Passport validity Ireland

[Honestopinion23]

I am planning to go to Ireland for 1 night on 2 June, returning 3 June. This is for work. My passport expires 23 June. I have checked on the government website and it seems to say that I should be okay to travel as long as I return before the passport expires, which I will do. I was going to renew it now but obviously I will need to send in the old passport then and won’t get the new one in time. I could go for an emergency appointment but I’d prefer not to due to cost.

Alternatively I read that you don’t strictly need a passport for Ireland if you are a UK citizen. I have an up to date drivers licence.

anyone have any experience/advice. Many thanks!

How are you getting there? Some airlines have their own rules...

It depends how you plan to travel. If you are flying Ryanair they won't let you check in online with that passport expiry date.

Government website advises that passengers flying in are advised to take their passport as ID. And also that the ID needs to be valid. Validity may be based on the issue date and not the expiry though.

I was going to fly… Sigh, maybe I will have to do the emergency passport after all. Unless anyone has any tips of airlines that aren’t as stringent.

Doesn’t help that the booking site for emergency passports is down due to ‘high demand’ 😁

You need to check your chosen airline's ID policy.

Thanks everyone! I have seen that AerLingus accept drivers licences to Ireland. I have tried to get an emergency appt for a passport but it says none available, try tomorrow so I will keep trying. However, if I don’t manage to get anything I will keep my fingers crossed that I will be okay with Aer Lingus.

How did you get on with this, did Aer Lingus accept your driver's license?

Thanks for checking up! Yes, they did! All was completely fine - no issues either end. I can really recommend flying with them - sounds miles better than Ryan Air.

Yay so glad. I was also wondering as I'm going, via ferry, to Ireland and my passport is not expired but I think will be close to that 9yr 9 month issue thing. Good to know I don't need it anyway.

Nobody checked anything when I went by ferry.

Yes I have heard that there is even less checking on the ferry. The Irish government doesn’t really care because there is free movement between Ireland and the UK but its up to each carrier. If you are flying, Ryanair are very stringent and would not allow you on if you were too close to expiry. Aer Lingus just want photo ID and don’t care if the passport is about to expire.

I have applied for my replacement passport now - 3 weeks on and still no sign of it but its fine because I am not planning any more trips abroad this summer.

Yes thankfully we're doing the ferry! I'll obviously take it in case it's checked, and it will be in date for my return journey. But like you I will definitely be sending it off for renewal as soon as I get back - also not going abroad this summer.

I'm a dual national though so have to send my other passport too when I get the UK one renewed - annoying as they'll probably have it for months and I don't like being stuck with NO passport while I wait. Fingers crossed the backlog clears a bit by then...