Justice minister Helen McEntee has again extended immigration and international protection permissions, this time to 20 January next year.

This is the fifth and longest extension to be granted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Minister for Justice Helen McEntee says it is expected to be the last.

The extension applies to permissions due to expire between 20 September and 20 January. It also applies to people whose permission to stay in Ireland was extended under previous notices.

Certainty

The minister said the move was aimed at providing certainty to anyone who already holds a valid permission.

“This gives you the necessary time to make arrangements with the Immigration Service in Dublin or An Garda Síochána outside Dublin to ensure that your registration is renewed in the normal way,” she said.

The measure covers three different categories of people:

• People holding a current valid permission, or a permission that has already been extended under previous announcements,
• People granted permission to land at a port of entry on condition they register at the Registration Office in Burgh Quay or their local AGS registration office within three months, but who have yet to do so,
• Those in the country on a short-stay visa who may be unable to return home due to uncertainties caused by the pandemic.

All renewals in the Dublin area are being processed online only since 20 July 2020. Renewals outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau through the garda station network.