Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
369. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for an extension of a stamp 2 visa by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9109/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received an Extension of Student Permission application from the person concerned on 27 January 2020. The processing of this application remains ongoing at this time.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the current extraordinary circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic makes it more difficult to process applications in the normal way. This is because many Government office buildings, including those where the relevant case files are held, are temporarily closed or, if they remain open, they have very limited opening hours. This is in line with Government public health policy on social and physical distancing. It is hoped that this situation will change in the near future but any such decision will be based on public health considerations.
In the meantime, the Registration Office in Burgh Quay and all Registration Offices for non-Dublin residents operated by An Garda Síochána have temporarily closed. Consequently, the requirement of an individual to present to at a registration office is temporarily suspended. However under the measures I originally announced on 20 March 2020, and further extended on the 13 May 2020, people residing in the State whose permission is due to expire between that date and 20 July 2020 have been automatically renewed for a period of two months. The renewal of the permission is on the same basis as the existing permission and the same conditions attach.
These new immigration arrangements and the various measures being taken by the Immigration Service to implement them can be found here:
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/COVID-19-updates-and-announcements
A detailed Frequently Asked Questions document on the impact of COVID-19 on immigration and international protection can also be found on the website at the link below. This FAQ document is regularly updated.
http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Immigration-Service-Delivery-Covid-19-FAQ3%20(3)[1].pdf/Files/Immigration-Service-Delivery-Covid-19-FAQ3%20(3)[1].pdf
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department 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 is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
