Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has begun recalling approximately 21,000 passports printed between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026 after a software update mis-aligned a security overlay. The defect obscures part of the machine-readable zone, causing automated eGates at airports such as Heathrow, Schiphol and JFK to reject the documents.
Affected holders are being contacted by SMS and e-mail and offered free replacements via the Passport Online portal. For urgent cases, the DFA has set up a fast-track counter airside at Dublin Airport so travellers can swap faulty booklets without exiting the secure zone. Business-travel insurers advise companies to treat the passports as invalid for boarding purposes until replacements are issued and to brief travellers to carry an alternative ID where possible.
The recall comes amid record demand: more than one million Irish passports were issued in 2025, fuelled by a surge in post-pandemic travel and continued interest from UK residents seeking EU travel rights. The episode exposes the operational risks of automated passport personalisation and may accelerate DFA plans for a next-generation digital passport card, slated for 2028.
![Printing Glitch Prompts Recall of 21,000 Irish Passports Issued Over Christmas]()
VisaHQ, the global visa and passport facilitation service, can help travellers and mobility managers navigate the knock-on effects of this recall. Through its Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/), the company offers real-time tracking of passport replacements, assistance with transferring valid visas to new booklets, and dedicated support for urgent consular appointments—ensuring itineraries stay on track even while documents are being re-issued.
For global-mobility teams, the priority is to audit upcoming travel itineraries, re-book appointments where biometric enrolment is required, and cascade guidance to traveller hotlines. Multinationals should also check immigration records to ensure work-permit data matches new passport numbers once re-issuance is complete.
The DFA says turnaround times for replacements will average five working days, but warns that complex visa transfers issued by third-country consulates may take longer. Travellers who need additional help can use the portal’s live-chat function or authorised service providers.
Affected holders are being contacted by SMS and e-mail and offered free replacements via the Passport Online portal. For urgent cases, the DFA has set up a fast-track counter airside at Dublin Airport so travellers can swap faulty booklets without exiting the secure zone. Business-travel insurers advise companies to treat the passports as invalid for boarding purposes until replacements are issued and to brief travellers to carry an alternative ID where possible.
The recall comes amid record demand: more than one million Irish passports were issued in 2025, fuelled by a surge in post-pandemic travel and continued interest from UK residents seeking EU travel rights. The episode exposes the operational risks of automated passport personalisation and may accelerate DFA plans for a next-generation digital passport card, slated for 2028.
VisaHQ, the global visa and passport facilitation service, can help travellers and mobility managers navigate the knock-on effects of this recall. Through its Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/), the company offers real-time tracking of passport replacements, assistance with transferring valid visas to new booklets, and dedicated support for urgent consular appointments—ensuring itineraries stay on track even while documents are being re-issued.
For global-mobility teams, the priority is to audit upcoming travel itineraries, re-book appointments where biometric enrolment is required, and cascade guidance to traveller hotlines. Multinationals should also check immigration records to ensure work-permit data matches new passport numbers once re-issuance is complete.
The DFA says turnaround times for replacements will average five working days, but warns that complex visa transfers issued by third-country consulates may take longer. Travellers who need additional help can use the portal’s live-chat function or authorised service providers.
