Dublin seeing delays in immigration services

IMPACT – LOW

What is the change? An increasing number of foreign national students are registering at the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) in Dublin’s City Centre. The heightened demand has caused long queues and significant delays in services.

What does the change mean? Foreign nationals registering for residence permits or applying for visas at the Dublin location should plan to arrive early and be prepared for longer-than-usual wait times. They should also be prepared for the possibility of having to return the next day.

• Implementation timeframe: Ongoing.
• Who is affected:Anyone seeking GNIB registration or visas in Dublin’s City Centre.
• Impact on processing times:Same day service is not guaranteed.
• Business impact:Companies should anticipate that employees will need the day off to fulfill the registration/visa process.
• Next steps:The delays are expected to ease in November when students cease registering. They should further subside with the introduction of an online appointment system in 2015.

Background: The increase in demand for these services is resulting largely from an increase in foreign students.

BAL Analysis: The delays are temporary; foreign nationals can expect demand to decrease in November, and the introduction of an online appointment system in 2015 should help further streamline the GNIB registration process. Foreign nationals in need of immediate immigration-related services should expect delays and plan accordingly.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Ireland. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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