TRAVELLING ABROAD

The Department of Foreign Affairs provides information and advice to prepare citizens before travelling abroad, and offers an objective assessment of the risks they could face.

Our key messages are:

• Know Before You Go. Consult our Travel Advice before travelling overseas
• take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover all activities while abroad
• check the validity of your passport
• order a passport card when renewing your passport book, but remember it can only be used for travel in the EU, EEA, Switzerland and the UK
• travel with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when travelling in Europe
• know the nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate in case consular assistance is required
• register on the department’s Citizens Registration platform during your time abroad, especially if in high-risk locations
• share your travel plans with family and friends
• be aware of cultural differences in the country you are holidaying or travelling in
• ensure you have enough medication for your stay, and extra in case of delays. Be sure to check you can bring your medication to the country you are visiting
• if you are travelling for medical or cosmetic procedures, you should inform yourself of both the risks and benefits of any procedures, and discuss your plans carefully with your medical practitioner before committing to any procedure abroad. Further information is available on the department’s website

Public health advice

When making decisions about international travel, you should consider your overall health, vaccine status, and the public health situation in other countries.

Travel planning

• visit the Department of Foreign Affairs’ country-specific travel advice for over 200 countries when planning your trip for the most up-to-date information
• follow the department's travel advice updates on X (Twitter) @DFATravelWise
• Know Before You Go - read the department's travel advice for helpful top tips on local laws and customs, safety and security, and more
• be prepared – register your details with us and we can contact you, and provide assistance, if necessary and possible, if there is an unforeseen crisis such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or if you have a family emergency while you are overseas
• if you have any urgent queries, contact the department's Travel Advice team at: traveladvice@dfa.ie

We strongly recommend you take out comprehensive travel insurance, which can save you and your family a lot of money if something goes wrong. It will also ensure that you get the medical attention you need, when you need it. Hospital bills can quickly run into thousands of euro, and a medical evacuation back to Ireland can cost thousands more.

Irish residents are entitled to receive healthcare through the public system in countries of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland if ill or injured while on a temporary stay there. Ensure that you get or renew your EHIC (the new name for the E111) before you go, and remember, you will need one for every person travelling in your group.

Apply for your EHIC and find out more information.

Please note that the EHIC is not a substitute for proper travel insurance provided by a reputable insurer. It does not cover medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. Also, some private hospitals may not accept the EHIC, so you should check with the hospital administrator beforehand.

• before you book: check that you and your family’s passports are in date
• if you are renewing or applying for the first time, the Passport Online is the easy route to get your passport. Easy to use, it will help you check your documents and photo are correct and you’ll also be able to track your application from start to delivery
• Passport Card: You can also use Passport Online to apply for a Passport Card, which can be used for travel to 31 countries in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) plus Switzerland
• be sure to bring copies of your passport with you in case of an emergency
• for more information, please visit the Passport website

We provide a range of help and support to citizens in distress abroad. 24/7 emergency consular assistance is available through our Embassies and Consulates and through the Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin.

Assistance is provided within the remit of our Consular Assistance Charter.

If you experience difficulty while abroad and require consular assistance, you can contact the relevant Embassy or Consulate.

If you are in Ireland and calling on behalf of a family member or loved one abroad, the Consular Assistance Unit can be contacted on +353 (0)1 4082527 during office hours or out of hours on +353 (0)1 4082000, in the event of a genuine emergency.

We recommend that all citizens travelling abroad register with their local Embassy or Consulate. This information will allow us to contact you in the event of a crisis or emergency in that location. Please note that you should only ring out of hours or use Consular Directorate’s emergency assistance phone number in the event of a genuine emergency.