Ireland has introduced a temporary travel concession allowing eligible foreign residents to travel with expired Irish Residence Permission (IRP) cards until August 31, 2026, as authorities grapple with prolonged processing delays for permit renewals.
The measure offers relief to thousands of foreign nationals, including international workers, students, and families, whose IRP renewal applications remain pending. Current renewal processing times range from seven to 17 weeks, with some immigration categories experiencing the longest delays.
Under the temporary arrangement, eligible residents whose IRP cards have expired can continue travelling and re-entering Ireland, provided they submitted their renewal application before their existing permission expired and uploaded all required supporting documents.
What they are saying
Foreign nationals who require employment permits must also hold a valid permit throughout the renewal period to remain eligible for the concession. Those who are exempt from employment permit requirements can continue residing in Ireland under the same temporary provisions.
- The Irish government said the concession will remain in place until August 31, after which normal immigration procedures will resume.
- From September 1, expired IRP cards will no longer be accepted for international travel or re-entry into Ireland. Authorities will also reinstate the standard 12-week Notice to Employers policy, allowing eligible workers to remain under their existing immigration conditions while renewal applications are being processed, provided the application was lodged before the previous permission expired.
- The temporary policy Is expected to ease travel concerns for many foreign residents who need to leave Ireland for work, family commitments, or holidays while waiting for their renewed residence permits.
- Travellers relying on the concession are required to carry their expired IRP card, a printed Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) travel notice, proof that their renewal application was submitted before the permit expired, and a valid employment permit where applicable.
Authorities have also advised travellers to confirm with their airline before departure, as carriers must recognise the ISD travel notice alongside the expired IRP card under the temporary arrangement.
What you should know
The latest measure comes as Ireland continues to face mounting backlogs in processing residence permit renewals. Since late 2025, applicants across several immigration categories, including Stamp 4 permission holders, have reported waiting up to 17 weeks for renewed documentation.
- Ireland recently expanded access to its employment permit framework by introducing 32 changes aimed at tackling persistent labour shortages across sectors such as construction, healthcare, transport, agri-food and specialist services.
The reforms includeincludeed new occupations under the Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP), the removal of several roles from the Ineligible Occupations List, additional quota-based entries under the General Employment Permit (GEP) system and renewed quotas for existing occupations.
