Tag Archive for: ISD

ISD ANNOUNCE INITIATIVE TO FACILITATE NON-EEA NATIONALS WITH PENDING RENEWAL APPLICATIONS TO TRAVEL DURING CHRISTMAS

ISD ANNOUNCE INITIATIVE TO FACILITATE NON-EEA NATIONALS WITH PENDING RENEWAL APPLICATIONS TO TRAVEL DURING CHRISTMAS

Immigration Service Delivery has recently announced an initiative to facilitate non-EEA nationals travelling during the Christmas period. The Registration Office is currently experiencing delays of 5-6 weeks in processing renewals of IRP cards. ISD has stated that after such renewals are completed, it may take a further two weeks to receive a new IRP card in the post.

 

Due to these delays, the Minister is issuing a Travel Confirmation Notice, requesting carriers to allow individuals to travel on their recently expired IRP where a renewal application for their IRP was submitted before the expiry of their current permission. This initiative has been introduced to facilitate nationals who are required to renew their current permission and who wish to travel internationally during Christmas.

 

Non-EEA nationals may use their current recently expired IRP card to enable them to travel from 9th December 2022 to 31st January 2023, provided an application for renewal was submitted in advance of the expiry date of their IRP card.

 

Those wishing to avail of the initiative must download and print the notice published by ISD, and present it along with their expired IRP card and proof of their renewal application to immigration authorities and airlines if requested to do so.

 

The ISD notice can be found here:

 

https://www.irishimmigration.ie/isd-announces-initiative-to-facilitate-customers-travelling-at-christmas/

 

Further information on this initiative can be found here:

 

https://www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FAQs-Travel-Arrangement-Form-09-December-2022-to-31-January-2023.pdf

 

This blog article has been prepared on the basis of current immigration law and policy, which is subject to change. Please keep an eye on our blog and Facebook page where articles relating to updates and changes in immigration law and policy are regularly posted.

NEW IMMIGRATION SCHEME FOR NON-EEA FAMILY MEMBERS OF BRITISH CITIZENS FOLLOWING END OF BREXIT TRANSITIONAL PERIOD

On 23rd December 2020 the ISD published the Minister’s new scheme in relation to Non-EEA Family Members of UK Citizens intending to reside in the State from 1st January 2021 onwards.

The rights of British citizens to reside in Ireland remains unchanged. The rights of family reunification with Non-EEA family members has now changed dramatically.

British citizens who exercised their rights of free movement to Ireland prior to 31.12.20 will continue to hold rights to family reunion equivalent to those provided for by Directive 2004/28/EC and the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015.

British citizens who have moved to reside and work in Ireland and who wish to be joined by their Non-EEA family members from 1st January 2021 onwards will have their family members applications considered and assessed under this newly published scheme.

A key point to note is that all applications are to be made from outside of the State regardless of an applicant’s nationality. This is a fundamental difference to applications from family members of Irish and other Non-EEA family members- applicants from “visa required” countries apply for visas whilst remaining outside the State, applicants from “non visa required” countries can travel to the State and make their application for entry at the airport. For non-EEA family members of British citizens, a visa application must be made for visa required nationals and a preclearance application is to be made for non-visa required applicants.

The policy specifically confirms that an applicant currently in the State on visitor permission cannot apply from inside the State for a change to a long-term permission.

Where a non-EEA national holds a separate immigration permission within the State for the purpose of study, work, etc., and subsequently becomes the spouse/civil partner/ de facto partner of a British citizen, a change of status request may be made.

The INIS Policy on Non-EEA Family reunification, last updated in December 2016 continues to apply to the non-EEA family members of Irish citizens and legally resident Non-EEA nationals.

This new policy specifically relates to non-EEA family members of British citizens.

There are no minimum Irish residency requirements for UK citizens seeking to sponsor a specified non-EEA national family member.

Financial thresholds:

For all categories of applications:

In order to sponsor a specified non-EEA national family member, a UK citizen must not have been totally or predominantly reliant on social protection benefits in the State or to equivalent benefits in another State for a continuous period of at least 2 years prior to the application.

Applications involving spouses/ partners only:

The WFP does not apply in the case of a married couple, civil partner / de facto partnership where there are no children and consequently a minimum level of assessable income for couples without children is €20,000 per annum, over and above any entitlement to State benefits.

