The increase in the fee in respect of the issue of a registration certificate under the Immigration Act, 2004 came into effect on 19 November, 2012. Any person issued with a registration certificate from that date will be required to pay the new fee of €300 unless they come within those categories exempted from the charge.
In respect of persons who may have been seeking to obtain a re-entry visa, I should point out that the fees for same have not changed.
It is an unavoidable consequence, and unrelated to resources, that people seeking to register will fall on the either side of the fee increase introduction. It is understandable that many people would have sought to avail of the lower rate in advance of the fee increase resulting in numbers at the public office Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), rising to exceptional levels at certain times. However, I reject the contention that there is insufficient staff in the GNIB public office. Indeed, there are extended opening hours in operation in the office from Monday to Thursday (8:00 AM to 10:00 PM); on Friday the hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Furthermore, as happens every year, special arrangements are put in place in September and October to facilitate the registration of students in major public and private colleges (who form the bulk of registrations in those months) as they begin or return to their studies. Periods of time are set aside in the public office of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 specifically for registration of students which this year extended into November. I understand that the bulk of students were in a position to complete their registration obligations in advance of the fee increase.
In addition, it should be noted that in recognition of the circumstances of certain categories of person, there are specific exemptions from paying the registration fee set out in the regulations; these are the following:
- UN Convention Refugees;
- Family members of such refugees who have been admitted to the State in accordance with section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996;
- Persons who are under 18 years of age at the time of registration;
- Spouses, civil partners, widows and widowers of Irish citizens;
- Spouses and Dependants of EU nationals who receive a residence permit under EU Directive 38/04;
- Programme Refugees, as defined by section 24 of the Refugee Act, 1996;
- Persons subject to arrangements for victims of human trafficking.
The above categories of non-nationals exempted from the fee payment are almost 20% of the total numbers registering. Last year alone, this amounted to 21, 443 persons and €3.2 million in fees waived.
