- applications will be accepted from people in the international protection process for a minimum of 2 years
- applications will be accepted for six months until 7 August 2022
- successful applicants will receive immigration permission, access to the labour market and can begin path to citizenship
- almost 1,000 applications have been made to the mainstream regularisation scheme for undocumented migrants in the first week
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, has today opened the international protection strand of the regularisation scheme for long-term undocumented migrants.
The International Protection Office (IPO) of the department has begun contacting potentially eligible applicants with further details.
Application forms, which can be downloaded from the IPO’s website at www.ipo.gov.ie/en/ipo/pages/whatsnew must be submitted by email to IPRSU@ipo.gov.ie
Opening the international protection strand, Minister McEntee said:
"I am delighted to now be able to open the international protection strand of the scheme for long-term undocumented migrants. This separate strand allows international protection applicants who have an outstanding application for international protection and have been in the asylum process for a minimum of 2 years to apply. There is no fee for making an application under this dedicated strand of the scheme.
"I am conscious of the recommendation made by the Expert Advisory Group, led by Dr Catherine Day, regarding people who have been in the protection process for two years or more. This approach is in line with that recommendation, and will help to clear the backlog of current cases.
"The government is keen to ensure that we address any legacy asylum cases so that the new system envisaged under the White Paper can come into operation in 2024. I am committed to reducing processing times of both first instance decisions and appeals to 6 months respectively, which will ultimately benefit everyone in the protection process."
Applicants who are eligible under the international protection strand of the scheme:
- must be a current applicant for international protection in the State
- must be in the international protection application process for at least 2 years immediately prior to 7 February 2022
- will be granted a Stamp 4 immigration permission that allows for unrestricted access to the labour market, and
- will have years of residence with that permission reckonable for the purposes of pursuing Irish citizenship by way of naturalisation
Applicants must meet standards regarding good character and criminal record/behaviour and not pose a threat to the State. Having convictions for minor offences will not, by itself, result in disqualification.
Further details regarding the qualifying criteria, the required documentation, and how to apply for the international protection strand is available on the IPO’s website at www.ipo.gov.ie/en/ipo/pages/whatsnew.
Applications from people who are not currently in the international protection process should be made under the mainstream Regularisation of Long-Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme. The Minister also provided an update on the progress of this Scheme following its launch on 31 January:
"The once-in-a-generation scheme to regularise thousands of undocumented migrants opened for applications last Monday. During the first week, almost 1,000 applications have been received through the online application platform. This is a really positive start and I would encourage everyone who is eligible to apply to do so during the six month application window"
Full details regarding the qualifying criteria, a further information document and the required documentation for this part of the Scheme is available on the department's website at: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/regularisation-of-long-term-undocumented-migrant-scheme/.
The international protection strand of the regularisation scheme for long-term undocumented migrants is open to international protection applicants only. To apply under this strand of the Scheme, a person must have a current application for International Protection submitted and accepted and meet the relevant eligibility criteria.
This international protection strand is not open to individuals who do not have a current application for International Protection in the State or individuals who have been applicants for International Protection in the State for less than two years.
Applicants must have resided continuously in the State with a Temporary Residence Certificate (TRC) for at least the 2 year period immediately prior to the opening date for this strand, that is, 7 February 2022 and continue to reside in the State at the date of application.
Each applicant for this strand must submit an individual application. In the case of minor applicants, the parent / guardian must make an application on behalf of their minor child. Each member of the family who meets the eligibility criteria will be contacted individually and must submit a separate application which will be assessed in its own right.
Family members of an applicant who do not meet this strand’s criteria in their own right, are not eligible. They will continue with their existing application for international protection, where applicable, or may wish to make an application to the mainstream strand of the Regularisation of Long-Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme, should they meet the required criteria for that scheme.
There will be no requirement for applicants to demonstrate that they would not be a financial burden on the State. There will also be no application or registration fee for this strand of the scheme.
This strand will not create any new entitlements to family reunification. Those who are successful may be eligible at a future date under the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification.
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