Page last updated: 06-12-2022

Coming to Ireland from Ukraine

Introduction

This page has information for people who have family in Ukraine, or for people in Ukraine who plan to travel to Ireland or have recently arrived here.

You can also read about supports for Ukrainians in Ireland and social welfare supports for Ukrainian refugees.

Visas

Citizens of Ukraine do not need a visa to travel to Ireland. You also do not need proof that you have a COVID-19 vaccine, and you do not need to take a COVID-19 test before you arrive.

If you do not have a current passport, you can use another form of identification to travel to Ireland (for example, national ID card, expired passport or birth certificate). The Irish Government has asked airlines to accept these documents.

If you are travelling with family members who are not Ukrainian citizens, they may need a visa to come to Ireland.

You can read frequently asked questions from the Irish immigration authority, called Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), for visa and immigration information.

When you arrive in Ireland

When you arrive in Ireland, you should speak to an immigration officer (at Passport Control). You may be brought to City West Convention Centre in Dublin. You can apply for Temporary Protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, and you can apply for a PPS number, which you need to apply for payments.

If you arrive at Dublin Airport or Dublin Port, and accommodation is not immediately available, you will be offered support from a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

If you arrive in Rosslare Port, you can apply for Temporary Protection in the reception facility in the Port.

I have not received a temporary protection permission letter

If you did not get a permission letter when you arrived in Ireland, you can get it at the Ukraine Support Centre in:

  • Hanover Street, Cork
  • Dominick Street, Limerick

See ‘Ukraine Support Centres’ below. If you cannot travel to a support centre, you can email ukrainesupportmailbox@justice.ie to try to make other arrangements to get your permission letter.

Registration and Irish Residence Permits

Usually, all citizens from outside the EU/EEA who are 16 or over must register and get an Irish Residence Permit. You do not have to register and apply for an Irish Residence Permit for now, but you may have to later. The Irish immigration authorities have frequently asked questions for Ukrainians in Ireland.

Ukraine Support Centres

You can get information and help at a Ukraine Support Centre. The centres are currently available in Cork, Limerick and Dublin.

  • Dublin: Dublin 8 Intreo Centre, Guild Building, Cork Street, Dublin 8, D08 XH90
  • Cork: Cork City PSC and PPSN Centre, Department of Social Protection, Hanover Street, Cork, T12 PX62
  • Limerick: Dominick Street, Limerick, V94 X327

At a centre, you can get information about social welfare.

People from the Citizens Information Service are available in the Ukraine Support Centres in Cork and Limerick. Information is available in Ukrainian.

You can get information on opening hours on gov.ie.

Social welfare

When you arrive in Ireland you can apply to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) for income support. This is a weekly social welfare payment for you and any dependents (for example, children) you may have.

To get any Irish social welfare payment you need a Personal Public Service Number (PPS number). If you arrive at Dublin Airport, and you are brought to the City West Convention Centre in Dublin, you can apply for your PPS number there and get the forms you need to apply for income support. If there is no space available at the City West Convention Centre, you will be offered support through an NGO in the airport.

If you did not arrive through Dublin Airport or you are in Ireland already, you should go to a Ukraine Support Centre if you are in Cork, Dublin or Limerick, or your local Intreo centre or DSP branch office, to apply for a PPS number.

You can find out more about getting income support in our page on social welfare supports for Ukrainian refugees.

Accommodation and housing

You should tell immigration officials that you need a place to stay when you arrive in Ireland and they will refer you to the Government’s Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team (UCTAT).

UCTAT accommodation is free of charge and includes different types of accommodation. There is a shortage of accommodation, and the type of place you will be offered depends on what is available at that time. You may have to stay in a community centre, sports ground or in tented accommodation for a period.

If you refuse one offer of accommodation, you will not get any more offers. You can read frequently asked questions about IPAS accommodation (pdf).

