Processing times increase for residence permits

What is the change? The Burgh Quay Immigration Registration Office has increased the estimated processing time for Irish Residence Permits.

What does the change mean? For those who register for an IRP at the Burgh Quay Immigration Registration Office in Dublin, the estimated delivery time for an IRP is 10 to 15 working days, an increase from the previous delivery time of five to 10 working days.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: IRP cards.
• Who is affected: Non-EU/EEA and non-Swiss nationals intending to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days and who register for an IRP at the Burgh Quay Immigration Registration Office in Dublin.
• Impact on processing times: The immigration registration office is taking longer to send IRP cards to registrants by post, increasing the estimated time of arrival to 10 to 15 working days.

Background: IRP cards replaced GNIB (certificate of registration) cards in December to conform with European Union standards. GNIB holders should not apply for an IRP card until their current GNIB card expires. The IRP is a credit-card sized registration certificate containing a microchip that proves that the card’s holder is registered with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service. All non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals ages 16 and older who intend to stay in Ireland longer than 90 days must register for a residence permit with the appropriate immigration registration office. The government fee for the IRP is €300. The IRP card must be carried at all times and be presented to an immigration officer or a member of An Garda Síochána (police) upon request. The card does not serve as a travel document.

BAL Analysis: Expatriate residents should factor in the longer processing time when registering for an IRP.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact ireland@bal.com.

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