Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2013
221. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding long term residency/eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is married to an Irish national; if their Stamp 4 card, previously submitted to immigration will be returned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23596/13]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the person referred to by the Deputy was granted temporary permission to remain in the State under stamp 4 conditions for an initial one year period on 10th June, 2002, on the basis that she was part of a family unit where the parents had been granted residency on the basis of parentage of an Irish citizen child. This permission appears to have been renewed on a regular basis by her local Immigration Officer until March 2010. I am informed that when she attended the registration office of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) in May 2010, she was advised to contact my officials in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) regarding same. However it appears that the next contact from the person concerned was in March 2012 when she presented to her local Immigration Officer. She was refused registration on this occasion as she has been out of permission since March 2010. The local Immigration Officer advised her to write to INIS outlining her situation prior to renewal of registration. I am informed that she was given this direction by him on 26th August 2012.
I understand that some documentation has since been received from the person concerned by INIS. However, in order to assist in regularising her status in the State, further documentation was requested from her in writing on 13th March 2013. To date no response has been received. On receipt of the documents requested, her case will then be examined by the relevant officials in INIS. Once a decision has been made on her status, this decision and the consequences involved will be conveyed in writing to the person concerned.
I am also informed that the person concerned submitted an application for a Certificate of Naturalisation in August 2005. This application was refused by my predecessor at his absolute discretion. The person's legal representative was notified of the decision and the reason for same by letter dated 31th March 2009. She may re-apply at any time when in a position to satisfy the statutory requirements.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