Applications involving minor children/ dependent children up to the age of 22 of British citizen or partner/spouse of British citizen:

In addition, the sponsor must have earned a gross income in each of the 3 previous years in excess of that applied by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) in assessing eligibility for Working Family Payment (WFP).

4.6 A sponsor who wishes to reside with their dependent children in the State requires the net assessable income per week for their family size as set out by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) in assessing eligibility for the Working Family Payment, as published on that Department’s website. The sponsor should comply with those limits including with respect to any changes to the WFP as published at (http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Working-Family-Payment-Op.aspx.)

Applications for dependent parents (aged 66 and over)

A sponsor will be required to have earned in each of the 3 years preceding the application, an income after tax and deductions of not less that €60,000 per annum in the case of one parent. €75,000 per annum applies where two parents are involved.

The expectation is that this minimum level of income will be maintained for the duration of any permission granted under this Scheme. Where such income levels are not maintained, permission may not be renewed under the Scheme. At the date of application, the sponsor is also required to show that he/she is capable of earning a sufficient level of income to support his/her dependent family members for the duration of their proposed residence in the State.

Eligible applicants

British citizens moving to Ireland from 1.1.21 onwards no longer have the legal entitlement to apply for entry and residence for their wider dependent Non-EEA family members and members of their households. Eligible family members are specifically listed under the Scheme and the immigration stamp to be granted to the applicant if successful are also outlined:

  • Spouse, (Stamp 4D)
  • civil partner, (Stamp 4D)
  • de factor partner (2 years cohabitation required), (Stamp 4D)
  • minor children, (Stamp 3 up to age of 18, Stamp 4D at age of 18 “upon application”).
  • children between the ages of 18 and 22 in certain circumstances of dependency (also applies to the children of the spouse/ civil partner and de facto partner of British citizen) (Stamp 4D)
  • elderly dependent parents of British citizen or spouse/partner of British citizen (must be 66 years of age of older), (Stamp 0).

The policy is silent on the conditions of Stamp 4D permission and the INIS webpage has not yet been updated to outline the conditions of Stamp 4D permission and any material differences between Stamp 4D and Stamp 4.

Other additional requirements:

There are also additional requirements, not required under the 2016 INIS family reunification policy document, namely the requirement for the applicants to have health insurance in place to commence from the date of entry to the State and the requirement to provide a police clearance certificate for any country resided in for in excess of 6 months over the previous 5 years.

Fees are payable in respect of applications under this scheme, €60 per visa/ pre clearance application and the registration fees of €300 will be applied to successful applicants.

Full details on the scheme can be found via the below:

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/policy-document-brexit-scheme-non-eea-family-british-citizens-seeking-immigration-permission.pdf/Files/policy-document-brexit-scheme-non-eea-family-british-citizens-seeking-immigration-permission.pdf

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/joining-your-uk-national-family-member-in-ireland

Please get in contact if you or your family are impacted by this new scheme.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY ANNOUNCES FURTHER EXTENSION OF IMMIGRATION PERMISSIONS

The Minister for Justice and Equality has today announced a further temporary extension of immigration and international protection permissions until the 20th January 2021.

This is the fifth automatic extension of immigration permissions announced and applies to permissions due to expire between 20th September and 20th January 2021, along with those whose permission was previously extended under the four previous notices since the 20th March 2020.

Minister McEntee has said that:

“I am providing certainty to anyone who already holds a valid permission that your legal status in this country is maintained until 20 January 2021.

This gives you the necessary time to make arrangements with the Immigration Service in Dublin or An Garda Síochána outside Dublin to ensure that your registration is renewed in the normal way by that date. You can do so without the additional worry of falling out of permission in the meantime through no fault of your own. I encourage you to do so at the earliest opportunity.”

The notice also clarifies that this is expected to be the final extension of permissions announced.

This is a welcomed announcement which will remove much of the unnecessary worry for those whose residence permissions are expiring during the current Covid 19 crisis.

The full announcement can be read in full here

VISA SERVICES HAVE RESUMED FROM 22ND JUNE 2020

The Immigration Service Delivery, who process visa applications have confirmed that some visa services have resumed from the 22nd June 2020.

