Ireland: Re-Entry Visas for Minors Suspended
June 15, 2022
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At a Glance
- The Department of Justice has released a statement announcing that re-entry visas for minor children under the age of 16 have been suspended with immediate effect.
- According to Department of Justice instructions, minors under the age of 16 who live in Ireland with parents/legal guardians who hold valid residence permission in Ireland will not require a re-entry visa, and will be able to travel without a visa while accompanying parents/legal guardians who hold valid permission.
- Any re-entry visa applications that were submitted and are being processed as of June 15, 2022 will be returned to applicants along with their original documentation.
The situation
The Department of Justice released a statement announcing that re-entry visas for minor children under the age of 16 have been suspended with immediate effect.
A closer look
- Minors in Ireland. According to Department of Justice instructions, minors under the age of 16 who live in Ireland with parents/legal guardians who hold valid residence permission in Ireland will not require a re-entry visa, and will be able to travel without a visa while accompanying parents/legal guardians who hold valid permission.
- Returned applications. Any re-entry visa applications that were submitted and are being processed as of June 15, 2022 will be returned to applicants along with their original documentation.
Background
Minors under 16 who were visa nationals needed a re-entry visa in their passport to re-enter Ireland. Those over 16 could use their Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card in lieu of their re-entry visa, however, IRP cards are not issued to children under 16.
This change follows the previous removal of re-entry visas for those over 16 and is part of the government’s effort to make the system more user friendly.
Impact
The travel rights of non-European Economic Area (EEA) employees currently living in Ireland with their family members, including children under the age of 16, are affected as follows:
- They no longer need to apply for a re-entry visa for their minor children.
- Affected employees must carry sufficient evidence of their relationship to the minor child while travelling with them to allow for their exit and re-entry to Ireland.
- Employees who have recently applied for a re-entry visa for their children and are awaiting the issuance of the visa will not receive one. These applications will be returned to them, along with any original documents submitted with the application.
Looking ahead
This change is part of broader improvements to the immigration landscape in Ireland generally, including the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, expanded eligibility for certain visas and new provisions for non-EEA medical doctors. The government has also indicated that forthcoming changes will include an improved residence card booking system.
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].