One short-term absence from IPAS accommodation of up to 7 days (over a 6-month period), may be allowed in exceptional circumstances. Absence requests are decided on a case-by-case basis. You can read more about absences from short-term IPAS accommodation.

If you arrive in Ireland at a port or airport that does not process applications for Temporary Protection, you can get accommodation for up to 2 nights, if it is available. You should apply for temporary protection during this time.

If you don’t need a place to stay immediately (because you are staying with family or friends), you can ask for this help at any time later on.

If you need accommodation and you are already in Ireland, you can email ukrainetempaccom@equality.gov.ie. You may have to wait until accommodation is available.

Include the following information in your email:

  • The full name of anyone who needs accommodation
  • Dates of birth
  • Phone number
  • Where you are now (the full address if you have one)
  • When you need the accommodation (for example, from tonight)
  • Medical conditions, disabilities, allergies and dietary requirements

Payment for people providing accommodation

If you are providing accommodation to refugees from Ukraine, you can apply for a monthly Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) of €400 per property (it will increase to €800 per month from 1 December 2022). You must commit to providing accommodation for at least 6 months.

Healthcare and medical cards

Health services in Ireland are delivered by Ireland’s public healthcare service – the Health Service Executive (HSE). You can get the same public healthcare services as people who live in Ireland.

Everyone coming to Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive can apply for a medical card with a simplified application process. A medical card allows you to visit a doctor for free, access other health services and get medicines at a reduced price. Children aged 16 and over must apply for a medical card separately.

You should apply for your medical card using a special medical card application form (pdf) for people from Ukraine. The medical card application form is also available in Ukranian (pdf) and Russian. You can email your completed form to PCRS.Applications@HSE.ie or by post to the address on the form.

You need:

  • Your name, current address and date of birth.
  • Your Personal Public Service (PPS) number (see above).
  • Your doctor’s (GP’s) address, stamp and signature. If you do not know any GPs, one will be assigned to you and your family.

You can get information about health care services in Ireland from the HSE website. You can also read about the Irish health system in Ukrainian and in Russian.

Vaccinations in Ireland

Vaccinations help to protect you and your children against preventable infectious diseases. Many vaccinations are free in Ireland. You can read information about the vaccines available from the HSE for you and your children in Ukrainian, Russian and English.

Working in Ireland

You have the right to work in Ireland when you have your Temporary Protection permission letter. You can also work for yourself (self-employment) and you can access vocational training in Ireland.

Help finding work

Anyone on Jobseekers Allowance must be available for and looking for full-time work. You can work part-time but you should keep looking for full-time work.

You can get help finding work from the Intreo employment services.

You can:

  • Talk to an Employment Support Officer at your local Intreo centre or branch office
  • Go to an employment support event being organised near you for Ukrainians. You should get an invite, but you can attend without one.
  • Find vacancies and apply for jobs using the online jobs website www.jobsireland.ie – information is available in Ukrainian and Russian

Your income support when you start working

You can work and get Jobseekers Allowance. However, you can only work a certain number of days and your income must be under a certain amount.

Check how working part time could affect your income support payment using the on-line calculator.

When you start working part time or full time you must contact your local Intreo Office to tell them that your circumstances have changed.

The Department of Social Protection has more information on working in Ireland in Ukrainian and Russian.

Your employment rights

Read more about your employment rights when coming to Ireland from Ukraine. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has information on employment law in Ukrainian (pdf) and Russian (pdf).

Professions

You must register and have your qualifications recognised to work in some professions. For example, you must register with the Medical Council to work as a doctor.

The Teaching Council is developing a process to allow people who are qualified teachers in Ukraine to register and teach in Ireland.

Money and tax

To open a bank account you need identification. There is a guide in Ukrainian about opening a bank account if you do not have the standard identification (pdf).

Revenue has information about the taxes you pay as a worker in Ukrainian and Russian.

Childcare

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free preschool programme for all eligible children before starting primary school. Your child must be between 2 years and 8 months in the September that the ECCE term starts. They cannot be older than 5 years and 6 months by the end of the ECCE term in June. ECCE is normally provided for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week over the school year.