During this “initial resumption phase”, the ISD will be accepting Long Stay “D” visa applications which includes Study. This is in addition to the categories considered under the Priority/Emergency cases which include:

  • Emergency visa (e.g. Healthcare professionals, health researchers, and elderly care professionals);
  • Immediate family members of Irish citizens (who are returning to their ordinary place of residence in Ireland);
  • Persons legally resident in the State;
  • Persons entitled to avail of the provision of the EU Free Movement Directive;

This includes short stay visa application for the family members of EU nationals. However, the ISD have not yet resumed the issuance of short stay visas for non-essential travel.

The notice clarifies that in countries where it is not possible to resume visa services due to the differing restrictions which remain in place, the ISD intend to resume accepting applications as soon as it is possible to so.

Advice is given to contact the relevant Irish Embassy/Mission website for up to date information. Many embassies and VFS Global Services remain closed. Our office continues to work closely with our clients on a case by case basis to ensure that the submission of their visa application is facilitated.

This is a very encouraging development and if you or a family member have any queries about applying for an Irish visa, we would encourage anyone with queries to contact our office and we would be more than happy to advise.

The notice can be read in full here.

 

VISA DECISIONS CONTINUE TO BE ISSUED DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS

We are happy to confirm that decisions in respect of visa applications to travel to Ireland continue to be issued by visa application centres, Irish Embassies and Consulates during the Covid-19 crisis.

Many Embassies, Consulate offices and visa processing centres are closed or are working at a reduced capacity, and so it is encouraging to see that decisions are still being issued throughout the pandemic.

Although there is a significant reduction in the number of decisions being issued in comparison to before Covid-19, it is good news to see clients are being issued with decisions on their pending applications, particularly because many people experience delays, beyond the guideline processing times, in order to have family members issued with visas in order to join them in the State.

Visa decision pages of INIS and respective Embassies and Consulates continue to be updated online.

Our office continues to act for many clients who wish to submit visa applications and who currently have pending visa applications, and we are continuing to liaise with INIS on behalf of our clients in this regard.

We at Berkeley Solicitors would encourage anyone with queries regarding visa applications to contact our office and we would be more than happy to advise.

FAMILY MEMBERS OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS EXCLUDED FROM PRIORITY EXCEPTIONS TO THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF VISA APPLICATIONS

Irish healthcare workers have shared their experiences of being on the frontline during this Covid-19 Pandemic in a recently published Irish Times Article.

Particularly worrying to us here at Berkeley Solicitors, was the experience of the Medical Registrar in the State during Covid-19.

The medical registrar details that neither he nor his wife, who is also frontline staff as a doctor in a HSE hospital, have family here in Ireland and that visa applications for his parents to join the family in the State were recently refused by INIS.

Healthcare staff around Ireland are working tirelessly in hospitals and other healthcare settings. The doctor discloses that he and his wife are currently rostered between 84 to 91 hours a week. This, coupled with the fact that they have a 10 month old son who can no longer attend his creche, means that this family is being placed under an extraordinary amount of pressure, urgently needing the help and support of close family members during this pandemic.

On 21st March 2020, the Immigration Service Delivery (formerly INIS) announced that specific priority/emergency cases would be accepted as an exception to the temporary suspension of visa application procedures.

Visa applications made by family members of healthcare professionals in Ireland are not included as priority/emergency cases at this time.

We have previously voiced concerns on the closure of a number of Embassies, Consulates and VFS Global Ireland which has raised a huge amount of uncertainty on the process of applying for these emergency visas.

We would also question the Department’s policy of prohibiting family members of healthcare workers, such as the parents of doctors in Ireland or other close family members of medical professionals, to apply for visas to travel to the State.

Medical professionals are being called on to put their work and the lives of individuals all around Ireland ahead of the safety and well-being of their own families and as highlighted in this article, are doing so without proper or appropriate child care or the support of their family.

Unfortunately, this situation is likely to resonate with a large number of families and individuals resident in Ireland.

We would call on the Department to consider the needs of healthcare workers during this time and recognise the difficulties healthcare workers are facing by not having familial support systems in the State during the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you or any family member are affected by this issue, Berkeley Solicitors would be happy to further advise any medical practitioners who might require support of their family members during the crisis and wish to have their family members in the State with them.

UPDATED GUIDANCE FROM IMMIGRATION SERVICE DELIVERY ON THE OPERATION OF IMMIGRATION SERVICES DURING COVID-19

Immigration Service Delivery have published an updated set of frequently asked questions in relation to the delivery of immigration services during the ongoing Covid -19 crisis on 15th April 2020.

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