IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Preclearance applications now must be completed for anyone wishing to enter Ireland as a volunteer, minister of religion, de facto partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) holder or a de facto partner of an Irish national.

What does the change mean? Previously, preclearance applications were to be manually completed on paper form and then submitted to the Preclearance Unit. The Department of Justice has announced that all preclearance application forms must now be completed on the online application systems “AVATS.” This means that the process is now a one-step online application process. For visa-reqduired nationals this streamlines the previous two-step process.

  • Implementation time frame: This change is to take effect immediately. However, applications submitted under the previous procedure will be considered until Dec. 31, 2020.
  • Who is affected: Any non-EEA nationals who require preclearance in order to enter Ireland, as listed above. This change will impact both non-visa required and visa required non-EEA nationals. You can find a list of visa-required nationals for Ireland here.

Additional Information:

  • Visa Required Nationals: Visa required nationals will now apply for an Entry Visa under the preclearance scheme online through the “AVATS” system. The application and relevant supporting documents will be sent to the relevant processing office. If approved, visa required nationals will receive an Irish Entry Visa. This means that visa required nationals no longer need to apply through a two procedure (previously a preclearance application was done prior to the entry visa application). Visa required nationals will no longer receive a letter of preclearance. They will just receive an Irish Entry Visa. The application must be made from outside of Ireland and applicants must remain outside the State while their application is being processed.
  • Non-Visa Required Nationals: Non-visa required nationals will need to apply for preclearance online through the “AVATS” system. The application and relevant supporting documents will be sent to the relevant processing office. As was the case previously, non-visa required nationals will receive a letter of preclearance, if their application is successful. This should then be presented to the immigration officer upon entering Ireland. For non-visa required nationals only the application format has changed and moved online. The rest of the process remains similar. The application must be made from outside of Ireland and applicants must remain outside the State while their application is being processed.

Analysis & Comments: Deloitte welcomes this change from a paper to an online application form, which should create a more streamlined application process, particularly for visa required nationals.

Visa required nationals previously had to apply separately for a preclearance approval letter, and once they had obtained this, they could then apply for their Irish Entry Visa. These two processes are now captured under one application process, and the need for a visa required national to hold a preclearance letter has been eliminated. This should result in a speedier and easier application process.

Both visa required and non-visa required nationals should complete the application process outside of Ireland. Even individuals who do not require a visa to enter Ireland should apply outside of the state and not travel to Ireland until they have their preclearance approval letter.

Once in Ireland, individuals will still need to register their permission and receive their Irish Residence Permit (IRP card), in line with standard procedure.

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