Passports issued over Christmas recalled over printing error

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

Irish passports issued over the Christmas break are being recalled due to a printing error.

The error was due to a technical issue with a software update and affects passports issued between December 23rd and Tuesday.

The Passport Service said it may cause issues at border control and apologised for the error, which was first reported by the Irish Times.

“The Passport Service is aware of an issue affecting passports issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026,” a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

“Due to a technical issue with a software update, passports issued between 23rd December 2025 and 6th January 2026 inclusive are not fully compliant with international travel standards, and there is a possibility that some passport holders may have an issue at eGates and Border Control when travelling.

“The Passport Service sincerely regrets this issue and apologises to affected citizens for the inconvenience caused.

“In order to mitigate against any possible travel issues, the Passport Service has notified border authorities worldwide through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), as well as Irish Border Management.

“The Passport Service has contacted affected customers by email to inform them of the issue and will be reissuing passports to them in the coming days and weeks.

“Affected customers can find information at https://www.ireland.ie/en/passport-returns/.”