Written Answers Nos 121-130
121. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a stamp 4 update will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); if all details requested from the person have been received in the relevant section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21934/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted temporary permission to remain in the State in 2001. This permission was renewed on a regular basis with the latest permission due to expire on 26 August 2018. The latest permission was granted awaiting the presentation of a new passport from the person concerned. I am advised that this new passport was presented on 5 April 2018 at the Garda National Immigration Bureau headquarters in Burgh Quay. The passport of the person concerned has been referred to an external service provider for verification. On completion of this process, INIS will contact the person concerned in reference to future registration.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
122. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the appropriate procedure to regularise residence here in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21935/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the individual in question should write to Unit 2, Residence Division, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, 13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 outlining their current circumstances and should include the following documents:
1. Full copy of their passport
2. Copy of their GNIB card
3. Copy of previous employment permits
4. Current employment situation i.e. details of any proposed employer
5. Details of any other family or dependents in the State
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
123. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if all the required documentation requested by the relevant section of his Department has been supplied by a person (details supplied) in order to facilitate their application for naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21936/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is on-going and I understand that the case is due to be submitted for decision very shortly.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. While most straightforward cases are now processed within six months, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
124. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position in regard to the determination of residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21937/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), written representations have been submitted on behalf of the person concerned.
These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and all other applicable legislation, in advance of a final decision being made.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
125. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position in regard to residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); if they can appeal the recent decision under the aegis of the International Protection Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21938/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, if an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State, for confidentiality reasons it is not the practice to comment on such applications and the applicant or his legal representative should contact the International Protection Office directly either by email to info@ipo.gov.ie, by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.
Following the commencement of the International Protection Act 2015 on 31 December 2016, new arrangements for the investigation and determination of applications for international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection) and cases involving permission to remain in the State have been introduced. Such applications are now processed, as part of a single application procedure, by the International Protection Office (IPO) which has replaced the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) from that date. The staff of that Office (the Chief International Protection Officer and International Protection Officers) are independent in the performance of their protection functions.
For your information, on 27 February 2017, the Chief International Protection Officer, following consultation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published a statement on the Prioritisation of Applications under the International Protection Act 2015 which is available on the website of the International Protection Office www.ipo.gov.ie.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
126. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the residency status of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21939/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned had their permission to remain in the State renewed for a further three year period, to 06 May 2018. This decision was conveyed in writing to the person concerned by letter dated 06 May 2015.
The renewal decision letter referred to advised the person concerned of the requirement that they apply for further renewal of their permission to remain, two weeks before their existing permission expired, to their local Immigration Registration Office.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
127. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21940/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIf an application for International Protection has been made in the State, for confidentiality reasons it is not the practice to comment on such applications and the applicant or their designated legal advisor should contact the International Protection Office directly either by email to info@ipo.gov.ie, by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.
Similarly, the International Protection Appeals Tribunal operate an email service which can be contacted by individuals with any queries regarding their application info@protectionappeals.ie.
Under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, it is an offence to identify an international protection applicant. The offence is punishable by summary conviction to a Class A fine or a term of imprisonment of 12 months or both.
An applicant may appeal a recommendation by an international protection officer that the applicant should not be given a refugee declaration and/or a recommendation that the applicant should not be given a subsidiary protection declaration to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal.
Where an international protection officer recommends that an applicant should be given neither a refugee nor a subsidiary protection declaration, the Minister will consider in accordance with section 49 of the International Protection Act 2015 whether to give the applicant concerned a permission to remain in the State.
Where the Tribunal affirms a recommendation that the applicant should not be given a refugee declaration and a recommendation that the applicant should not be given a subsidiary protection declaration, the Minister will, upon becoming aware of a change in circumstances or receiving new information from an applicant that had it been in the possession of the Minister when making such decision would have been relevant to that decision, review the decision in relation to permission to remain in the State.
The Chief International Protection Officer, following consultation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published a statement on the Prioritisation of Applications for International Protection under the International Protection Act 2015 on 27 February 2017, which is available on the website of the International Protection Office www.ipo.gov.ie.
128. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position in regard to residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21942/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), written representations have been submitted on behalf of the person concerned.
These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and all other applicable legislation, in advance of a final decision being made.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
129. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in determining the long term residency status and naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21943/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy had permission to remain in the State until 30 November 2015. The person concerned has no permission to be in the State since that date and has not submitted a request for such a permission.
The person concerned should be aware that it is illegal for them, under the Immigration Act 2004, to remain in the State without the 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.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
130. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position in regard to eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21944/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received.
It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a certificate of naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, which governs the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation.
Detailed information on Irish citizenship and naturalisation, as well as the relevant application forms, is available on the INIS website at www.inis.gov.ie . The website also contains guidance on the completion of an application for naturalisation and an on-line naturalisation residency calculator which individuals may find of assistance in establishing if the statutory residency requirements are met.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
