COVID-19 Information

Home Home | Blog | COVID-19 Information

Last updated: 01/19/2021

*** Effective January 26, all airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel. Alternatively, travelers to the U.S. may provide documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel. Check the CDC website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions.

Country-Specific Information:

  • Ireland has confirmed cases of COVID-19 within its borders.
  • To see recent U.S. Embassy Dublin Health alerts,  please go here.
  • For information on public health measures in place in Ireland, visit their dedicated webpage.
  • For additional current information go to the Irish government’s COVID-19 webpage.

COVID-19 Testing:

  • Are PCR and/or antigen tests available for U.S. citizens in Ireland? Yes
  • While the Government of Ireland is not offering tests for the purposes of international travel, commercial testing facilities are available.  Pre-departure testing is also available at Dublin Airport and Cork Airport.
  • The cost for a COVID-19 test through commercial suppliers typically range from €100 to €150 for RT-PCR tests.
  • You can find additional information on commercially available COVID-19 testing locations in Ireland here.
  • Are test results reliably available within 72 hours? Yes
  • Ireland’s public health service is at full capacity for COVID-19 tests and is prioritizing people who have symptoms. Close contacts will not be tested during this time. If you are a close contact you need to restrict your movements (stay at home), even if you feel well.  If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 self-isolate (stay in your room) and phone your GP for further advice.
  • U.S. citizens who experience symptoms or are a close contact of a confirmed case may be able to arrange and obtain a COVID-19 test through a general practitioner (GP).  The test and GP assessment will be free of charge.  If the GP determines that an individual does not need to be tested, he or she will be advised to stay home and self-isolate for 14 days.  For more information,  please review   https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/testing/how-to-get-tested.html.
  • Find GP contact details.
  • Find GP out-of-hours contact details.
  • Most people will get their results within 2 days, but it can take longer.
  • Test results are sent by text message. If your test is positive, you will also receive a call.
  • Test results are given 7 days a week up until 9pm.
  • Call the COVID-19 helpline if you are waiting more than 2 days (48 hours) for your results.
  • Do not contact your GP for test results.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information:

Entry and Exit Requirements:

  • Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes
  • https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/75d92-covid-19-travel-advice/
  • Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry?  Yes
  • All travelers to Ireland are required to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland.  All arrivals from EU-designated red and grey list countries, and all other locations outside of Europe are advised to restrict their movements for 14 days.  This restriction is relaxed if the person receives a negative/not detected result to a PCR test taken no less than five days after arriving in Ireland.
  • Passengers who arrive to Ireland from Britain and South Africa are required to self-isolate for 14 days, even if they take a second test after arrival.
  • A person arriving to Ireland without a negative PCR test faces a fine of €2,500 or six months in jail.   
  • Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry? Yes
  • The Irish government continues to advise against all non-essential foreign travel.  It requires visitors arriving in Ireland, with limited exceptions, to restrict their movements and fill in a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form indicating where they will self-isolate for 14 days.  Travelers should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.  Health Service Executive (HSE) staff are present in the Dublin and Shannon airports to assist arriving passengers who have concerns related to COVID-19.  If you are in Ireland and believe you may have symptoms, please phone a doctor or dial 112 or 999 locally.  If someone tests positive for the virus, the Department of Health (DOH) will isolate and treat the individual.  The Irish government has established a phone number for COVID-19-related travel queries:  +353 1 613 1733.​
  • On November 9, Ireland implemented the EU-wide “traffic light” system to regularize travel within the EU/international travel between member states. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control publishes a weekly map that assigns countries a red, orange, grey (denoting no information), or green rating based on an agreed set of criteria including COVID-19 infection rates.  International arrivals from red, orange, grey, and non-EU countries (with limited exceptions) are advised to self-isolate for 14 days.

Travelers to Ireland should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.  Health Service Executive (HSE) staff are present in the Dublin and Shannon airports to assist arriving passengers who have concerns related to COVID-19.  If you are in Ireland and believe you may have symptoms, please phone a doctor or dial 112 or 999 locally.  If someone tests positive for the virus, the Department of Health (DOH) will isolate and treat the individual.  The Irish government has established a phone number for COVID-19-related travel queries:  +353 1 613 1733.​

Movement Restrictions:

  • Is a curfew in place? No
  • Are there restrictions on intercity or interstate travel? Yes
  • Effective December 30, the Government of Ireland has placed the entire country on Level 5 of its Living with COVID-19 plan, through January 31, 2021.
  • The Government of Ireland is restricting travel within Ireland to within 5 kilometers of one’s home for the duration of the Level 5 lockdown, with limited exceptions for essential purposes.
  • The Government of Ireland is also recommending that people where masks outside where there is heavier foot traffic or crowds.
  • The full details of the additional restrictions are available here.

Quarantine Information:

  • Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? No
  • Ireland does not mandate a quarantine based on nationality.  Any traveler arriving to Ireland from the United States is strongly advised to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival and is required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form indicating where they will self-isolate.  Failure to complete the form or providing false or misleading information is an offense under Irish law, with a fine of up to €2,500 (nearly $3,000) and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months.

Transportation Options:

  • Are commercial flights operating? Yes
  • There are no restrictions on flights from the United States to Ireland although the number of available flights is significantly diminished.  Aer Lingus, American Airlines, and United Airlines are flying to the United States from Ireland, with limited service from Dublin to Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Newark, and New York.
  • Is public transportation operating? Yes
  • Public transportation is operating at significantly reduced capacity and Irish law requires the wearing of a face covering or mask on public transport.

Fines for Non-Compliance:

  • The penalty on conviction for not abiding by Irish regulations, including wearing a face covering, is up to €2,500 (nearly $3,000) and/or 6 months in prison.

Consular Operations:

  • In light of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, the latest restrictions implemented by the Government of Ireland, and to protect the health of our customers and employees, the U.S. Embassy in Dublin is offering only very limited American Citizen Services at this time.  All routine American Citizen Services will resume at a future date yet to be determined.  We will continue to update our website as developments occur and as we are able to further resume routine services.  For the latest information on U.S. citizen services, please visit the U.S. Citizen Services section of our Embassy website, https://ie.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/
  • Due to COVID-19 mitigation measures the U.S. Embassy in Dublin is operating with reduced staffing and has suspended all routine visa services for the duration of the Level 5 lockdown, through January 31, 2021.  Further, we are extremely limited in the emergency visa services we can offer and wait times for securing an appointment and for visa processing for approved applicants is longer than usual.  Prospective visa applicants are advised to not finalize non-refundable travel plans until such time as they receive their visa.  For additional information we encourage you to review our list of frequently asked questions and associated answers available at https://ie.usembassy.gov/us-travel-restrictions/ and the additional resources available at the links below.

Local Resources:

Other Links:

By | 22 December, 2020 | Topics: Alert, Messages for U.S. Citizens, News, Security & Emergency Messages

Suggested for You

Footer Disclaimer

This is the official website of the U.S. Embassy in Ireland. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

American Flag