Changes to International Travel Requirements
News
06 December 2021PRESS RELEASE: 3 December 2021
Minister for Health announces changes to international travel requirements
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, has signed regulations amending requirements around international travel to Ireland. Following a Government Decision on Tuesday 30 November, the travel requirements for incoming passengers to Ireland were reviewed and amended so as to respond to the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’.
From Sunday 05 December (i.e. after midnight on Saturday), overseas passengers to Ireland will be required to show proof of a negative / not-detected COVID-19 test result. In advance, passengers are encouraged to adhere to these new travel requirements to support Ireland’s response to the pandemic.
A passenger with proof of vaccination or recovery can show either a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of arrival or, a negative antigen test result taken within 48 hours of arrival.
Only Rapid Antigen Tests which are listed on the common EU Rapid Antigen Test list will be accepted and it must be carried out by a health professional or skilled testing personnel.
Passengers without proof of vaccination or recovery must show a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of arrival.
Proof of a negative / not-detected COVID-19 test result will be checked pre-departure and may be subject to checks on arrival.
Passengers to Ireland who arrive without a negative test result are required to home quarantine and take a PCR test within 36 hours of arrival. A subsequent negative / not detected text can enable the passenger to exit home quarantine. If no PCR test is taken the passenger must remain in home quarantine for 10 days after arrival.
These new measures, as well as those introduced regarding the ‘scheduled countries’*, are intended to be temporary and will be kept under constant review. As more information becomes available about the Omicron variant we will continue to adapt. To find out more, please visit gov.ie/travel
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITOR*’Scheduled Countries’ - Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe
The previous exemptions from pre-departure testing requirements set out in SI 135/2021 also apply: transport workers, children aged under 12, persons travelling for urgent medical reasons, Garda/Defence forces travelling in performance of duties, persons travelling subject to an arrest warrant or legal proceeding, office holders or elected representatives travelling to perform their functions, persons travelling in a humanitarian emergency as certified by Department of Foreign Affairs. Testing measures do not apply to passengers whose journey originated in Northern Ireland and have not been overseas in the 14-days prior to arrival.
The following page has been updated to reflect these new regulations. This will continue to be updated as necessary to match any changing regulations.
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/77952-government-advice-on-international-travel/