Ireland Passport Application Guide

An Irish passport is applied for through Passport Online, which is available worldwide, and the passport photo is submitted as a digital image. This guide covers the routes, the photo, the fees and the timing. This page describes Irish rules. Verified against the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) guidance, October 2026.

The 15-second answer

Apply with Passport Online, available worldwide 24/7. An adult passport is valid 10 years and a child's passport 5 years. Fees start at €75 for a standard adult passport and €20 for a child's; a passport card is €35. Turnaround runs from 10 working days (simple adult renewal) to 20 working days (first-time online). Your photo must be taken within the last 6 months.

Step 1 — apply through Passport Online

• Passport Online is the quickest way to apply and is available worldwide, 24/7, on a smartphone, tablet or computer.
• Processing starts only once all required documents are received.
• There are four routes: first-time and renewal, for adults and for children.

Step 2 — first time or renewal?

• An adult passport is valid for 10 years; you can apply for a new one within 12 months before it expires.
• If you have never held an Irish passport, or your last one was issued more than 15 years ago, you must apply as a first-time applicant.
• A child's passport is valid for 5 years and requires guardian consent; all child renewals are treated as complex.
• If a passport is lost, stolen or damaged, report it and reapply straight away through Passport Online.

Step 3 — the photo

The photo must be taken within the last 6 months — a requirement from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). For an online application you can have it taken at home with a camera, tablet or phone, but the digital image has its own pixel floor.

• Print: at least 35 × 45 mm and no more than 38 × 50 mm.
• Background: completely plain light grey, white or cream, with enough contrast.
• No selfies, no zoom, no digital retouching or filters and no red-eye; neutral expression, head not tilted, looking straight at the camera.

Full rules are on the Ireland passport photo page, with the detail in the Ireland photo rules and online digital photo guides, and the free passport photo checker verifies a prepared file.

Step 4 — fees and timing

Turnaround times do not include postage (longer from abroad) and start only once the Passport Service has received all supporting documents. First-time applications cannot be expedited, so do not book travel before the passport arrives. See Ireland passport application and renewal for the full fee and timing detail.

What to check before you apply

• Confirm whether you are a first-time or renewal applicant — the >15-year rule catches people out.
• Have your photo ready inside the 6-month window and within the print band.
• Budget the €15 overseas postage if you apply from outside Ireland.
• Follow the document checklist for your route so processing is not paused; a short-stay visa route is on the Ireland short-stay visa documents checklist.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for an Irish passport?
Apply through Passport Online, which is available worldwide 24/7 and is the quickest way to apply.

How long is an Irish passport valid?
Ten years for an adult passport (18 and over); a child's passport is valid for five years.

When is it a first-time application?
If you have never held an Irish passport, or your last one was issued more than 15 years ago, you must apply as a first-time applicant.

What does an Irish passport cost?
A standard 10-year adult passport is €75 and a child's 5-year passport is €20; a passport card is €35 and an adult passport plus card is €100. Applications from outside Ireland add €15 postage, and each child application adds €5.

How long does an Irish passport take?
Current averages run from 10 working days for a simple adult renewal to 20 working days for a first-time online application; a child renewal is 15 working days. Passport Assist takes about 6 weeks.

What photo do I need for an Irish passport?
A photo taken within the last 6 months (an ICAO requirement). For online applications the digital image must meet a pixel floor; a printed photo must be at least 35 x 45 mm and no more than 38 x 50 mm, on a plain light grey, white or cream background.

Related: the Ireland passport photo page, the Ireland photo rules and online digital photo guides, and the guides hub.

Source note: the Passport Online route and its worldwide 24/7 availability, the first-time versus renewal rule, the adult 10-year and child 5-year validity, the fees (€75 adult / €20 child / €35 card, plus €15 overseas postage) and the turnaround times (10–20 working days) are from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland — ireland.ie/en/dfa/passports (passport, turnaround-times and fees pages). The six-month photo recency, the digital photo requirement and the print band (35 × 45 mm up to 38 × 50 mm) follow the same service's photo guidelines. Captured October 2026. Fees and turnaround times change; confirm the current figures on the official pages before you apply.

Browse all passport guides or the photo size chart.