When you arrive at Dublin Airport or Dublin Port you should present to an Immigration Officer (Passport Control) or in the case of Dublin Port, a Garda National Immigration Officer, who will ask you some basic questions in relation to your needs, having identified you as a potential beneficiary of the Temporary Protection Directive.
You will then be transferred, free of charge, to the Citywest Convention Centre, when you can apply for your Temporary Protection documentation. If arriving by car, you will be given instructions and directions on how to reach the facility. The Citywest facility has been prepared specifically for this purpose and includes designated spaces for children and adults.
There are translators on site at Citywest who can support you in the application process. You will be given a permission letter by the Department of Justice confirming that you have been granted Temporary Protection under the EU Directive. This gives you legal permission to reside in Ireland for a period of 1 year, and the permission may be extended for further periods after that.
You will also receive an information note setting out the services available to you in Ireland and advice on how to access these services.
You will be able to speak to staff from the Department of Social Protection. They will help you to get a Personal Public Services Number (PPSN). This number helps you access social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland. They will also help you to apply for income supports.
If you require accommodation, you will be referred to the Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team (UCTAT) of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, who will also have staff onsite at Citywest. If you don’t require accommodation immediately, you can request it at any time later on.
If you arrive at Rosslare Europort you should present to Garda Immigration Officer (Passport Control), who will ask you some basic questions in relation to your needs, having identified you as a potential beneficiary of the Temporary Protection Directive.
You will be brought to a reception facility onsite where you will be given a permission letter by the Department of Justice confirming that you have been granted Temporary Protection under the EU Directive. This gives you legal permission to reside in Ireland for a period of 1 year, and the permission may be extended for further periods after that.
The Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team (UCTAT) of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will also be present at the onsite facility. They will make arrangements for any arrivals who require accommodation.
Driving Licence
A Ukrainian driving licence is not valid to drive in Ireland. However, under Irish law you can exchange your Ukraine car licence for an Irish one provided you have permission to remain in the State under Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015.
The Irish licence will allow you to drive a car in Ireland for up to one year.
You can find information and other resources about exchanging your licence at https://www.rsa.ie/services/alerts/advice-for-ukrainian-drivers
At all times, your dignity will be respected and appropriate supports will be provided to you.
From 9th November 2022, the Irish Government will not be able to provide accommodation which caters to pets.
Under the Temporary Protection Directive the Irish State provides emergency accommodation to people fleeing the war in Ukraine who seek it. At present, the provision of State funded accommodation is extremely challenging and there will be times when accommodation is not immediately available.
Sourcing accommodation which caters for pets in this context is very difficult. Furthermore placing pets in state funded accommodation creates risks to fellow residents, service providers and the animals themselves.
If you wish to avail of state funded accommodation, you will need to make your own arrangements for your pet at your own cost.
If you are an unaccompanied child under age 18 years who arrives in Ireland seeking temporary protection, you will be referred to the Child and Family Agency (also called TUSLA), who will provide you with the relevant supports.
If you arrived at Dublin Airport prior to 9 March (when permission letters first began to issue) or if you have arrived into another port of entry to the State, you can get your permission letter by visiting the Citywest Convention Centre Saggart, Co Dublin, D24 A38Y or Cork City PSC and PPSN Centre, Ground Floor, Hanover Street, Cork T12 PX62 or Limerick Intreo Centre, Dominick Street, Limerick, V94 X327.
If you have any difficulty in getting to one of our centres please contact us at ukrainesupportmailbox@justice.ie and we will do our best to make other arrangements for you.
You can find information about how to apply for a PPS Number and what social welfare income supports you can get while you are in Ireland.
There is no requirement for Ukrainian nationals to seek international protection (also known as asylum) to receive the support and protection of the Irish State. The EU Temporary Protection Directive provides a quicker and more streamlined alternative in these circumstances.
While you can, of course, always choose to apply for international protection, you cannot benefit from temporary protection at the same time.
Temporary protection will provide you with immediate access to the labour market, along with access to social welfare income supports, accommodation and other State supports. If you choose to apply for international protection, you should be aware that you will not be able to access employment until 6 months after making your application.
There is no immediate requirement to register your immigration permission and you should not worry about it at this time.
The permission letter you will receive from the Department of Justice confirming that you have been granted Temporary Protection under the EU Directive is all the proof you need to be able to immediately access employment, income support, accommodation (if needed) and other State supports in Ireland.
The Department of Justice is putting in place the arrangements for the registration of the permission and information will be provided to you at the appropriate time. The department is taking all necessary steps to ensure that the registration process will be as simple and stress-free as possible for you.