How to renew an Irish passport as an adult

This page explains how to renew your Irish passport if you are over 18 years old.

You must be an Irish citizen to be eligible for an Irish passport.

Irish passports for adults are valid for 10 years. To continue to travel abroad after the time expires, you must apply to renew your Irish passport. You may also want to apply to renew your passport because:

• Your passport was lost, stolen or damaged
• You have changed your name

If your most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago, you must apply as a first time applicant.

You can renew your passport at any time. If you apply for a new passport before your current one has expired, your new passport will run from when you apply.

Three ways to renew your Irish passport:

• Online, through Passport Online
• By post, through Post Passport
• In person, through the Passport Office’s counter service

You can renew an Irish passport online, following the step-by-step instructions provided.

You do not have to verify your identity when renewing your passport using the online service. If your current passport is due to expire in the next 12 months, you do not need to send your current passport. The previous one will be cancelled within 6 weeks of receiving your new passport. If your current passport has more than 12 months of validity at the time of your renewal application, you must send the original passport by post.

Digital photographs

You must include a digital photo as part of your application. You can do this through a participating photo provider like a pharmacy.

Photo was taken at a participating photo provider

They can help you in one of 2 ways:

• They can give you a unique code to include with your online application
• Ask them to email it to you, or save the photo on a USB device, or other storage methods. You must have access to the photo when completing your online application

Take the photo yourself

• Take a photo at home using a digital camera or smartphone. This cannot be a “selfie” and you should not use the zoom function of your camera. The photo must capture your image from the waist upwards.

You can read more about the photo requirements for the Passport Online service.

Post Passport is a service provided by An Post. Post Passport is open. Updates on services are available on the Passport Service's website.

If you are an Irish citizen living in Ireland, you should fill in form APS 1. You will find this form at Garda stations and any Post Office. It is not currently possible to download the paper application form.

If your current passport has more than 12 months of validity at the time of your renewal application, you will have to send the original passport by post.

Photographs

You must include 4 recent identical photographs of yourself with your application.

2 of these photographs should be signed on the back by the person who witnesses the application. The witness should also write the form number shown in Section 9 of the application form on the 2 signed photographs. If you are applying for your passport in Ireland the witness must be a member of the Garda Síochána.

More detailed information on passport photographs is available on the Passport Service website.

Post Passport abroad

Several UK Post Office branches in Northern Ireland provide the Post Passport service (pdf).

The following post offices in the UK also offer Post Passport:

• Cardiff Post Office, 83 - 85 Queen Street, Cardiff, CF10 2NX
• Glasgow Post Office, 140 West Nile Street, Glasgow, G1 2RD
• Liverpool Post Office, 1 – 3 South John Street, Liverpool, L1 8BN

If you are applying abroad, suitable categories of witnesses are listed on the application form. The witness should enter their daytime contact number on the application form as this may need to be verified by the Passport Service or the relevant embassy or consulate.

The counter service at the Passport Office is mainly designed to help people who need their passports urgently, and don’t have enough time to apply in other ways. In these cases, you should book an appointment with the Passport Office in Dublin or Cork. Information on the Urgent Appointment Service is below.

If you are living abroad and unable to use Passport Online, you can apply for an Irish passport in person, or using ordinary or registered post to your nearest Irish embassy or consulate. You use form APS 2.

You cannot download the application form. You can get the application form from the Irish embassy or consulate in the country where you live (or the closest embassy or consulate).

The fees are:

Standard 34-page 10-year passport

Large 66-page 10-year passport

Simple online renewals take around 10 working days to process.

Complex online renewals take around 15 working days to process. A complex renewal is when you are asked to submit extra documentation or you are changing information on your passport. You could be changing your name or reporting a lost or stolen passport.

If you are applying by post, you should allow at least 8 weeks for your application to be processed (not including postage times). This period may be extended at certain times of the year due to increased application numbers.

Check the Passport Service website for current processing times.

Tracking the progress of your passport application

The Passport Service provides a Passport Tracking Service, which allows you to check the status of your application online. To do this, you must have the application number from your form (available in the top left-hand corner of the form).

Urgent Appointment Service

The Urgent Appointment Service offices are located in Dublin, Cork and London. You must book an appointment before attending the office. There are 3 types of appointments and a fee will apply to this appointment service relative to how quickly you need your passport.

• Same day renewal service. These appointments can be booked 3 days in advance.
• 4 day renewal service. These appointments can be booked 3 weeks in advance.
• 5 day renewal service (London only). These appointments can be booked 3 weeks in advance

Emergency travel documents

In cases of genuine emergency, the duty officer at the Department of Foreign Affairs can issue an emergency travel document of limited validity. Examples of such emergencies are:

• Situations of substantial distress such as the deaths or funerals of immediate family members abroad
• Urgent medical attention abroad

It is not possible for an emergency travel document to be issued to:

• Minors (except in extremely limited circumstances)
• First time applicants

Emergency travel documents may also be issued by Irish embassies or consulates, to replace a passport that is lost or stolen abroad.

Change of name

If you want to change the name on your passport to your married name, you must submit your civil marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate.

If your previous passport was issued in your married name and you want your new passport issued in your maiden name you must submit:

• Your birth certificate
• Your judicial separation court order
• Your separation agreement or your divorce decree

Otherwise, you will need to submit 2 official documents that show you have been using your maiden name for 2 years.

If you have changed your name for another reason, you will have to submit documents that show you have been continually using the name for at least 2 years.

If the name you are known by is the Irish version of your name but you do not have proof that you have been continually using it for 2 years, 6 months’ usage may be accepted. If the proof of 6 months’ usage is accepted, the English version of your name will also be noted on the passport.

If your documents are not in English you must also supply a certified English version, translated by a registered translator.

Gender recognition

You can apply in your preferred gender if you have received a Gender Recognition Certificate from the Department of Social Protection. You need to submit your Gender Recognition Certificate and your birth certificate as re-issued after gender recognition.

If you are not eligible for a Gender Recognition Certificate, you have to supply documentary evidence that you have been using the name continually for at least 2 years. You will have to give a Statutory Declaration stating that you have the intention of living in the new gender for the rest of your life.

If you live outside of Ireland or if your personal circumstances are different, contact the Passport Service.

You can contact the Passport Service via phone or web chat.