Ireland: Expired Residence Permit Cards Can be Used Temporarily for Re-entry
November 15, 2021
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At a Glance
Due to significant Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card renewal processing delays, the Irish government has implemented the below temporary concessions until January 15, 2022:
- Expired IRP cards can be used in lieu of a re-entry visa by visa nationals; and
- Children under 16 do not need a re-entry visa to re-enter Ireland.
The new rules only apply if the holders’ permission was valid at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
Eligible travelers listed above can leave and re-enter Ireland with their expired IRP card, provided they re-enter Ireland prior to January 15.
The situation
Visa nationals can now use their expired Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card in lieu of a re-entry visa to-enter Ireland on an exceptional basis until January 15, 2022.
A closer look
- Prerequisite. These concessions only apply if the holders' IRP card expired after March 20, 2020.
- Rules for children. The requirement for a re-entry visa for children under 16 is suspended until January 15, 2022.
- Inapplicability.
- Unregistered visa nationals. This rule does not apply to visa nationals who have yet to complete their initial Irish registration. Such travelers will require a re-entry visa.
- Non-visa nationals unaffected. Foreign nationals who do not ordinarily require a visa to enter Ireland are unaffected by these changes.
- Government FAQ. The government has published an FAQ document here.
- Travel Confirmation Notice. Visa nationals seeking to benefit from the above concessions should print the ‘Travel Confirmation Notice’ and present it to airlines and immigration officials, as required.
Impact
Those affected by the current delays in renewing IRP cards can now travel temporarily with their expired card, provided they re-enter prior to January 15.
This new concession is a welcome change and part of an initiative to mitigate the effects of lengthy government processing times. This concession will bring certainty to many visa foreign nationals seeking to travel over the holiday period.
Background
- Previous rule. Before this concession, visa nationals with expired IRP cards could not use them to re-enter Ireland, even if their underlying immigration permission had been extended due to COVID-19. Visa national children under 16 resident in Ireland needed a re-entry visa to re-enter Ireland.
- Reason for change. There are currently up to eight-week-long delays in renewing IRPs, causing re-entry issues for IRP holders with expired cards.
- Additional concession. Under a separate policy implemented in September, foreign nationals whose permission is due to expire between September 21, 2021 and January 15, 2022 have already had their permission extended until January 15, 2022. The change detailed above now brings the validity of IRP cards in line with this expiry date.
Looking ahead
The government has yet to give any indication whether the blanket extension of all immigration permissions will be continued beyond January 15, 2022. IRP card renewals for Dublin are currently taking up to eight weeks and processing times for other counties vary by location. Foreign nationals should ensure to renew their permissions in advance of their expiry date.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
