Rep of Ireland to begin mandatory hotel quarantine for "high risk" countries

Update April 9, 2021: The Irish government has today made amendments to its list of "high-risk" countries. You can read more here on IrishCentral.

Update April 1, 2021: The Irish government has today expanded its list of "high-risk" countries. Travelers arriving in the Republic of Ireland from any of the "high-risk" countries are subject to a mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine at their own expense. You can see the updated list of countries here and how the quarantine system works here.

The following was published on March 23, 2021:

All passengers arriving into Ireland from designated "high risk" countries after 4 am on Friday, March 26 are now required to pre-book accommodation in a designated quarantine facility and to pre-pay for their stay, the Irish government announced on March 23.

If you come into Ireland from any country deemed high risk, you must complete a 14-day mandatory quarantine in a hotel.

If you come to Ireland without a negative or 'not detected' PCR test, you must complete a 14-day mandatory quarantine in a hotel.

If you come to Ireland from any country not deemed 'high risk,' you must quarantine at home provided you have a negative or 'not detected' PCR test.

If a traveler does not fulfill the legal requirement for mandatory hotel quarantine, they are committing an offense and can be fined up to €2,500 or a prison sentence of up to six months, or both.

The current  countries (subject to change) which are considered "high risk" and thus subject to mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland are: 

African countries:

• Angola
• Botswana
• Burundi
• Cape Verde
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Eswatini
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Republic of South Africa
• Rwanda
• Seychelles
• Tanzania
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

South American countries

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• French Guiana
• Guyana
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Suriname
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

Other countries:

• Austria
• United Arab Emirates

All passengers, with some exemptions, traveling to the Republic of Ireland from the above designated countries, including those who have transited through a port or airport in a designated State, even if they stay airside or portside, in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Ireland, must enter mandatory hotel quarantine.

This applies to all passengers who have been in, or transitioned through a designated country, regardless of nationality. The aim of this measure is to protect the population when there is a high risk of importation of infection from COVID-19 and from challenges posed by new variants of concern.

You must also enter mandatory hotel quarantine if, regardless of which country you arrive from (designated and non-designated states), you do not provide evidence that you have a negative or ‘not detected’ result from a COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test carried out no more than 72 hours before you arrive into Ireland.

Prices for mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland

Rate for 1 Adult in 1 Room:

• Rate (for standard package of 12 nights inclusive of all services) €1875
• Day Rate (for those entering from non-designated States with no pre-departure PCR Test) €150

Additional Rate for 1 Adult Sharing (or child over 12)

• Rate (for standard package of 12 nights inclusive of all services) €625
• Day Rate (for those entering from non-designated States with no pre-departure PCR Test) €55

Additional Rate for a Child Sharing Aged 4-12

• Rate (for standard package of 12 nights inclusive of all services)  €360
• Day Rate (for those entering from non-designated States with no pre-departure PCR Test) €30

Rate for Infant (0-3)

• Rate (for standard package of 12 nights inclusive of all services)  €0
• Day Rate (for those entering from non-designated States with no pre-departure PCR Test) €0

Tifco Hotel Group has been appointed by the Irish government to provide mandatory hotel quarantine services, including full board accommodation services to guests in facilities designated exclusively for the purpose of quarantine. Tifco will also provide ground transportation and security services, as well as health and wellbeing services for travelers within their facilities.

The first facility that will be available to receive arriving travelers is the Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport Hotel in Santry. Additional hotels from the group will be added as required to support the Irish State in implementing this important public health measure.

Who needs to complete mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland

You must complete a mandatory hotel quarantine if you come from any country deemed 'high risk', including: 

• if you have been in a 'high risk' country at any time in the 14 days before you arrive in Ireland
• if you have traveled through an airport or port in a 'high risk' country

Passengers will be required to complete 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine at a designated facility, this could be reduced if a passenger receives a not-detected result of a COVID-19 test that is taken after ten days. It may also be extended if a passenger tests positive during their stay.

How to book your mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland

Before traveling to Ireland, you must reserve and pay for a place in mandatory hotel quarantine.

If you fall into the category of traveler required to quarantine on arrival, it is an offence if you travel without making the booking in advance.

You can reserve a place in a mandatory hotel quarantine here.

What happens when you arrive into Ireland

The Irish Defence Forces have been designated as the State Liaison Officer (SLO) to support Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine policy. Upon arrival into Ireland, regardless of whether you arrive by sea or by air, after immigration and customs processing you will be met by members of the Defence Forces who will ensure you are safely and securely transported from your port of entry to the location in which you will complete your pre-booked mandatory hotel quarantine.

Staff at the facility will greet you and take you through the check-in process. They will also provide you with information relating to your stay including on food choices, exercise, and wellbeing.

The Irish Defence Forces are available to support you from the moment you arrive in Ireland until you complete your mandatory hotel quarantine and exit the facility. They will be onsite 24/7 at your facility throughout your stay to liaise with the hotel service provider to ensure it is a safe, secure, and comfortable experience.

What happens if you leave mandatory hotel quarantine before completing the 10- or 14-day period

If you do not fulfill the legal requirement for mandatory hotel quarantine, you are committing an offense and can be fined up to €2,000 or get a prison sentence of up to 1 month, or both.

The Irish Police service, An Garda Síochána, will enforce any non-compliance issues.

Leaving the mandatory quarantine facility after completing the full quarantine period

Once you have completed 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine (this could be reduced if you get a not-detected result of a COVID-19 test that is taken after ten days), you will receive a letter of completion. You will then be free to leave the mandatory hotel quarantine facility.

The SLO (Irish Defence Forces) will be able to support you as you make arrangements for onward travel as well as checking out of the hotel.

Exemptions for mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland

The Health (Amendment) Act 2021 identifies those who are exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine. If your trip to Ireland is not in any of the categories below, then you must complete mandatory hotel quarantine at a designated facility:

• 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
• traveling to the State pursuant to an arrest warrant, extradition proceedings, or other mandatory legal obligation
• a member of An Garda Síochána or Defence Forces (or their equivalents from another state) and traveling to the State in course of duty
• traveling 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 officeholder (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

You should be aware that requests for review can be based only on a limited number of grounds and that public health will remain a paramount consideration.
It is important to note that the list of designated states will be subject to change at short notice and passengers are required to check the list before traveling to Ireland, to be sure of their obligations.

If you believe that you are not required to undergo quarantine or you are required to leave quarantine early, you may request a review. This can only be done once you are already in quarantine (that is, you cannot request a review before traveling), and only for the limited reasons set out in the relevant legislation. The SLO (Irish Defence Forces) in your hotel can provide further information on how to apply.