Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2021
142. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Justice if she will consider reviewing the application fees for the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service; if consideration will be given to a weighted reduction in application fees for persons that have been resident in Ireland for significantly longer periods than the minimum eligibility requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36814/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the Deputy is referring to the fees charged for immigration registration and the issuing of the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card. While I have no current proposal to adjust the rate of fees, the matter is kept generally under review.
Section 9 of the Immigration Act 2004 provides that a register of non-nationals who have permission to be in the State (in general for a period of 3 months or longer) shall be established and maintained by registration officers and also provides that a non-national is required to pay a fee to the registration officer for the issue of a registration certificate. This fee is set by regulations made by the Minister for Justice with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. It is common practice throughout Europe to charge a fee for immigration services.
The current fee applicable on registration is €300. Registration is normally granted for 12 months or for the period determined by the applicant's requirement to be in the State, for example an employment contract of less than 12 months or a course of study lasting 8 months.
The IRP card provides the customer with a secure immigration document including individual biometrics indicators protected by a sophisticated encryption system and showing the holders’ immigration status in the State. This high quality secure document is easily recognisable for employers and Government agencies alike.
It certifies that a person is legally registered with the Irish immigration authorities and provides details of the immigration permission held, for example a Stamp 1 or 4, etc. Once a person has an in date IRP card, there is no requirement to apply for a re-entry visa when returning to the State after a short period abroad.
