A technical issue with a software update has sparked a massive recall of passports. Due to a printing error, almost 13,000 passports don’t comply with international travel standards.
“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 Department of Foreign Affairs says in a statement.
Passports issued outside those dates aren’t impacted and can be used for traveling. Travelers are asked to check the date of issue on their passport and return their passport book so that a new one can be reissued.
The Passport Service will reimburse all costs involved in replacing the faulty passports with new ones. How much this is going to cost remains unclear. Affected passports will be replaced within 10 working days.
So what’s wrong with these passports?
According to The Irish Times, the letters ‘IRL’ are missing from these passports. These letters form a land code, indicating that someone is a resident in Ireland. If a land code is missing from a passport, border control authorities may not accept the document as a legal document for traveling.
People who have immediate plans to travel shouldn’t worry too much. The Department of Foreign Affairs has notified border control authorities worldwide about the error on the affected passports.
“In the unlikely event that you encounter issues with eGates or border authorities, we can issue you with a letter validating your current passport,” the Department promises.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that a total of 12,904 passports were affected by the software update. The Passport Service has contacted all affected customers by email to inform them of the issue and will be reissuing passports to them in the coming days and weeks.
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