Frequently Asked Questions during Covid-19
Statement
07 March 2022Frequently Asked Questions during Covid-19
Below, you can find answers to the following questions:
- I am a U.S. citizen in the U.S. Can I travel to Ireland?
- I am a U.S. citizen and/or U.S. legal permanent resident currently in Ireland, can I travel to the U.S.?
- I am an Irish citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland?
- I am an Irish citizen in Ireland, can I travel to the United States?
- What Covid-19 public health restrictions are currently in place in Ireland?
- Can I renew my Irish passport at the current time?
- Can I apply for my first Irish passport at the current time?
- I am in the process of applying for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) process, can I still submit my application at the current time?
- Do I require a visa to travel to Ireland and how can I obtain a visa?
- Is the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco open?
- How do I contact the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco?
Question: I am a U.S. citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland?
Yes, U.S. citizens can travel to Ireland for up to 90 days on their U.S. passports. As of Sunday, 6 March 2022 travellers to Ireland are no longer required to show proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, a negative PCR test or fill out the Passenger Locator form. See gov.ie for more details.
You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. As of 8 November, US Travel Restrictions have changed. All passengers aged two years and older must provide a negative Covid-19 viral test. For more information, please visit the website of the U.S. State Department International Travel Guidance.
Please also check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.
If you have further questions on travel to the U.S. we advise that you visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.
Question: I am a U.S. citizen and/or U.S. legal permanent resident currently in Ireland, can I travel to the U.S.?
Yes, U.S. and non-U.S. nationals with legal permanent residence in the U.S. (i.e. Green Card holders) and their immediate family, as well as the immediate family (spouse and children) of U.S. nationals, are not restricted from entering the U.S.
You will need to check any travel entry requirements for the United States. As of 8 November, US Travel Restrictions have changed. All passengers aged two years and older must provide a negative Covid-19 viral test. For more information, please visit the website of the U.S. State Department International Travel Guidance.
Please also check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.
Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.
If you have further questions on travel to the U.S. we advise that you visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.
Question: I am an Irish citizen in the U.S., can I travel to Ireland?
Yes.
Question: I am an Irish citizen in Ireland, can I travel to the United States?
Yes. As of 8 November 2021 the U.S. Travel Restrictions will lift for passengers travelling to the U.S. Please check the U.S. State Department's website for additional information.
You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. As of 8 November, US Travel Restrictions have changed. All passengers aged two years and older must provide a negative Covid-19 viral test. For more information, please visit the website of the U.S. State Department International Travel Guidance.
Please also check the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website of your U.S. state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.
Information about companies providing pre-departure PCR tests for the purpose of international travel can be found on the Dublin Airport website and the Cork Airport website.
If you have further questions on travel to the U.S., you are advised to visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.
Question: What Covid-19 public health restrictions are currently in place in Ireland?
For detailed information about Ireland's current public health restrictions, please click here.
Question: Can I renew my Irish passport at the current time?
Yes. All passport applications are being done through Passport Online which is currently open to all applicants, including children, renewing their passports in the United States. We are no longer processing paper passport applications- all applications, renewals or first time, must apply online.
To renew your Passport Online, please click here.
If you are currently located in our consular region and you need an Irish travel document for urgent travel due to a genuine emergency, please call us on +1 415 823 7150 and leave a message with your name, number and the emergency situation.
Question: Can I apply for my first Irish passport at the current time?
Yes. All passport applications are being done through Passport Online so first time applicants can apply online as well.
To apply via Passport Online, please click here.
Passport Online is a fast and simple way to apply for your passport. Once you upload a photograph, it takes about ten minutes to complete the online application form and pay with a credit card. If you are an adult renewing your passport with the same information, it is unlikely that you will be required to submit supporting documentation. If you are a first time applicant, renewing for a child or changing the information on your passport, Passport Online will e-mail you a list of documents which you need to submit directly to the Passport Service in Ireland. When your passport is printed, it will be posted back to you directly.
If you previously received a passport application form from us, please be aware that we will not be processing paper applications apart from in exceptional cases from now on. We will not be accepting paper applications and will return same to the applicant.
If you are currently located in our consular region and you need an Irish travel document for urgent travel due to a genuine emergency, please call +1 415 823 7150 and leave a message with your name, number and the emergency situation.
Question: I am in the process of applying for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) process, can I still submit my application at the current time?
Yes. The Foreign Birth Registration office is open and processing applications on a phased basis. Applications that have been sent to the FBR team have been securely held and will now be processed in strict date order. At present, due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration and the pause in the Service due to the Covid-19 restrictions you should allow approximately 2 years for processing of Foreign Birth Registration applications at this time.
Please also note that the Consulate General of Ireland San Francisco no longer processes Foreign Birth Registrations (FBR), and does not have access to FBR applications. The FBR office cannot give application status updates. For applications that are already in progress or require immediate attention please contact the FBR office via WebChat from 9am-4pm (Irish Standard Time).
Check out our 15 minute video presentation that walks you through the FBR application and answers some of the most common FAQs. *Please note the processing times stated in the video have changed due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Please visit the Foreign Birth Registration page of the Department of Foreign Affairs website for the latest updates on this service.
Question: Do I require a visa to travel to Ireland and how can I obtain a visa?
You do not need an entry visa for Ireland if you are a passport holder of the United States.
If you are a national of another country that is visa required for Ireland, please visit Irish Immigration website to apply for a visa online and see what documents you will need to submit with your application.
Check if you are visa required here.
Question: Is the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco open?
Yes. We are currently operating in our office Ireland House San Francisco on Post Street. In-office appointments are available by reservation only, Monday-Friday 9:00am-12:30pm. These can be scheduled via the form on our Contact Us page, by phone at +1(415)392-4214, or by using our digital web bot Cara on the bottom right corner of your screen. For emergency situations we ask that you call us as soon as possible as we do not accept walk-ins.
Question: How do I contact the Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco?
For general queries, the main phone line (+1 415 392 4214) is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM- 4.30 PM. Please leave a detailed voice message with your name, your phone number, and the nature of your enquiry. A staff member will then return your call as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can use the Contact Us section of this website and we will respond via phone or email. To get an instant answer to your query, try using our digital web bot Cara on the bottom right corner of your screen. Cara can best answer short & simple questions, or direct you to additional resources for more complex or urgent queries.
For emergencies (i.e. a genuine emergency involving an Irish citizen who is seeking consular assistance), or contacting the Consulate outside of our operating hours please leave a detailed voice message with your name, your phone number, and the nature of your enquiry and the Duty Officer will assist you.
