After 3 months of closures, Registration Offices outside of Dublin are starting to re-open

What is the change?

The Irish government has announced that Registration Offices outside of Dublin are now re-opening on a phased basis after three months of closures due to Covid-19 restrictions. Appointments can be arranged by emailing the relevant local Registration Office.

Key points:

• Implementation time frame: This measure starts to take effect from 20th July 2020. However, only certain offices will be open from 20th July 2020. The phased re-openings will start from 20th July 2020 up until 15th August 2020. Some Registration Offices do not yet have a re-opening date as arrangements are still underway for a safe re-opening. You can check the full list with planned re-opening dates here. 

• Who is affected: All non-EEA nationals living in Ireland, but outside Dublin, who need to attend a first time registration appointment, or who need to renew their current IRP card. 

• Next Steps: Employers should update any employees or potential employees who need to attend registration or renewal appointments. Individuals should check their local Registration Office’s re-opening date and book an appointment via email. Individuals should not attend the offices without a pre-booked appointment. 

Analysis & Comments: Deloitte welcomes the news that the Registration Offices are starting to re-open across Ireland. This will allow individuals residing outside of Dublin to renew or register their permission in Ireland and obtain their IRP cards.

We understand that due to Covid-19 restrictions some individuals are currently holding IRP cards that are not in date. The re-opening of the offices means that non-EEA nationals that require a physical, in-date, IRP card, can now obtain one, and should do so at their earliest convenience.

Non-EEA nationals residing in Dublin may also attend appointments to register their permission for the first time, as the Burgh Quay Registration Office in Dublin is open from 20th July 2020. Additionally, Non-EEA nationals residing in Dublin may now renew their permission online. More information on this can be found here.

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.