Travel warning as 13,000 passports recalled over ‘technical issue’ | World | News

Thousands of Irish passports have been recalled after they were found to not meet international travel standards. Irish citizens with travel documents issued between 23 December and 6 January have been warned that they may encounter problems at border control due to a “technical issue with a software update”. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Saturday that the issue could affect up to 12,904 passports distributed between the two dates.

While government officials did not provide detailed information about the details of the technical malfunction, Irish Times reported that the letters “IRL” were missing from the relevant documents. DFA said the error could cause problems for eGates travelers and apologized for any inconvenience.

The government department said it would also contact affected customers via email to inform them of the issue and that their passports would be reissued in the coming days and weeks.

Those affected have also been asked to return their passports by post to the Irish Passport Service in Dublin.

Irish passport holders living abroad or with recent travel plans can alternatively contact DFA’s customer service team for further guidance.

“Due to a technical issue with the software update, passports issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026 inclusive are not fully compliant with international travel standards and there is a possibility that some passport holders may experience problems with eGates and border control when traveling,” a government spokesperson said.

“The passport service sincerely regrets this issue and apologizes to affected citizens for any inconvenience caused,” they added.

“To alleviate any potential travel issues, the passport service has notified border authorities worldwide through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Irish Border Authority.”