Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has announced another temporary extension of immigration and international-protection permissions, this time to 31 May, 2022.

The extension applies to permissions that are due to expire between 15 January and 31 May, and those that have already been extended by the previous eight temporary extensions since March 2020.

Minister McEntee said that the move would remove some of the “worry and stress” caused this Christmas by the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 situation, and the changing public-health guidelines.

“I want to reassure people whose immigration permissions are due to expire shortly that your legal status in the country will continue to be maintained,” the minister added.

The latest extension will benefit those who cannot get an appointment to register, or renew an existing permission.

New booking system

The Department of Justice is, however, encouraging anyone who needs to renew an existing permission, particularly Dublin-based customers who can do so online, to do so, and not to wait until May when demand will be very high.

The department also plans to introduce a new Freephone booking system in January, to help meet demand for first-time registration appointments in Dublin.

Further details of the system will be available on www.irishimmigration.ie when the service begins. A new online booking system will also be launched early in 2022.

High demand

The department says that people in the State who are entitled to receive a new Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card can continue to use their current expired card to depart from, and return to, Ireland until 15 January, 2022.

In another initiative aimed at tackling high demand for immigration services, Dublin-based customers who have a new passport, and who wish to renew an immigration permission, will be able to upload their passport bio-data page online, instead of attending the Registration Office in Burgh Quay.

This service will be available from today (17 December).