The Government is advising against non-essential travel until further notice and anyone entering the State is required to self-isolate for 14 days. All passengers are also required to complete a mandatory Public Health Passenger Locator Form on arrival.
From Monday 22 June 2020, my Department has resumed the acceptance of visa applications in our Dublin office as well as in seven locations overseas where we have visa offices - China, India, UAE, Turkey, Nigeria, Russia and the United Kingdom.
There are still travel and social distancing restrictions in place in some of these countries so where it was not possible to resume from 22 June 2020, we intend to resume accepting visa applications as soon as possible thereafter. The extent of the resumption of visa services will continue to be decided in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health Service Executive (HSE) guidelines.
During the initial phase of re-opening, my Department is accepting Long Stay ‘D’ visa applications as well as those identified under our current criteria as Emergency/Priority Short Stay visas. All other short stay visit applications are not yet being accepted and therefore the issue of time permitted for visits does not arise at present.
A Frequently Asked Questions document on the impact of COVID-19 on immigration and international protection is available on the Immigration Service website (www.inis.gov.ie). This document is regularly updated. Additionally any person intending to travel should also take note of the General COVID-19 Travel Advisory issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
