Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 February 2022
122. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice her plans with regard to the undocumented regularisation scheme to allow for financial hardship exemptions in cases in which applicants are unable to meet the cost of the application fees or in respect of successful applicants for whom additional immigration fees may apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5256/22]
View answerThe Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme opened for applications on 31 January 2022. Applications will be accepted for six months until 31 July 2022, when the scheme will close. The scheme is only open to those who do not have a current permission to reside in the State and will enable eligible applicants to remain and reside in the State and to regularise their residency status.
The fees payable by an applicant are designed to reflect the effort and cost involved in processing applications for the scheme which, given the benefits involved, is quite a detailed process. A fee of €700 will generally apply to family unit applications and children up to 23 years, living with their parent(s), can be included in a family unit application. A fee of €550 will apply to individual applications. There is no provision for the discretionary waiver or reduction of fees.
Successful applicants to the scheme will be required to register their permission granted and everyone over the age of 18 years will be required to pay a registration fee of €300.
Full details regarding the qualifying criteria, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document and the required documentation for the scheme is available on my Department's website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/regularisation-of-long-term-undocumented-migrant-scheme/.
As previously announced, international protection applicants who have an outstanding application for international protection and have been in the asylum process for a minimum of two years will have a separate application process. The International Protection Office of my Department will contact potentially eligible applicants shortly with further details, which will also be made available on the website www.ipo.gov.ie . There will also be a six month application window for this strand of the scheme from the date it is launched. There will be no application or registration fee associated with this strand.
