Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 February 2014
200. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current or expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8791/14]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the spelling of the person's name referred to in the Deputy's question differs to records held by INIS. It is however presumed based on the content and records held that it is the same person.
INIS has advised that the person concerned was initially granted permission to remain in the State on the basis of her marriage to her spouse who had been granted a declaration as a refugee in accordance with Section 17 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on 10 November 2003. The person concerned was subsequently registered in the State on that basis under Stamp 4 conditions until her permission to remain in the State expired on 11 December 2009. I understand that the person concerned was subsequently unable to renew her registration with the Garda National Immigration Bureau as she did not possess a valid national passport and was advised to write to INIS.
An application for residency in the State arising from marriage to an Irish national was subsequently received in the Spouse of Irish National Unit of INIS on 19 June 2013.
The latest position is that INIS wrote to the legal representative of the person concerned on 21 November 2013 seeking the submission of documentation required in order to finalise their application and that a response to same is awaited. A further reminder issued to the legal representative on 18 February 2014.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been established specifically 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 INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
