COVID-19 - Travel Information and Consulate Services
News
07 March 2022Updated 7 March 2022
The Consulate is fully operational with revised procedures.
We ask all our customers to conduct their business with us by phone, email or mail.
Most of our services do not require you to come into the office. If you are seeking advice or assistance, please contact us here or call us at +1 617 267 9330.
Our office hours are 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday (apart from public holidays)
Please note that applying for an Irish passport can be done online here and does not require you to come to the office.
If you do think you need to make an appointment to come into the Consulate please contact us by phone or email and an officer can advise you. Please do not come to the Consulate without an appointment as there are strict controls on entry to the building and you will not be admitted.
If you are an Irish citizen seeking emergency assistance outside regular office hours, please contact the officer on duty at +1 617 267 9330 and leave a message. The answering machine is monitored regularly and an officer will contact you as soon as possible.
The notice below contains the following sections:
1. Passport Services:
The Passport Service has rolled out an online passport application system for all applicants- including children and 1st time applicants- applying from the US. This service is now live and is available at https://www.dfa.ie/passportonline/onlinefaqs/
We are no longer sending out or taking in paper application forms. If you currently hold a paper application form and you have not yet sent it in to us, please instead apply through the online system. Paper forms received after 01 February 2021 will be returned to applicants.
If you have any queries regarding the online passport application system, please contact us via webchat at Contact Us - Department of Foreign Affairs (dfa.ie) and clicking on the button for webchat at the bottom of the screen. Webchat is available from 9:30am to 3:30pm Monday-Friday.
2. Visa Services:
The processing of short stay visa applications has resumed as of Monday, 13 September 2021.
All remaining Covid-19 restrictions on entry visa and preclearance processing, which were brought in as a necessary interim measure to help reduce the spread of Covid-19, have now been lifted.
The Consulate is only accepting visa and preclearance applications by mail until further notice. It is not possible to submit visa and preclearance applications in person at the Consulate or to pick up original documentation. Applicants will need to mail their visa and preclearance application, supporting documentation, and fees in one package to the Consulate.
For further information on all visa/preclearance criteria please see the website of the Immigration Service Delivery.
3. Latest Official Travel Advice:
i. Travelling to Ireland
From Sunday 6 March 2022, travellers to Ireland are not required to show proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative PCR test result upon arrival.
There are no post-arrival testing or quarantine requirements for travellers to Ireland.
Any individual that develops COVID-19 symptoms while in Ireland should follow the HSE guidance in relation to isolation and undertaking antigen or PCR testing as appropriate.
ii. Travelling overseas from Ireland
While all travel requirements to enter Ireland have been removed, other EU and non-EU countries may still require travellers to hold either:
- proof of vaccination
- proof of recovery, or
- a negative test result
Following changes to EU rules from 1 February 2022:
- vaccine certificates for primary vaccination series are not accepted for travel if more than 270 days have passed since the final dose in the primary vaccine series. Persons travelling with only a vaccination certificate showing their primary series must ensure that it is still in the acceptable date range
- vaccine certificates based on booster/additional doses are not time limited and persons travelling with this additional document are not subject to the 270 day acceptance period
Please review the travel restriction in place for each EU country. Details can be found on DFA Travel Advisory or Re-Open EU.
iii. Further Information
- Testing is free when arranged through the Health Service Executive. Information on free post-travel testing is available at www.hse.ie.
- Persons who feel unwell or experience symptoms of COVID-19 while in Ireland should self-isolate and contact their General Practitioner or HSE Live immediately as per the Health Service Executive guidance. For life-threatening emergencies, call 999 or 112
- You will need to check any re-entry requirements for the United States. You may be required to obtain a test before returning to the United States; Please check https://www.cdc.gov and the website of your state health department for the most up-to-date requirements.
- The links below on Boston, Cork and Dublin airports websites give details of the current companies providing PCR tests.
- Gov.ie is providing up-to-date information on what to do if you are travelling to Ireland at this time.
For our latest travel advice on the United States please see here. You can also follow us on Twitter for the latest info (@IrelandBoston)
4. Latest Local Information:
Irish citizens can access localised up-to-date information for the New England Consular Area through the authorities listed below:
Massachusetts / Boston / Maine / Vermont / New Hampshire / Rhode Island
Please refer to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) website for further updates, including on travel restrictions to the US.
Follow medical advice to protect yourself from COVID-19 Be alert to common signs of infection: respiratory problems, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Seek medical advice if you experience these symptoms.
Keep up-to-date with the Department’s travel advice for over 200 countries by:
- Visiting our Travel Advice
- Following our @DFATravelWise Twitter account
- Health-related info is also available here and here.
Seeking Consular Assistance from the Consulate General of Ireland, Boston:
If you are an Irish citizen in need of emergency assistance outside regular office hours, you can contact us at +1 617 267 9330 and leave a message. The mailbox and answering machine are monitored regularly and an officer will contact you as soon as possible.
Please stay safe and reach out to us if you need us. For further updates check Twitter @IrelandBoston