IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? In line with recent Irish Government announcements, Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) has announced that the Burgh Quay Registration Office in Dublin will temporarily close until at least Dec. 2.

What does the change mean? This impacts all non-EEA nationals living in Dublin who need to register their permission in Ireland for the first time and receive their first IRP card. Outside of Dublin, in person appointments are required at the registration offices for all non-EEA nationals that need to register and renew their permission in Ireland. These regional offices currently remain open.

Non-EEA nationals should note that an automatic extension has been announced that covers all foreign nationals with valid immigration permission, and extends that permission until Jan. 20, 2021. This extension applies to all foreign nationals currently in Ireland with a valid IRP card, or dated passport entry stamp. The extension covers permissions to reside in Ireland. It does not allow for travel in and out of Ireland

  • Implementation time frame: The Burgh Quay Registration Office closed at 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 and will remain closed until at least Dec. 2.
  • Who is affected: All foreign nationals residing in Ireland with valid immigration permission (based on employment, studies, dependant family, tourism, etc). All non-EEA nationals living in Dublin will not be able to register their initial permission, however those already registered will be able to renew their permission on the online portal. All non-EEA nationals living outside of Dublin will be able to register or their initial permission through the local registration office.
  • Next steps:
    • First time registrants in Dublin: All first-time registration appointments made after 7 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2020, will be cancelled, and re-scheduled once the Burgh Quay Registration Office re-opens. No appointments will be available for scheduling for the foreseeable future. As a result of this, non-EEA nationals who have not yet registered their initial permission in Ireland for the first time, may not receive their IRP cards until later in December 2020, or after. Visa-required nationals should note that they cannot re-enter Ireland unless they hold a valid entry visa endorsement or a valid IRP card.
    • First time registrants in the rest of Ireland: All non-EEA nationals who reside in any county outside of Dublin will continue to be able to attend appointments at their local Garda station/registration office.

Additional Information: The Irish government have made this decision as part of their efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

In Ireland, all non-EEA nationals must apply for an employment permit to work. Certain nationalities must then apply for an entry visa to enter Ireland to commence work. Once in Ireland, all non-EEA nationals must apply for an Irish residence permit to register their permission and reside. This Irish Residence Permission is to be renewed in Ireland when appropriate by the non-EEA national.

Analysis & Comments: The closure of the registration office in Dublin means that non-EEA nationals in Dublin will not be able to register until it re-opens. Regional registration offices (Galway, Limerick, Cork etc.) remain open at this time. We will provide further updates if this changes.

For visa-required nationals, it should be noted that a valid IRP card, or valid Irish entry visa endorsement will need to be held by the individual in order to enter Ireland. Employers and employees should bear this in mind when making plans to travel, particularly as the holiday period approaches.

The automatic extension that was most recently announced will cover residential permission in Ireland; it will not cover visa-required individuals for travel into Ireland. To enter Ireland, valid, in-date permission, must be held.

The closure of the offices should not affect employee’s permission to work in Ireland. However, it is likely to affect some employee’s rights to re-enter Ireland. Employers should check in with any employees who are working abroad and who may wish to re-enter Ireland.

All non-EEA nationals who reside in county Dublin, and need to renew their IRP permission, may continue to do this using the online IRP renewal application portal. You can read more about this here.

All non-EEA nationals who reside in any county outside of Dublin will continue to be able to attend an appointment at their local Garda station/registration office.

If you have employees or potential new hires who may be impacted by the above changes, please contact the Deloitte immigration team to assist. We continue to update our FAQ for employers found here.

Rest of World Source: Deloitte. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (“DTTL”), its global network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more. Deloitte Legal means the legal practices of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited member firms or their affiliates that provide legal services. For legal, regulatory and other reasons, not all member firms provide legal services. This includes Deloitte Tax LLP in the United States which does not provide legal and/or immigration advice or services. This communication contains general information only, and none of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, its member firms or their related entities (collectively, the “Deloitte network”) is, by means of this communication, rendering professional advice or services. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your finances or your business, you should consult a qualified professional adviser. No entity in the Deloitte network shall be responsible for any loss whatsoever sustained by any person who relies on this communication. © 2020. For information, contact Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.