Irish passport card: cost, where it's valid, how to apply

The Irish passport card is a credit-card-sized travel document that gets you through the border in 32 countries. It costs €35, lasts up to five years, and you can only get one if you already hold a valid Irish passport book.

Apply through Passport Online — the only channel, run by the Passport Service at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This page puts the whole journey in one place.

What is the Irish passport card?

It is a full travel document in card form, the same size as a bank card, with a SealCrypt security strip. It is not a general State ID card and it is not a replacement for your book — it only exists alongside a valid one.

Your details on the card must exactly match your book. If you have changed your name and the book has not caught up, fix the book first.

Where the passport card is valid

It works for travel to all EU member states, the three EEA countries outside the EU (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), Switzerland and the United Kingdom. For anywhere else in the world you need your passport book — the card is not accepted.

The Passport Service lists: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Two things before you rely on it:

E-gates are not guaranteed. Whether you can use an automated gate depends on the local infrastructure at that airport or port. A border official can check the card manually instead, so budget for a queue.
Airlines want the card number. If you travel on the card, enter the passport card number when checking in online. Use the book number and you have a mismatch to argue about at the gate.

On UK trips: as an Irish citizen travelling from Ireland you do not need a passport under Common Travel Area rights, but carriers set their own ID rules at check-in. Check what yours accepts.

What it costs

A standalone adult card is €35. If you need a book too, the bundle is better value.

What you’re buying	Fee
Adult passport card on its own	€35
Adult 10-year passport book on its own	€75
Adult bundle: 10-year book + 5-year card	€100
Child bundle: 5-year book + card (under 18)	€45

The adult bundle saves €10 against buying separately. Add a €5 postal fee per child application, and €15 if you live outside Ireland (a single €15 payment covers children resident abroad). Pay by debit or credit card — Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club International and American Express are accepted.

How to apply

Online only. There is no paper form and no counter service for the card.

Over 18 with an existing book. Apply for the card on its own. Your book needs at least three months’ validity remaining when you apply.

Over 18 with no book or card. Apply for both together as a bundle.

Under 18. No standalone card — it comes only as part of a bundle, selected when renewing the child’s passport online, and it runs for the same period as the book.

You will need your current book, a digital photo, an email address and a payment card.

The photo rules that get applications rejected

Poor photos are the main reason applications are delayed. Your digital photo must:

Be taken in the last six months
Not be a selfie — someone else takes it
Not use the camera’s zoom
Capture you from head to mid torso, with space between your head and shoulders and the frame edge
Be colour JPEG, at least 715 × 951 pixels, no larger than 9MB
Not be a scan, and not be digitally enhanced

Take it at home on a phone or tablet, get a digital file from a photo shop, or use a participating Photo Me or IDstation booth and enter the code. If you upload it sideways, the Passport Service rotates it for you.

How long it takes

A card-only application takes 8 to 10 weeks — the slowest Passport Online application type by a distance. A simple adult book renewal, by comparison, is 10 working days. First-time online applications are 20 working days.

Those times exclude postage. Do not order a card for a trip less than three months away. If you need it for a specific journey, apply for the bundle at renewal time or just travel on the book.

You get an 11-digit application number on submission — use it on the Passport Service tracker.

Renewing your passport card

There is no separate renewal route. When the card expires you apply again through Passport Online, same €35, same 8-to-10-week wait.

The card lasts five years at most, and is cut short to match your book. Buy one three years into a ten-year book and you get the full five years; buy one eight years in and you get two. Renewing the book later does not extend an existing card.

If your card is lost, stolen or damaged, tell the Passport Office immediately and replace it through Passport Online.

Passport card vs passport book

	Passport card	Passport book
Where it works	EU, EEA, Switzerland, UK	Worldwide
Cost (adult)	€35	€75
Validity	Up to 5 years, capped by your book	10 years
Available on its own?	No	Yes
Turnaround	8–10 weeks	10 working days (simple renewal)
Fits in a wallet	Yes	No

The card earns its place if you take frequent short trips in Europe or to the UK and would rather not carry a book. It is a poor choice as your only travel document.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a passport card without a passport book?

No. It is only issued to Irish citizens holding a valid Irish passport book. Without one, apply for the adult bundle — book and card for €100.

How much is the Irish passport card in 2026?

€35 for an adult card alone. The adult bundle is €100 and the child bundle €45, plus €5 postage per child application and €15 if you live outside Ireland.

Can I use the passport card to travel to America?

No. It covers only the EU, EEA, Switzerland and the UK. For the United States or anywhere else, you need your book.

How long does the passport card take to arrive?

8 to 10 weeks, excluding postage — the slowest Passport Online application type. Do not leave it until close to a trip.

Does the passport card work at e-gates?

Sometimes. Access depends on the infrastructure at each airport or port. Where e-gates do not accept it, an official checks it manually.

Can my child get a passport card?

Yes, but only bundled with a book when renewing the child’s passport online. The card runs for the same period as the book, not a separate five years.

Is the passport card valid as ID in Ireland?

It is a travel document, not a general State ID card, and acceptance for things like proving your age is at each organisation’s discretion. For age verification, the Garda Age Card is the document designed for that job.