Vol. 549 No. 2
139 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the process for a non-national couple, currently employed here on a work permit, whose baby was born here since their arrival and wish to apply for permanent residency; and the steps that persons in this situation need to follow to apply for residency. [6161/02]
Irish immigration arrangements do not provide for the granting of permanent residency in circumstances such as those outlined by the Deputy. It is, however, open to the persons in question to apply to my Department for permission to remain in the State on the basis that they are the parents of an Irish citizen. They should write to the immigration division of my Department and enclose copies of their passports, copies of their Garda certificates of registration, the original long form birth certificate of their Irish citizen child, evidence that both parents are living at the address in question, for example, rent book, utility bills, joint bank account etc., as well as two passport sized photographs of each applicant.
Applications of this nature are dealt with in chronological order and processing time is currently in the region of four months. Permission to remain is generally granted for a 12 month period initially and may be renewed subsequently.
