The Irish Residence Permit (IRP) is replacing the GNIB card. This new card format will be issued to candidates completing their immigration registration procedures in Ireland.
The IRP indicates the following:
- That a candidate’s permission to stay has been registered by the authorities.
- It indicates the type of residence permission that is to be held by the candidate.
This is not an Identity card. This is a registration certificate in the same manner that the GNIB card was. It must be carried at all times and is presentable to An Garda Síochána (police) if requested.
The IRP does not confer any capacity to travel to or live freely in other EU countries. All existing travel rules remain in place. It is incumbent on the card holder to ensure that they meet any visa / immigration requirements of the country or intended travel.
The card has many of the characteristics of the old GNIB card that it is replacing in terms of size and information that it contains. It has a photograph and a clear statement of the type of immigration permission that is held. Therefore, the holder of the IRP has exactly the same legal status as the holder of a GNIB card. Note: the IRP does not confer any new rights to entitlements. The obligations remain the same as previously was the case with the GNIB card.
The card attracts the same €300 government fee as was previously the case with the GNIB card.
Do not seek to replace your pre-existing GNIB card with the IRP until the GBNIB card falls for renewal.
Changes to the issuing process
The IRP card will issue following the same registration process that is already in place with appointments being made online.
Please note that the IRP will no longer issue to candidates on a same day basis as was previously the case in the larger registration offices. These will now be posted to the candidates’ addresses within 5 to 10 working days of the registration appointment. If the card has not been received within 10 working days, the registration office needs to be notified.
In immigration offices outside of Dublin the process remains as before in that the IRP will be issued to the candidate on their return to the immigration office at a time agreed with the immigration officer. This is because the process managing the production of the IRP is operated centrally.
INIS advises that any changes that need to be made to the card may be notified to them by email. Such changes are:
- Changes to home / post address
- Where an error has been identified on the card on its receipt.
- Changes to name / gender
Likely impacts of the change – Irish re-entry visas
For visa required nationals the change to the IRP issuing process will lengthen the lead time associated with applications for Irish re-entry visas. As all candidates now have to wait to receive their cards by post this will have an impact on the time required to obtain a re-entry visa. There are no visible changes to the advice given regarding the submission of papers therefore the presumption has to be made that a re-entry visa application would not ordinarily proceed in the absence of an IRP / certificate of registration: No IRP no re entry visa.
Actus Irish Immigration Services
Actus offers services in association with Irish Residence Permit registration and Irish Re-entry Visa applications. We also offer a full range of Irish employment permit application processing services, and general Irish immigration processing services. We would be delighted to assist.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact
Tom Ryan [email protected]
Ellis Mckechnie [email protected]
