Irish business travellers and other non-EEA residents who have applied to renew their Irish Residence Permit (IRP) but have not yet received the new card can breathe a little easier this holiday season. On 2 December the Department of Justice’s Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) published a Travel Confirmation Notice that asks airlines and border officials to accept recently-expired IRP cards, provided an on-time renewal application was filed. The temporary concession applies to international journeys undertaken between 8 December 2025 and 31 January 2026 and is designed to prevent backlogs in the IRP-printing system from derailing Christmas travel plans.
Background: Irish Residence Permits are the primary evidence of lawful residence for more than 300,000 third-country nationals in Ireland. Although renewal applications are filed online, the biometric cards are printed in a secure facility and posted to applicants. ISD has warned for several months that high application volumes and postal delays were pushing delivery times out to two weeks or more. Missing an international flight because a new permit has not arrived became a real risk for assignees and foreign workers hoping to visit family abroad during the festive period. Similar initiatives were rolled out in 2023 and 2024; this year’s notice starts slightly later but runs to the same 31 January cut-off.
![Ireland issues Christmas Travel Confirmation Notice for non-EEA residents awaiting IRP renewals]()
How the scheme works: Travellers must carry (1) their recently expired IRP card, (2) a printed copy of the Travel Confirmation Notice, and (3) proof of the renewal application showing the date it was submitted. Airlines have been advised of the policy, but ISD cautions that passengers transiting through a third country must still comply with that country’s rules. The concession does not apply if the renewal application was lodged after the IRP expired. Visa-required nationals must also hold a valid Irish visa or, if exempt because of the notice, obtain written authorisation from ISD before departure.
Business implications: Multinationals with assignees in Ireland can avoid costly flight changes by ensuring HR teams download the notice and brief affected employees. Mobility managers should verify that renewal applications have indeed been submitted on time and keep electronic copies of the submissions on file. Companies with regional travel hubs should alert travel desks and airline account managers so that ground staff are familiar with the Irish document. While the measure is welcome, it highlights the importance of beginning IRP renewals at least six weeks before expiry and of using reliable courier services for critical documents.
Looking ahead: ISD says it continues to modernise its registration process and expects card-production timelines to improve in 2026 when a new outsourced print contract goes live. In the meantime, employers should mark 31 January 2026 in their calendars; after that date, the concession lapses and ordinary rules resume. Depending on volumes, ISD may announce a similar initiative for Easter travel, but nothing has been confirmed.
Background: Irish Residence Permits are the primary evidence of lawful residence for more than 300,000 third-country nationals in Ireland. Although renewal applications are filed online, the biometric cards are printed in a secure facility and posted to applicants. ISD has warned for several months that high application volumes and postal delays were pushing delivery times out to two weeks or more. Missing an international flight because a new permit has not arrived became a real risk for assignees and foreign workers hoping to visit family abroad during the festive period. Similar initiatives were rolled out in 2023 and 2024; this year’s notice starts slightly later but runs to the same 31 January cut-off.
How the scheme works: Travellers must carry (1) their recently expired IRP card, (2) a printed copy of the Travel Confirmation Notice, and (3) proof of the renewal application showing the date it was submitted. Airlines have been advised of the policy, but ISD cautions that passengers transiting through a third country must still comply with that country’s rules. The concession does not apply if the renewal application was lodged after the IRP expired. Visa-required nationals must also hold a valid Irish visa or, if exempt because of the notice, obtain written authorisation from ISD before departure.
Business implications: Multinationals with assignees in Ireland can avoid costly flight changes by ensuring HR teams download the notice and brief affected employees. Mobility managers should verify that renewal applications have indeed been submitted on time and keep electronic copies of the submissions on file. Companies with regional travel hubs should alert travel desks and airline account managers so that ground staff are familiar with the Irish document. While the measure is welcome, it highlights the importance of beginning IRP renewals at least six weeks before expiry and of using reliable courier services for critical documents.
Looking ahead: ISD says it continues to modernise its registration process and expects card-production timelines to improve in 2026 when a new outsourced print contract goes live. In the meantime, employers should mark 31 January 2026 in their calendars; after that date, the concession lapses and ordinary rules resume. Depending on volumes, ISD may announce a similar initiative for Easter travel, but nothing has been confirmed.
