Starting today, June 5, nationals of Ukraine without a valid biometric passport will not be allowed to enter Ireland.
Through a statement, the Ministry of Justice of Ireland has announced that from today, all third-country nationals, including those from Ukraine, who plan to enter Ireland must hold a valid biometric passport, Schengen.News reports.
Up to this point, Ukrainians were permitted to enter Ireland with expired biometric passports or internal passports, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however, the country has now terminated such temporary measures for Ukrainians.
The suspension of the requirement for biometric passports from Ukrainian nationals was aligned with practice in other European Union Member States as well, following guidelines from the EU Commission.
However, the Department of Justice Ireland has considered that the situation has evolved since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, considering it important to move to a more sustainable response.
However, the Department of Justice emphasised that the majority of nationals from Ukraine travelling to Ireland hold valid biometric passports, therefore the new changes will not ban them from entering this country, noting that visa-free entry remains valid.
In addition, authorities in Ireland also clarified that beneficiaries of temporary protection in Ireland will not lose their protection if they do not hold a valid biometric passport, however, a beneficiary will require a valid biometric passport to re-enter Ireland if they plan to travel outside the country.
Surge in Number of Ukrainians Arriving in Ireland
Local media reports in November last year noted that the rate of Ukrainians reaching Ireland in the past 12 months was ten times higher than the average surge in numbers fleeing to the EU from Ukraine during the same period.
Besides, the figures from the European Commission revealed that Ireland had the third highest net surge in new arrivals of people seeking international protection from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in absolute terms within the EU in September last year.
Source: https://schengen.news/ireland-bans-entry-for-ukrainians-without-valid-biometric-passports/
