(LRC Revised)

Number 4 of 2008

PASSPORTS ACT 2008

REVISED

Updated to 25 May 2018

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the

Passports Act 2008

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including

Data Protection Act 2018

(7/2018), enacted 24 May 2018, and all statutory instruments up to and including

Data Protection Act 2018 (Establishment Day) Order 2018

(S.I. No. 175 of 2018), made 24 May 2018, were considered in the preparation of this

revision.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

4

of

2008

PASSPORTS ACT 2008

REVISED

Updated to 25 May 2018

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1. Short title and commencement.

2. Definitions.

3. Service of notices.

4. Regulations.

5. Expenses.

PART 2

Passports and Emergency Travel Certificates

6. Application for passport.

7. Information and documents to accompany application for passport.

8. Processing of personal data.

9. Periods of validity of passports.

10. Name in which passport is issued.

11. Gender re-assignment.

12. Refusal to issue passport.

13. Use of information and form of passports.

14. Passports for children.

15. Emergency travel facilities.

16. Diplomatic and official passports.

17. Procedures for lost or stolen passports.

18. Cancellation and surrender of passports.

19. Appeals.

20. Offences.

21. Meaning of “false” and “making”.

22. Summary trial of offences.

23. Proceedings relating to offences committed outside State.

24. Liability for offences by bodies corporate.

25. Amendment of Schedule to Bail Act 1997.

26. Passports to remain property of Minister.

27. Saver.

PART 3

Miscellaneous

28. Amendment of Diplomatic and Consular Officers (Provision of Services) Act 1993.

Acts Referred to

Adoption Act 1952

1952, No. 25

Adoption Act 1991

1991, No. 14

Bail Act 1997

1997, No. 16

Civil Registration Act 2004

2004, No. 3

Data Protection Act 1988

1988, No. 25

Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003

Diplomatic and Consular Officers (Provision of Services) Act 1993

1993, No. 33

Guardianship of Infants Act 1964

1964, No. 7

Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003

2003, No. 31

Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956

1956, No. 26

Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 to 2004

Licensing Acts 1833 to 2004

Medical Practitioners Act 1978

1978, No. 4

Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2004

Number

4

of

2008

PASSPORTS ACT 2008

REVISED

Updated to 25 May 2018

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUE BY THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF PASSPORTS

TO IRISH CITIZENS TO BE USED BY THEM AS EVIDENCE OF IDENTITY AND CITIZENSHIP, TO PROVIDE

FOR THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA, INCLUDING BIOMETRIC DATA, FOR THE ISSUE OF PASSPORTS

AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE SYSTEM FOR ISSUING PASSPORTS, TO PROVIDE

FOR THE CANCELLATION AND SURRENDER OF PASSPORTS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE

FOR OFFENCES RELATING TO PASSPORTS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUE OF EMERGENCY TRAVEL CERTIFICATES

IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO AMEND THE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICERS (PROVISION

OF SERVICES) ACT 1993 AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.

[26

th March

, 2008]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Functions transferred and references to “Department of Finance” and “Minister for Finance” construed (29.07.2011) by

Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order

2011

(S.I. No. 418 of 2011), arts. 2, 3, 5 and sch. 1 part 2, in effect as per art. 1(2).

2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the performance of any functions

transferred by this Order are transferred to the Department of Public Expenditure

and Reform.

(2) References to the Department of Finance contained in any Act or instrument made

thereunder and relating to the administration and business transferred by paragraph

(1) shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed as references

to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

3. The functions conferred on the Minister for Finance by or under the provisions

of —

(a) the enactments specified in Schedule 1, and

...

are transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

...

5. References to the Minister for Finance contained in any Act or instrument under

an Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement

of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Public Expenditure and

Reform.

...

Schedule 1

Enactments

...

Part 2

1922 to 2011 Enactments

Number and Year

Short Title

Provision

...

No. 4 of 2008

...

...

Passports Act 2008

...

...

Sections 8

...

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Functions transferred and references to “Department of Finance” and “Minister for Finance” construed (29.07.2011) by

Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order

2011

(S.I. No. 418 of 2011), arts. 2, 3, 5 and sch. 1 part 2, in effect as per art. 1(2).

2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the performance of any functions

transferred by this Order are transferred to the Department of Public Expenditure

and Reform.

(2) References to the Department of Finance contained in any Act or instrument made

thereunder and relating to the administration and business transferred by paragraph

(1) shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed as references

to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

3. The functions conferred on the Minister for Finance by or under the provisions

of —

(a) the enactments specified in Schedule 1, and

...

are transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

...

5. References to the Minister for Finance contained in any Act or instrument under

an Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement

of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Public Expenditure and

Reform.

...

Schedule 1

Enactments

...

Part 2

1922 to 2011 Enactments

Number and Year

Short Title

Provision

...

No. 4 of 2008

...

...

Passports Act 2008

...

...

Sections 8

...

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1. Short title and commencement.

2. Definitions.

3. Service of notices.

4. Regulations.

5. Expenses.

PART 2

Passports and Emergency Travel Certificates

6. Application for passport.

7. Information and documents to accompany application for passport.

8. Processing of personal data.

9. Periods of validity of passports.

10. Name in which passport is issued.

11. Gender re-assignment.

12. Refusal to issue passport.

13. Use of information and form of passports.

14. Passports for children.

15. Emergency travel facilities.

16. Diplomatic and official passports.

17. Procedures for lost or stolen passports.

18. Cancellation and surrender of passports.

19. Appeals.

20. Offences.

21. Meaning of “false” and “making”.

22. Summary trial of offences.

23. Proceedings relating to offences committed outside State.

24. Liability for offences by bodies corporate.

25. Amendment of Schedule to Bail Act 1997.

26. Passports to remain property of Minister.

27. Saver.

PART 3

Miscellaneous

28. Amendment of Diplomatic and Consular Officers (Provision of Services) Act 1993.