Ireland has ordered the replacement of 12,904 Irish passports after a software failure left a batch of documents issued over the Christmas and New Year period no longer compliant with international travel standards. The recall covers passports issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026 — one of the busiest times of the year for passport renewals and overseas travel, The WP Times reports.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the fault was detected only after the passports had already been printed and distributed to citizens in Ireland, the UK and overseas. As a result, thousands of travellers may now be holding passports that could fail automated checks at eGates, airline check-in desks and border control systems at airports, ferry ports and international rail terminals.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Passports affected | 12,904 |
| Issue dates | 23 Dec 2025 – 6 Jan 2026 |
| Cause | Software update failure |
| Risk | eGate and border control rejection |
| Action | Passport must be returned |
| Replacement time | Up to 10 working days |
Why the Irish passport recall matters for travellers
Modern border systems rely heavily on machine-readable and digitally validated passport data. Airlines, immigration desks and eGates automatically check nationality, issuing state and security codes before a passenger is even allowed to board.
When a passport does not meet those standards, it can trigger:
- eGate rejection
- airline boarding refusal
- secondary immigration screening
- missed flights and connections
The DFA has warned that affected Irish passports may cause delays or problems at border control, especially at airports that rely heavily on automated checks. For passengers travelling through UK airports, EU hubs or long-haul international routes, this could mean long queues, denied boarding or unexpected questioning, even if the traveller is legally entitled to enter.
What went wrong with the passport software update
The Irish government says the problem was triggered by a software update deployed at the end of 2025 in the national passport production system. That update was designed to modernise how passport data is digitally encoded, but it introduced a technical fault into a specific batch of documents. As a result, some passports issued during that period do not fully comply with ICAO international passport standards— the global rules that define how every passport in the world must store and display machine-readable data, issuing-state codes and security information. These standards are not cosmetic. They are used by:
- airline check-in systems
- automated eGates
- border control scanners
- visa and entry databases
Although the affected Irish passports are legally valid, some of their machine-readable and issuing-country data may not be interpreted correctly by these systems. That can cause the passport to be flagged as “unreadable”, “invalid format” or “unverified issuer”, even when the holder is entitled to travel.
In practice, this means a traveller could:
- be refused boarding by an airline
- be rejected by an eGate
- be sent for manual immigration screening
- or be delayed long enough to miss a flight or connection
The fault was limited to a narrow production window, which is why only passports issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026 are affected. Officials say the software has now been corrected, and all replacement passports will meet full international standards.
How many Irish passports are affected and who must act
According to Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), a total of 12,904 Irish passports are affected by the recall. The rule is simple: if your passport was issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026, it must be replaced, no matter where you live — in Ireland, the UK or overseas.
This is not optional. Even if the passport looks normal and has not yet caused a problem, it may fail automated airline or border checks at any time.
Passport holders do not need to submit a new application or pay a new fee, but they must return the document to the Irish Passport Service in Dublin. Only after the faulty passport has been physically received will a new, fully compliant passport be printed and sent.
How fast replacement Irish passports will be issued
The Irish Passport Service says that once the old passport is returned, a replacement will be issued within 10 working days.
For people who:
- have flights booked
- are travelling for work or family reasons
- or live outside Ireland
the DFA has created a dedicated customer service channel to prioritise urgent cases by phone and email. Officials say the software fault has now been fixed and verified, meaning all new passports produced from this point meet full international standards.
What border authorities and airlines have been told
Ireland has notified border agencies, airline systems and immigration authorities worldwide that a batch of Irish passports has been recalled. This allows foreign border forces and airline IT systems to understand why some Irish documents may fail automated checks.
However, the DFA is clear: do not attempt to travel on one of the affected passports. Even though border agencies are aware of the issue, airline check-in systems and eGates still rely on automated verification, which may refuse or flag the document before a human ever sees it.
Why the recall is sensitive for the UK and EU
Irish passport holders are among the most frequent international travellers in Europe, especially between:
- Ireland and the UK
- Ireland and EU hub airports
- Ireland and long-haul routes via London, Amsterdam and Paris
Most of these journeys rely heavily on eGates and fast-track border systems, which are particularly sensitive to digital passport errors.
Even a small data mismatch can result in:
- airlines refusing boarding
- eGate rejection
- long immigration delays
- missed flights or connections
Within the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK — where millions of journeys take place every month — such disruption can spread quickly across airports and ferry terminals.
What Irish passport holders should do now
If your Irish passport was issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026, the Irish government says it must not be used for travel and must be replaced.
Do this immediately
- Stop using the passport for any international journey
- Send it by post to the Irish Passport Service in Dublin
- Do not book or attempt to travel until a replacement is issued
Your replacement passport will be produced only after the faulty one has been received by the Passport Service.
If you need to travel urgently
- Contact the DFA Customer Service Team
- State clearly that you are affected by the Irish passport recall
- Provide your passport number and travel date
The DFA says urgent cases — particularly for people living abroad or facing essential travel — can be prioritised.
Important warning
Until a corrected passport has been issued, the original document may be rejected by airline check-in systems, automated eGates and border control scanners. Even if it appears valid, it can be flagged as non-compliant, leading to denied boarding, immigration delays or refusal of entry. For this reason, Irish authorities warn that affected passports must not be used for travel, including journeys within the EU, through UK airports or across the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK.
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