Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 November 2016
66. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline the appropriate procedure to be followed to regularise residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34253/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned entered the State on 25th May 2011.
I wish to advise the Deputy, however, that the Residence Division of INIS does not currently have any application for the person before them. Should they wish to regularise their position in the State, then the person concerned should make an application to the Residence Division of INIS setting out the details of their case. Information on application types, qualifying criteria, and required documentation are available on the INIS website.
It appears that the person concerned does not have permission to remain in the State, and they should be aware that it is illegal under the Immigration Act 2004 to reside in the State without permission from the Minister for Justice and Equality. A person found guilty of such an offence is liable, under section 13 of the Immigration Act 2004, to a fine not exceeding €3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both. As the person in question does not have immigration permission to remain in the State, they are not entitled to work.
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 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in questions where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
