What is the change?

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services (INIS) have announced that individuals renewing their Immigration Registration Permission (IRP Cards) online will no longer need to submit their original passport to the office in order to obtain an immigration stamp from their applicable registration office.

Key points:

• Implementation time frame: This change is set to take effect immediately, from 02 December 2020, and is a permanent change. 
• Who is affected: All non-EEA nationals with valid IRP cards.

Next steps:

• For those living in the Dublin area: Employers should alert their non-EEA national population of the update. All individuals resident in Dublin who need to renew their IRP cards, should do so by using the online IRP renewal service. You can read more about this here. Individuals will need to complete the online application form. They will then receive their IRP card via post to their Irish residential address.
• For those living outside the Dublin area: All individuals resident in Ireland, outside of Dublin who need to renew their IRP cards still need to make an appointment to attend their local Registration Office to renew their permission. They will need to bring their passport to the appointment, however it will not be stamped. Once the application is processed, the Immigration Officer will advise on the receipt of the IRP card.

Analysis & comments

Deloitte welcomes this change. Previously applicants were required to send their original passport to the department once they had completed the online renewal application. The abolishment of this requirement means that individuals can retain their passport during the renewal process, and continue to use it for other purposes. It also eliminates the reliance on postal services carrying original passports.

When applying for their online IRP renewal, individuals should note that they need to be present in Ireland. Applications cannot be filed whilst individuals are outside of the State.

Passports will no longer be stamped to indicate the applicants’ permission in Ireland. This means that all non-EEA nationals should ensure to renew their permission in a timely manner prior to their IRP expiry, so as to ensure they do not encounter gaps in their permission.

Applicants should note that if they have been granted a new passport, they will need to attend an appointment in order to renew their IRP card. This applies to all non-EEA nationals living in Ireland.

If you have employees or potential new hires who may be impacted by the above changes, please contact the Deloitte immigration team to assist.