Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
663. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of visas due to expire in September and October 2020; the number of appointments that have been informed to renew same; the number that remain outstanding due to backlogs; the measures in place to communicate to applicants the steps they should take if their permit is due to expire; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25088/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Immigration Service of my Department is currently processing approximately 16,000 applications from people 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 safely 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 from people who would otherwise have had to attend the Registration Office in person. 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.
Due to the introduction of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in March 2020, over 4,500 appointments for first time registrations were cancelled at that time. The Registration Office has processed over 4,000 in-person first time registrations since reopening the public office in August 2020.
My Department recognises the difficulties that delays may cause for applicants and it is providing additional resources to the Registration Office to increase its capacity to handle current demand. 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.
I announced on the 18 September a further temporary extension of immigration and international protection permissions to 20 January 2021. This applies to permissions that are due to expire between 20 September 2020 and 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 .
