Coming to Ireland from Ukraine

This page has information for people who have family in Ukraine, or for people in Ukraine who plan to travel to Ireland or have recently arrived here.

You can also read about supports for Ukrainians in Ireland and social welfare supports for Ukrainian refugees.

You can use Google Translate to read this page in Ukrainian or another language (please note that this uses machine translation and may not be a fully accurate translation of the page).

Ukrainian nationals must have a valid biometric passport to travel to Ireland.

Citizens of Ukraine do not need a visa to travel to Ireland. If you are travelling with family members who are not Ukrainian citizens, they may need a visa to come to Ireland.

You can read frequently asked questions from the Irish immigration authority, called Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), for visa and immigration information.

When you arrive in Ireland, you should speak to an immigration officer (at Passport Control). You may be brought to Citywest Convention Centre in Dublin. You can apply for temporary protection under the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

If you arrive in Rosslare Port, you can apply for temporary protection in the reception facility in the Port.

If you have a Temporary Protection permission, it is automatically renewed annually as long as the Temporary Protection Directive is in force. You do not have to do anything. You can use the notice on the immigration service’s website as proof that your permission to live in Ireland has been extended.

Temporary Protection Directive extended to March 2026

In June 2024, the European Council extended the Temporary Protection Directive until March 2026. This will be updated on the immigration service’s website in due course.

I have not received a temporary protection permission letter

If you have arrived into another port of entry to the State, you can get your permission letter by visiting one of these centres:

• Citywest Convention Centre, Saggart, Co. Dublin, D24 A38Y
• Cork City PSC and PPSN Centre, Ground Floor, Hanover Street, Cork, T12 PX62
• Limerick Intreo Centre, Dominick Street, Limerick, V94 X327

If you cannot travel to a centre, you can email ukrainesupportmailbox@justice.ie to try to make other arrangements to get your permission letter.

Irish Resident Permit

The Department of Justice has started to issue Irish Resident Permit (IRP) cards to beneficiaries of the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

You can find out more about getting income support in our page on social welfare supports for Ukrainian refugees.

If you are getting income support and plan to leave Ireland, you should tell your local Intreo Centre or DSP branch office before you travel.

There is a shortage of accommodation in Ireland. The type of place you will be offered depends on what is available at that time. You may have to stay in a community centre, sports ground or in tented accommodation for a period. In some cases, you might not get anywhere to stay.

State-provided accommodation

From 14 March 2024

If you register for temporary protection and State-provided accommodation at any time from 14 March 2024, you will be accommodated for a maximum of 90 days in State-provided accommodation, called a Designated Accommodation Centre. You can read about the rules when staying in State-provided accommodation.

If you are in State-provided accommodation, you get a weekly payment of €38.80 for an adult and €29.80 for a child. If you have any qualified children, you will also get a monthly Child Benefit payment.

If you are not in State-provided accommodation, you can apply for social welfare payments in the same way as Irish citizens, as long as you meet the eligibility conditions.

Before 14 March 2024

Since 9 September 2024, if you registered for temporary protection before 14 March 2024 and you are living in State provided accommodation where meals and utilities are provided, you get the same weekly payment rate as people who arrived after 14 March 2024. You get a weekly payment of €38.80 for an adult and €29.80 for a child, subject to an income test.

Read more about social welfare supports for Ukrainian refugees.

How to apply for accommodation

If you have nowhere to stay, you should tell immigration officials when you arrive in Ireland. They will refer you to the Government’s Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team (UCTAT).

If you need accommodation and you are already in Ireland, you can email ukrainetempaccom@equality.gov.ie. You may have to wait until accommodation is available.

Include the following information in your email:

• The full name of anyone who needs accommodation
• Dates of birth
• Phone number
• Where you are now (the full address if you have one)
• When you need the accommodation (for example, from tonight)
• Medical conditions, disabilities, allergies and dietary requirements

Health services in Ireland are delivered by Ireland’s public healthcare service - the Health Service Executive (HSE). You can get the same public healthcare services as people who live in Ireland.

Everyone coming to Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive can apply for a medical card with a simplified application process. A medical card allows you to visit a doctor for free, access other health services and get medicines at a reduced price. Children aged 16 and over must apply for a medical card separately.

When you first arrive in Ireland, you should apply for your medical card using a special medical card application form (pdf) for people from Ukraine. Read information from the HSE in Ukrainian and Russian. You can email your completed form to PCRS.Applications@HSE.ie or by post to the address on the form.

You need:

• Your name, current address and date of birth.
• Your Personal Public Service (PPS) number (see above).
• Your doctor’s (GP’s) address, stamp and signature.

You can get information about health care services in Ireland from the HSE website. You can also read about the Irish health system in Ukrainian and in Russian.

Vaccinations in Ireland

Vaccinations help to protect you and your children against preventable infectious diseases. Many vaccinations are free in Ireland. You can read information about the vaccines available from the HSE for you and your children in Ukrainian, Russian and English.

You have the right to work in Ireland when you have your Temporary Protection permission letter. You can also work for yourself (self-employment) and you can access vocational training in Ireland.

Help finding work

Anyone on Jobseeker's Allowance must be available for and looking for full-time work. You can work part-time but you should keep looking for full-time work.

You can get help finding work from the Intreo employment services.

You can:

• Talk to an Employment Support Officer at your local Intreo centre or branch office
• Go to an employment support event being organised near you for Ukrainians. You should get an invite, but you can attend without one.
• Find vacancies and apply for jobs using the online jobs website www.jobsireland.ie – information is available in Ukrainian and Russian

Your income support when you start working

Check how working part time could affect your income support payment using the on-line calculator.

When you start working part time or full time you must contact your local Intreo Office to tell them that your circumstances have changed.

