Nearly one million Irish passports were issued in a record-breaking year
More than 900,000 Irish travel documents were issued in 2019. During peak periods, more than 5,800 applications were submitted in a single day and total monthly applications exceeded 100,000 in January, March, April and May.
The record-breaking figures represent a 7% increase over 2018’s numbers. Ireland’s online passport service was expanded in 2019 to include first-time applicants in that country, Northern Ireland, Great Britain and Europe and played a large part in greater efficiencies of the system and the timely issue of the documents. Established in January of this year, the service can handle 10,000 telephone and online enquiries a week.
The impending and uncertain effect of Brexit has clearly led to the surge in demand from persons who are eligible for Irish citizenship including all citizens living in Northern Ireland, and the children and grandchildren of Irish-born citizens living in the UK. Interest in acquiring Irish passports has risen steadily since the referendum on EU membership amid fears over the loss of rights that come with EU citizenship, including access to the European health insurance card for holiday health cover and the Erasmus university scheme.
