 823 7150) is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM- 4.30 PM. Please leave a detailed voice message with your name, your phone number, and the nature of your enquiry. A staff member will then return your call as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can use the Contact Us section of this website.

For emergencies (i.e. a genuine emergency involving an Irish citizen who is seeking consular assistance), please note that you can leave an emergency message on the phone system at any time by contacting the Consulate at +1 415 823 7150.

If you need to contact us when the office is closed, please leave a detailed voice message with your name, your phone number, and the nature of your enquiry. The on-call duty officer will then return your call as soon as possible.

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