Ireland Issues Nearly Half a Million Passports in First Half of 2026

Dublin: Ireland issued nearly half a million passports during the first six months of this year, with hundreds of thousands of applications processed across the island of Ireland.

A total of 367,471 Irish passports were issued in the Republic of Ireland, while more than 50,000 passports were issued across the six counties of Northern Ireland during the period.

Dublin records highest number of passports issued

Dublin recorded the highest number of passport issuances between January and June, with 93,223 passports issued. Cork followed with 35,257, while Antrim ranked third with 17,986 passports issued.

In other parts of Northern Ireland, passports were issued in:

• Down: 13,004

• Derry: 8,019

• Tyrone: 5,769

• Armagh: 5,021

• Fermanagh: 1,935

Several counties in the Republic also recorded more than 10,000 passport issuances during the first half of the year. These included Kildare (17,571), Galway (16,543), Meath (14,774), Limerick (12,524) and Wicklow (10,736).

Citizens urged to check passport validity

Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee has urged Irish citizens to check their passport validity well in advance of travelling.

She advised people to ensure their passports are valid before making travel arrangements and to avoid discovering at the airport that their documents have expired.

McEntee said the Passport Online service remains the fastest and easiest way for eligible citizens to apply for or renew an Irish passport.

The online service is available to Irish citizens around the world, making it possible to complete passport applications without having to visit an embassy or passport office in person in many cases.

The minister also confirmed that applicants will receive a newly designed Irish passport book and passport card from the end of June this year.

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