Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 October 2016
54. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if transfer of status from stamp 2 to stamp 4 can be effected in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31382/16]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy entered the State on 05/08/2012 and registered as a student on 27/08/2012 where they were granted Stamp 2 student conditions. This person most recently had permission to be in the State until 04/10/2016 under Stamp 2 student conditions.
The person concerned does not have an application pending with INIS.
However, all non-EEA students resident in the State are subject to the student immigration rules set out under the "new immigration regime for full time non-EEA students" which was published in September 2010 and has been in effect since 1 January 2011. These rules stipulate that non-EEA nationals may reside in Ireland as students, subject to the provisions of the new regime, for a maximum period of seven years. The person referred to by the Deputy arrived in the State and registered in 2012 as a student and as such can remain for an accumulative period of seven years here as a student. As such they do not qualify for a Stamp 4 status. As their permission has expired they can either enrol in a further course of studies, get a work permit based employment or leave the State.
The Deputy may wish to note that 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.