The Department of Social Protection has more information on working in Ireland in Ukrainian and Russian.

Your employment rights

Read more about your employment rights when coming to Ireland from Ukraine. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has information on employment law in Ukrainian (pdf) and Russian (pdf).

Professions

You must register and have your qualifications recognised to work in some professions. For example, you must register with the Medical Council to work as a doctor.

The Teaching Council has a process to allow teachers who qualified in Ukraine to register and teach in Ireland.

To open a bank account you need identification. There is a guide in Ukrainian about opening a bank account if you do not have the standard identification (pdf).

Revenue has information about the taxes you pay as a worker in Ukrainian and Russian.

If you have come to Ireland because of the war but you continue to work remotely for your Ukrainian employer, you do not have to pay Irish income tax on income you get from the employer in 2022, 2023 or 2024. Read more about tax and working remotely for your Ukrainian employer.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free preschool programme for all eligible children before starting primary school. Your child must be between 2 years and 8 months in the September that the ECCE term starts. They cannot be older than 5 years and 6 months by the end of the ECCE term in June. ECCE is normally provided for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week over the school year.

The National Childcare Scheme has 2 types of subsidy for children who are aged over 6 months:

• A universal subsidy for children under 15. It is not means tested.
• An income-assessed subsidy for children up to 15. It is means tested.

Parents can find information on childcare including supports for children with disabilities to access childhood care and a guide to childcare in Ireland.

How can I enrol my child in school?

You can contact your local school or the Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) to help you enrol your child in school.

The Tusla Education Support Service can also help you find a school for your child.

You can read about how to enrol your child in:

• Primary school
• Secondary school

Parents with a child starting primary school can find information in Ukrainian and Russian. You can find information in Ukrainian and Russian on early childcare, primary school and Transition Year in secondary school.

School transport

School transport services are available to Ukrainian students on the same basis as children in Ireland. There will be no charge for the service if seats are available.

If you are:

• Living with a host family, in your own accommodation or in private accommodation, you can apply online. You can get the form in English, Ukrainian and Russian
• Living in an accommodation centre, the school principal of your child’s school should apply for school transport and return the form to REALT.

If you move to new accommodation a new application will be required.

Contact Transportapplications@education.gov.ie or call 057 932 5467 for more information about school transport.

Further and higher education

College and university applications

You can apply for a place at a Higher Education Institute (HEI) through the Central Applications Office (CAO). You will need to confirm if your application is based on your Leaving Certificate results.  Otherwise, your application will be based on your academic records such as English competency certificate or Ukrainian school tests that you will present to individual HEIs.

Financial supports

If you want to attend a college or university and you don’t qualify for a student grant or the Free Fees Scheme, you may get the Temporary Tuition Fee Scheme and a financial stipend. You can find more information on gov.ie/ukraine.

The Irish Universities Association has guidance on supports for undergraduate and postgraduate Ukrainian students.

Further education

You can apply for Further Education and Training courses provided by Education Training Boards across Ireland. Courses are free or have a low charge. You can find course options on the FETCH website.

PLC Bursary

If you want to attend a PLC course, you can apply for the PLC Bursary for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) Scheme 2024.

The Bursary is open to students starting year one of an approved PLC course or progressing into the second year of an approved 2-year course.

Qualifications from Ukraine

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) has information (in Ukrainian) about its qualifications recognition service. This guide helps you to use QQI’s foreign qualifications recognition service (NARIC).

Can I bring my pet to Ireland?

From 21 November 2022, if you bring pets from Ukraine to Ireland, you must comply with all the requirements for pets entering Ireland from outside the EU/EEA.

If your pet is not fully complaint, it will be put in quarantine. You must pay for the quarantine at a rate of €15 per night and a further €25 transportation fee.

Can I drive in Ireland?

You can drive on your Ukrainian driving licence while in Ireland under temporary protection. You can no longer exchange your Ukrainian licence for an Irish driving licence.

If you have already exchanged your Ukrainian driving licence for an Irish licence, you can continue to drive on your Irish licence for one year from the date it was issued.

If you have already exchanged your Ukrainian driving licence and you want it returned to you, send your Irish licence to National Driver Licence Service, PO Box 858, Southside Delivery Office, Cork. You must include a letter in English saying you want your Ukrainian licence returned. You must also include your Irish address and phone number.

You can read more in the frequently asked questions for Ukrainian road users (pdf) on the Road Safety Authority’s website. You can also send an email in English to Ukrainelicence@ndls.ie for further information.

Bringing your car from Ukraine

If you bring your car from Ukraine, there are certain vehicle importation rules you must follow, depending on how long you stay in Ireland. You can apply for a vehicle temporary exemption when you arrive. This means you do not have to pay vehicle tax. You can contact Revenue for more information.

Car insurance

By law you must be insured to drive your Ukrainian car when using it on Irish roads. The Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (UA) has prepared a list of Ukrainian Insurance Providers that allows Ukrainian refugees to renew their insurance policies online and to get an International Insurance Green Card. You can find more information about this at www.mibi.ie

You can read about:

• Supports for Ukrainians in Ireland
• The Temporary Protection Directive
• Social welfare supports for Ukrainian refugees

The following organisations have further information in English, Ukrainian and Russian:

• Immigration Service Delivery - Frequently Asked Questions for Ukrainian nationals and residents of Ukraine
• The Irish Refugee Council - Ukraine information note
• The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - Travel to and arrival in Ireland

The European Commission has a freephone helpline in Ukrainian that can give you information on EU entry and travel, your right to education and access to jobs or healthcare.

• Freephone 00 800 6789 1011 from within the EU
• Phone +32 22 99 96 96 from outside the EU (charges apply)

The helpline also provides information in official EU languages and Russian and offers a free call back service. You can also contact the European Commission for information through an online contact form.