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Immigration Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Questions (629)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

629. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice the average turnaround time for a Dublin-based online application for renewal of a residence permit; the number of applications received in Dublin since 20 July 2020; the number of applications processed in Dublin to date; and the number of applications in Dublin yet to be processed. [24695/20]

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Written answers

The Immigration Service of my Department is currently processing approximately 16,000 applications submitted by persons seeking to renew their immigration registration.

Significant demand accumulated during the four months that the Registration Office was closed due to COVID-19. To assist in addressing this demand, a new online system for the renewal of Registrations in the Dublin area was developed and launched on 20 July, enabling applicants to engage with the Registration Office without the need to attend in person at Burgh Quay.

Since the launch of the new online renewal system, my Department has received over 27,000 applications. The volume of applications, together with the reduced capacity of the Registration Office due to social distancing requirements, has resulted in longer than anticipated processing times. The current expected processing time is 6 to 7 weeks from the date of receipt. However, my officials have already completed approximately 11,000 of these cases. The Registration Office has also processed over 4,000 in-person first time registrations since reopening its Public Office.

My Department recognises the difficulties that such delays may cause for applicants and it is providing additional resources to the Registration Office to increase its capacity to handle current and expected demand over the coming period and to reduce processing wait times as much as possible. Where an applicant urgently needs their passport for travel or other such reasons, they should email the Registration Office at burghquayregoffice@justice.ie and set out the circumstances involved.

As I announced on 18 September 2020, a further temporary extension of immigration and international protection permissions has been granted to 20 January 2021. This applies to permissions that are due to expire between 20 September 2020 and 20 January 2021 and to the same 3 primary categories of persons as before:

1. Those who are renewing their permission;

2. Those awaiting a first registration; and

3. Those in the country on a short stay visa who are unable to return home due to uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

This provides certainty to anyone who already holds a valid permission that their legal status in this country is maintained until 20 January 2021. Renewal is on the same basis as the existing permission and the same conditions will continue to apply.

The extension provides the necessary time to make arrangements with the Immigration Service in Dublin or An Garda Síochána outside Dublin to ensure that registrations are renewed in the normal way by that date. I encourage people to do so at the earliest opportunity and not to wait until January to do so.

All renewals in the Dublin area are being processed online only since 20 July 2020, at: https://inisonline.jahs.ie. Renewals outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau through the Garda Station network. Information on the contact details for all the registration offices outside Dublin is available at: https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/reopening-of-registration-offices.html .

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