Almost 13,000 Irish passports to be re-issued

Almost 13,000 recently-issued Irish passports will be replaced as they are not fully compliant with international travel standards.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said 12,904 passports issued in late December and early January were not compliant due to a technical issue with a software update.

This may cause issues for travellers at eGates and border control.

In a statement, the department said the Passport Service "sincerely regrets" the issue and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

Those affected do not need to apply for a new passport but should return their passports by post to the Irish Passport Service in Dublin.

The service will seek to issue new passports within 10 working days.

The recall applies to passports issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026 inclusive.

Irish passport holders with imminent travel plans, or those living abroad, can phone or email the DFA's Customer Service Team.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said border authorities worldwide have been notified about the issue.