Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine for passengers arriving to the Republic of Ireland from certain countries has taken effect as at 4am on the 26th of March 2021.

Persons entering the State, through any port of entry, be it an airport, seaport or land border from the North of Ireland, who have come from a country deemed  to be “high risk“, are now required to complete a period of mandatory quarantine in a hotel for a period of 14 days.  In addition, the mandatory hotel quarantine applies to persons entering the State without a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of their arrival.

The 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine can be reduced if the person receives a negative COVID-19 PCR test result which is taken after 10 days.

The quarantine may also be extended if a person tests positive during their stay in hotel quarantine. Passengers are required to pay for the accommodation themselves however, in the event of a positive test result during the course of the quarantine period, the state will pay for the cost of any extended hotel stay beyond 12 days.

Travel from a “high risk” country includes travelling from the country directly or transition through an airport/seaport in a “high risk country”. Persons entering the Irish Republic from the North of Ireland who have been or transitioned through a designated “high risk country” in the previous 14 days are included in the mandatory quarantine requirement. The full list of “high risk countries” is available on the following link.

Persons to whom the mandatory hotel quarantine applies must book and pay for their hotel accommodation prior to travelling to Ireland. It is a criminal offence to travel without making the booking in advance, without reasonable excuse.

The following arrivals are exempt from the mandatory hotel quarantine requirements:

  • arriving into the State in the course of duty and who hold a valid Annex 3 certificate (ensuring the availability of goods and essential services)
  • arriving in the State in the course of duty and are drivers of a heavy goods vehicle
  • airline pilots, aircrew, maritime master, or maritime crew and who arrive in the State in the course of performing duties
  • travelling to the State pursuant to an arrest warrant, extradition proceedings or other mandatory legal obligation
  • a member of An Garda Síochána or Defence Forces and travelling to the State in course of duty
  • travelling to the State for unavoidable, imperative, and time-sensitive medical reasons and these reasons are certified by a registered medical practitioner or person with equivalent qualifications outside the State
  • having been outside of the state to provide services to or perform the functions of an office holder (under any enactment or the Constitution) or a member of either house of the Oireachtas or the European Parliament
  • diplomats and certain other categories of persons entitled to privileges and immunities in the State

In addition, transit passengers will be exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine where they do not leave the port or airport in the “high risk country” of transit, and where they have a not detected COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their arrival to Ireland.

Full information on the mandatory hotel quarantine requirements are available on the government website here.