 

The National Childcare Scheme has 2 types of subsidy for children who are aged over 6 months:

  • A universal subsidy for children under 15. It is not means tested.
  • An income-assessed subsidy for children up to 15. It is means tested.

Education

How can I enrol my child in school?

You can contact your local school or the Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) to help you enrol your child in school.

The Tusla Education Support Service can also help you find a school for your child.

You can read about how to enrol your child in:

Parents with a child starting primary school can find information in Ukrainian and Russian. You can find information in Ukrainian and Russian on early childcare, primary school and Transition Year in secondary school.

School transport

School transport services are available to Ukrainian students on the same basis as children in Ireland. There will be no charge for the service if seats are available.

If you are:

  • Living with a host family, in your own accommodation or in private accommodation, you can apply online. You can get the form in English, Ukrainian and Russian
  • Living in an accommodation centre, the school principal of your child’s school should apply for school transport and return the form to REALT.

If you move to new accommodation a new application will be required.

Contact Transportapplications@education.gov.ie or call 057 932 5467 for more information about school transport.

Further education and third level education

New temporary measures to support people covered by the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) are in place for the academic year 2022-2023. If you are coming from Ukraine:

A payment of €1,150 per month to qualified persons taking a full-time course in higher education will also be available.

Applying for a PLC Bursary

Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses are full time and are run by local Education and Training Boards. You can find a list of PLC courses.

You can apply for a PLC Bursary for Displaced Persons.

You must send a copy of your Temporary Protection letter with your application.

Qualifications from Ukraine

Quality and Qualifications Ireland have information (in Ukrainian) about its qualifications recognition service. This guide helps you to use QQI’s foreign qualifications recognition service (NARIC).

Pets, driving and other issues

Can I bring my pet to Ireland?

From 21 November 2022, if you bring pets from Ukraine to Ireland, you must comply with all the requirements for pets entering Ireland from outside the EU/EEA. There are no longer special rules for people arriving from Ukraine or Russia.

If your pet is not fully complaint, it will be put in quarantine. You must pay for the quarantine at a rate of €15 per night and a further €25 transportation fee.

Can I drive in Ireland?

You can drive on your Ukrainian driving licence while in Ireland under temporary protection. You can no longer exchange your Ukrainian licence for an Irish driving licence.

If you have already exchanged your Ukrainian driving licence for an Irish licence, you can continue to drive on your Irish licence for one year from the date it was issued.

If you have already exchanged your Ukrainian driving licence and you want it returned to you, send your Irish licence to National Driver Licence Service, PO Box 858, Southside Delivery Office, Cork. You must include a letter in English saying you want your Ukrainian licence returned. You must also include your Irish address and phone number.

You can read more in the frequently asked questions for Ukrainian road users on the Road Safety Authority’s website. You can also send an email in English to Ukrainelicence@ndls.ie for further information.

Bringing your car from Ukraine

If you bring your car from Ukraine, there are certain vehicle importation rules you must follow, depending on how long you stay in Ireland. You can apply for a vehicle temporary exemption when you arrive. This means you do not have to pay vehicle tax. You can contact Revenue for more information.

Car insurance

By law you must be insured to drive your Ukrainian car when using it on Irish roads. The Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (UA) has prepared a list of Ukrainian Insurance Providers that allows Ukrainian refugees to renew their insurance policies online and to get an International Insurance Green Card. You can find more information about this at www.mibi.ie

Further information

You can read about:

The following organisations have further information in English, Ukrainian and Russian:

The European Commission has a freephone helpline in Ukrainian that can give you information on EU entry and travel, your right to education and access to jobs or healthcare.

  • Freephone 00 800 6789 1011 from within the EU
  • Phone +32 22 99 96 96 from outside the EU (charges apply)

The helpline also provides information in official EU languages and Russian and offers a free call back service. You can also contact the European Commission for information through an online contact form.