Ireland Drops All Remaining COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

International travel to the Emerald Isle is officially back to normal.

Ireland this week dropped the last remaining COVID-19-era rules for inbound international visitors. Now, travelers heading into Ireland will no longer have to present proof of vaccination or recovery or fill out the country’s Passenger Locator Form prior to departure.

Ireland’s Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly made the announcement this week, writing that he signed for the removal of the regulations, the “last remaining” COVID-19 travel rules, and called it “another step forward in our COVID efforts.”

The country is still telling guests that they should follow the country’s Health Service Executive guidance (HSE) when traveling, including isolating or testing when appropriate, and face masks are still recommended in public transportation, but the COVID-era restrictions will no longer impact travel.

Those traveling into Northern Ireland will still have to comply by those rules, however, including a rapid testing requirement.

The news is good news for travelers anxious to return to Ireland without restriction—the country has long been one of the top destinations for international travel from North America, along with Italy, which dropped its COVID-19-era restrictions last week, and France and Greece.

The country is still one of several in the top warning list from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because of current infection levels (all countries in the Level 4 list have recorded more than 500 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days).

That Level 4 list now includes more than half of all countries that the CDC tracks, including the most recent additions in Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Thailand.