13,000 Irish Passports to Be Reissued After Biometric Compliance Error
Almost 13,000 Irish passports issued in recent weeks are being recalled and replaced after authorities confirmed they are not fully compliant with international travel standards.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said a total of 12,904 passports issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026 were affected by a technical issue linked to a software update. As a result, some passport holders may encounter difficulties when using automated eGates or passing through border control.
In a statement, the department said the Passport Service “sincerely regrets” the error and apologised for the inconvenience caused to travellers.
What went wrong
Officials said the issue arose during a routine system update, leaving the affected passports not fully aligned with international standards set for machine readable travel documents. It is understood that the passports may be missing required identifiers, which could lead to them being rejected by border systems in some countries.
The department stressed that passports issued outside the affected dates are not impacted.
To reduce disruption, border authorities worldwide have been notified of the problem through the International Civil Aviation Organization, as well as Irish Border Management.
What passport holders need to do
People who received a passport during the affected period do not need to submit a new application. Instead, they are being asked to return their passport book, and passport card if applicable, by post so a replacement can be issued.
Returned passports should be sent to:
Passport Return, Customer Care
Passport Service
42 to 47 Lower Mount Street
Dublin 2, D02 TN83
Ireland
The Passport Service has said replacement passports will be issued within a maximum of 10 working days and will carry a new passport number.
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Affected customers have been contacted directly by email and are advised to check the date of issue, which can be found on the page containing the holder’s photograph and personal details.
Support for urgent travel
Anyone with imminent travel plans, or Irish citizens living overseas, has been urged to contact the dedicated customer service team for guidance. The team is available daily from 9am to 4.30pm by phone on 01 6131780, or +353 1 6131780 from abroad, and by email at passportreturn@dfa.ie.
The department said it is prioritising assistance for those due to travel soon. Travellers with US travel authorisations have also been advised to check with US authorities to see whether a new ESTA is required once a replacement passport is issued.
While there is currently no estimate of the cost of rectifying the issue, the Passport Service said its focus remains on ensuring affected citizens receive compliant documents as quickly as possible to avoid further travel disruption.
