You are here: Home > Travel and Recreation > Passports > How to renew an Irish passport as an adult
- Introduction
- Renewing your passport through PassportOnline
- Renewing by post through Post Passport
- Renewing your passport in person
- Fees for passport renewals
- How long will my passport renewaltake?
- Urgent Appointment Service andemergency travel documents
- Additional documentation you mayneed
- Useful contacts
Introduction
This page explains how to renew your Irish passport if you are over18 years old.
You must be an Irishcitizen to be eligible for an Irish passport.
Irish passports for adults are valid for ten years. To continue to travelabroad after the time expires, you will have to apply to renew your Irishpassport. You may also wish to apply to renew your passport because:
- Your passport was lost, stolen or damaged
- You have changed your name
If your most recent passport expired more than 5 years ago, you should readthe document on applyingfor your first Irish passport.
You can renew your passport at any time. If you apply for a new passportbefore your current one has expired, your new passport will run from when youapply.
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
Renewing your passport through PassportOnline
You can renew an Irish passportonline, following the step-by-step instructions provided. You can renewonline from anywhere in the world, as long as your previous Irish passport isno more than 5 years out of date.
You do not have to verify your identity when renewing your passport usingthe online service. If your current passport has more than 12 months ofvalidity at the time of your renewal application, you will have to send theoriginal passport by post.
Digital photographs
You must include a digital photo as part of your application. You can dothis through a participating photo provider like a pharmacy.
Photo was taken at a participating photo provider
They can help you in one of two 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 photorequirements for the Passport Online service.
Renewing by post through Post Passport
PostPassport is a service provided by An Post. Post Passport is open. Updates on services are available onthe Passport Service's website.
If you are an Irish citizen living in Ireland, you should fill in form APS1. You will find this form at Garda stations and any Post Office. It is notcurrently possible to download the paper application form.
If your current passport has more than 12 months of validity at the time ofyour renewal application, you will have to send the original passport bypost.
Photographs
You must include 4 recent identical photographs of yourself with yourapplication.
Two of these photographs should be signed on the back by theperson who witnesses the application. The witness should also write theform number shown in Section 9 of the application form on the 2 signedphotographs. If you are applying for your passport in Ireland the witness mustbe a member of the Garda Síochána.
Moredetailed information on passport photographs is available.
Post Passport abroad
A number of UKPost Office branches in Northern Ireland provide the Post Passport service(pdf).
There are also two post offices in Great Britain offering Post Passport:
- 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 onthe application form. The witness should enter their daytime contact number onthe application form as this may need to be verified by the Passport Service orthe relevant embassy or consulate.
Renewing your passport in person
The counter service at the Passport Office is mainly designed to help peoplewho need their passports urgently, and don’t have enough time to apply inother ways. In these cases, you should book an appointment with the PassportOffice in Dublin or Cork. Information on the Urgent Appointment Service isbelow.
If you living abroad and unable to use Passport Online, youcan apply for an Irish passport in person, or using ordinary or registered postto your nearestIrish embassy or consulate. You use form APS 2.
You cannot download the application form. You can get the application formfrom the Irish embassy or consulate in the country where you live (or theclosest embassy or consulate).
Fees for passport renewals
The fees are:
Standard 34-page 10-year passport
| Service | Cost |
| Passport Online | €75 plus a €15 postage if you live outside Ireland |
| Post Passport with An Post | €80 Plus a €9.50 fee for 1 application or a €16 fee for a Family Application for up to 4 applications |
| In person | €95 |
Large 66-page 10-year passport
| Service | Cost |
| Passport Online | €105 plus a €15 postage if you live outside Ireland |
| Post Passport with An Post | €110 Plus a €9.50 fee for 1 or a €16 fee for a Family Application for up to 4 applications |
| In person | €125 |
How long will my passport renewaltake?
Online renewals take around 10 workingdays to process.
If you are applying by post, you should allow at least 8weeks for your application to be processed (not including postage times). Thisperiod may be extended at certain times of the year due to increasedapplication numbers.
Check the Passport Servicewebsite for current processing times
Tracking the progress of your passport application
The Passport Service provides a PassportTracking Service, which allows you to check the status of your applicationonline. 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 andemergency travel documents
Urgent Appointment Service
The UrgentAppointment Service offices are located in Dublin, Cork and London. You must book anappointment before attending the office. There are 3 types of appointmentsand a fee will apply to this appointment service relative to how quickly youneed 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 ForeignAffairs can issue an emergency travel document of limited validity. Examples ofsuch 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
There is a charge of €110 for this out-of-hours emergency service.
Emergency travel documents may also be issued by Irish embassies orconsulates, to replace a passportthat is lost or stolen abroad.
Additional documentation you mayneed
Change of name
If you want to change the name on your passport to your married name, youmust submit your civil marriage certificate or civil partnershipcertificate.
If your previous passport was issued in your married name and you want yournew 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 havebeen using your maiden name for 2 years.
If you have changed your name for another reason, you will have to submitdocuments that show you have been continually using the name for at least 2years.
If the name you are known by is the Irish version of your name but you donot 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, theEnglish version of your name will also be noted on the passport.
If your documents are not in English you must also supply a certifiedEnglish version, translated by a registered translator.
Gender recognition
You can apply in your preferred gender if you have received a GenderRecognition Certificate from the Department of Social Protection. You needto submit your Gender Recognition Certificate and your birth certificate asre-issued after gender recognition.
If you are noteligible for a Gender Recognition Certificate, you have to supplydocumentary evidence that you have been using the name continually for at least2 years. You will have to give a Statutory Declaration stating that you havethe intention of living in the new gender for the rest of your life.
If you live outside of Ireland or if your personal circumstances aredifferent, contact the PassportService.
Useful contacts
Page edited: 25 May 2022
Related Documents
- How to apply for your first Irish passport as an adult
A guide to making your first passport application if you are age 18 or over
- Irish passports - an overview
Who can apply for an Irish passport? Where can Irish passport holders travel? Our overview document answers your questions.
- Renewing your child's Irish passport
Information on how to renew passports for children up to the age of 18 years
Contact Us
If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).
You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre.