Covid-19: Travel Advice (current as of 19th August)

News

14 March 2020

The situation regarding Covid-19 is a developing one and measures outlined below are subject to change. We advise checking latest regulations on the websites of the relevant authorities. Please monitor the situation in through the Embassy’s Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as local media and contact the Embassy if you have specific concerns. If you are an Irish citizen abroad, register your contact details through our Citizens’ Registration system so that the Embassy will be able to contact you quickly in the event of any major developments that may affect you.

Travelling to Ireland

If you are not travelling to Ireland for the purposes of returning to your ordinary place of residence or for vital work or other essential reasons, you are advised to reconsider your journey. If you do travel to Ireland, please make yourself familiar with Covid-19 measures currently in place in Ireland.

Apart from standard immigration requirements, there are no restrictions on entering Ireland based on citizenship or origin of journey. However, anyone arriving in Ireland from overseas (i.e. including Great Britain but not Northern Ireland) must complete a Passenger Locator Form giving details of where they will restrict their movements for 14 days (or the duration of the trip if it less than 14 days) after arriving. These arrangements apply to Irish citizens and residents as well as visitors. For further information and advice, please click here.

Certain cases are exempt from this 14-day period, including people travelling from a limited number of countries on the so-called "green list" issued by the Irish government; passengers transiting through an Irish airport; certain essential workers; foreign diplomats etc.

If you intend to transit through another country en route to Ireland please be aware that there may be border restrictions in many countries. You should check with the authorities of the relevant country for confirmation. Furthermore, airlines are suspending flights often at short notice or denying boarding to passengers they believe may be denied entry to a transit airport. We strongly advise that you check with your airline that your intended itinerary is possible, even if it is showing as available online.

General measures aimed at tackling the spread of Covid-19 are also in place in Ireland. Before arriving in Ireland, you should make yourself familiar with all up-to-date information on these measures and restrictions on the website of the Government of Ireland.

Travelling to Bulgaria, Georgia or Armenia

Ireland advises against any non-essential overseas travel at this time. Anyone planning to travel from Ireland to Bulgaria, Georgia or Armenia and back again should be aware that none of these countries is on Ireland's so-called "green list" of destinations that require normal preacautions, and that the 14-day period of restricted movement on returning to Ireland (outlined above) will therefore apply.

Bulgaria: We advise against any non-essential travel. From the perspective of the Bulgarian authorities, Irish citizens are in principle permitted to enter Bulgaria and are at this time not required to self-quarantine or present a negative PCR test result if coming to Bulgaria from any EU/Schengen country or the UK. Please note that the Bulgarian authorities may change entry and quarantine requirements at any time, without warning.
Georgia: We advise against any non-essential travel. In connection with the Covid-19 global pandemic, the government of Georgia declared a state of emergency on 21st March 2020. As of this date, all scheduled flights to and from Georgia were suspended with permission only granted for a limited number of Georgian Airways and specially chartered repatriation flights. As of 1st July certain commercial flights may become available again, on an extremely limited basis. For up-to-date information on the situation in Georgia including any Covid-19 measures in place please visit StopCov.ge.
Armenia: We advise against any non-essential travel. At present, there are extremely limited air connections between Yerevan and Europe. For up-to-date information on restrictions in Armenia, please visit the websites of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

General advice

Be alert to common signs of Covid-19 infection: respiratory problems, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Seek medical advice if you experience these symptoms.

Health Service Executive (HSE) medical advice to protect yourself from getting COVID-19: Wash your hands properly and regularly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze, put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands, and do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

If in Ireland you develop symptoms of Covid-19, you will need to self-isolate and phone your GP. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. The GP will assess you over the phone. If they think you need to be tested for COVID-19 (Coronavirus), they will arrange a test.

Visit the website of the Health Service Executive if you think you have been in contact with someone confirmed as having Covid-19; or have attended a healthcare facility in another country where Covid-19 patients are being treated. You will be put in contact with your local Department of Public Health staff who will give you information and advice.