Legal status and visa requirements for those who were forced to leave Ukraine
- According to Citizens Information, after registering at the reception hubs, in either Dublin airport or Rosslare port, a letter of residence is issued under the Temporary Protection Directive.
- A passport for the Ukrainians, who were forced to leave Ukraine, to be able to enter the country is needed, however, it is not specified by Irish officials if a biometric is needed, and there are exceptions. “Airlines have been asked to accept Government-issued identity documents, not usually acceptable for international travel, in lieu of a national passport: including, for example, National ID Cards, Birth Certificates, Internal Passports and expired passports.” irishimmigration.ie
- A visa is not needed for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine to be able to enter the country irishimmigration.ie
Refugee status/asylum seeker status/temporary protection status
According to Citizens Information, for Ukrainians coming to Ireland (link 1) and the Information sheet on protection status (link 2), it reads as if the letter of residence is immediately issued in the reception hubs.
As per February 2023, the Ministry for Justice announced extension of the Temporary Protection permissions granted to persons fleeing the war in Ukraine until March 2024.
To learn more about migration counselling, here are some websites that are useful for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine:
Find migration counselling institutions:
Interpretation services (local NGOs, volunteers, reception centers)
Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Interpreting Service (NIHSCIS) is the first point of contact for all HSC Language Interpreting in Northern Ireland.
Monday to Friday 9am-5pm – Tel: 028 9536 3777
Out of Hours – Tel: 028 9615 8200
General Queries – Email: interpreting@hscni.net
Access to healthcare services
Fees
- General practitioner (GP) visits may come with a co-charge and hospitals are free of charge for medical cardholders
Legal prerequisites, for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine, to get health care including treatment in Ireland (these prerequisites apply for Ukrainians who have a refugee or asylum seeker or temporary protection status)
- Application for a medical card HSE’s contact centre (HSE Live) on 1800 700 700 or 00 353 1 240 8787 (from outside Ireland) and a Personal Public Service number are legal prerequisites for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine to get health care including treatment in
- Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine can start looking for information on access to health care at the Irish Health Services webpage(first point of entry)
- Furthermore, there is a general helpline for health care at HSE’s contact centre (HSE Live) on 1800 700 700 or 00 353 1 240 8787 (from outside Ireland).
Where can the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine go for healthcare services?
- Acute services can be seen in Hospital Accident and Emergencies Departments
- For acute services, there is also an out of hours general practitioner service citizensinformation.ie
- Chronic services can be seen at general practitioner services
- Other services e.g. screening, testing, and vaccination can use GP services as a point of entry
- Third-country nationals, who are also fleeing Ukraine, can also access these services when allowed into Ireland
- Healthcare services are available in English, but interpreter services may be available
How long it will take for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine to get health care (with and without refugee/asylum seeker/temporary protection status)?
Immediate access, registering with the medical card is necessary.
Registration with a health care provider and visiting family doctors
- Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine must register with health services for the medical card
- Hospitals and Accident and Emergency departments will deal with any emergency, regardless of the medical card, however, there may be a payment necessary
- There is also a visiting card for GPs, if no medical card is available
- Registering with family doctors is advisable and can be done at any GP services
If you do not speak English, tell the medical staff, and ask if they can arrange an interpreter for you. In some cases, the hospital or health clinic can provide an interpreter.
Services for People Living with HIV
HIV-testing
- HIV testing and subsequent treatment in case the test is positive, is free of charge in public health services in Ireland.
- Ukrainians can get access to HIV-testing via GP services, and specialised clinics. Further information can be obtained through projects, such as GOSHH and Dublin AIDS Alliance/HIV Ireland.
- Ukrainians can get free HIV and STI tests at any of the public clinics listed here.
- Minors also can get HIV testing.
- If tested positive, the person is referred to a specialised clinic for treatment .
Antiretroviral treatment (ART). Can people on ART bring their own medication into the country together with their doctor’s prescription?
Ukrainians can travel with their HIV medication and will not face any difficulty bringing them into Ireland.
Advice for Ukrainians: It is advisable to bring as much HIV medication as possible so that one has enough as they wait for a doctor’s appointment. If medication is lost during the journey, or if one was unable to bring them, please contact communitysupport@hivireland.ie and the connection to an HIV clinic will be made as soon as possible.
Where should the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine go to get ART?
- HIV medication and clinic care (such as clinic appointments) are available, free of charge in Ireland when one uses the public health services. Legal status does not affect this; refugees, asylum seekers and migrants also get the services free of charge. Also, one does not need to receive their HIV diagnosis in Ireland to access HIV medication for free.
- If possible, contact an HIV clinic before arrival in Ireland. A list of HIV clinics in Ireland is provided here. Ifthis is not possible, then contact an HIV clinic on arrival or the email service communitysupport@hivireland.ie telephone: 01 873 3799
- Any certification of HIV status and records of recent HIV blood tests would also be useful.
- If any official medical documents are not available, it is still important to contact a clinic to access medication and care. It will still be available and free of charge.
What are the preconditions for receiving ART for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine?
There are no preconditions for receiving ART in the country for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine. This also applies to people who inject drugs.
How can minors get treatment?
Minors can also get ART in Ireland.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis is not available through the Irish health services.
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis can only be accessed privately.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- HIV post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended up to 72 hours after possible exposure.
- A full course of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis lasts for 28 days.
- Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine can receive HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, free of charge, same as everyone in Ireland with the right to access the health care delivery system.
- HIV post-exposure prophylaxis can be found at STI clinics and Hospital Accident and Emergency departments.
Services for People Living with Hepatitis B or C
Hepatitis B or C testing, hepatitis B vaccination, and hepatitis B or C treatment availability
- Hepatitis B or C testing, hepatitis B vaccination, and hepatitis B or C treatment are available, free of charge, for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine.
- To get these services, Ukrainians can contact the following facilities: GP, sexual health clinic, GUM (genitourinary medicine), clinic drug treatment service.
- More information on Hep C helpline: 1800 700 700 or 01 240 8787
Tuberculosis services
If the person has TB symptoms:
If Ukrainians (adults and children) who were forced to leave Ukraine have symptoms of TB (e.g. cough, fever, weight loss), or do not have symptoms but have been in contact with someone with TB, they can access all these health services. The same applies to parents who would like to have their children to be vaccinated against TB (BCG vaccine).
These health services include testing and vaccination services, but one has to visit a GP first.
Ukrainians (adults and children) who: were already diagnosed with TB in Ukraine and need to continue treatment or preventive treatment; need directly observed treatment (DOT)/ Video directly observed treatment (VDOT); or who started the TB treatment for multidrug-resistant TB in Ukraine and need to continue; can get access to specialised services (including non-medical support) at St James’s Hospital TB services in Dublin, Tel (01) 410 3920 or at another specialised service.
Source: www2.hse.ie
Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) Services
Medication rules
- Opioid antagonist treatment (OAT) for non-residents is free of charge in the public health service.
- Ukrainians can get their dosage via the Local Health Office and HSE addiction services or the GP.
- Drugs.ie provides information and support, as well as a list of clinics for OAT.