Minister McEntee issues first positive decisions under the Regularisation Scheme for Long-Term Undocumented Migrants.
- Approximately 5,000 applications have been made so far under the 2 strands of the regularisation scheme.
- First permission letters have issued to successful applicants in recent days.
- Minister encourages all those eligible to apply to do so.
Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has today announced that she has issued the first positive decisions under the Regularisation Scheme for Long-Term Undocumented Migrants, just two months after the Scheme opened for applications.
To date, approximately 5,000 applications have been made to the two strands of the Scheme – the main scheme for people in a long-term undocumented situation, and the international protection strand for people who have been in the asylum process for a minimum of 2 years. Around 250 positive decisions have been made under the two strands in recent days. Processing of all other applications remains ongoing.
Welcoming the positive start to the Scheme, Minister McEntee said,
“We’ve seen a very positive level of engagement with the Scheme since I opened it for applications at the end of January.
We committed to making the online application process as simple and as straightforward as possible and because of this we are now in a position to issue the first positive decisions just two months in.
Permission letters have started to arrive in homes across the country with life changing news for those receiving them and their families. I want to congratulate everyone who has received a letter and to thank them for trusting us and coming forward to regularise their position in the State.
This is just the start and we’ll see more decisions and permissions issuing in the coming weeks.”
The Minister also outlined her plans to encourage more people to apply;
“It’s very important that people who are eligible don’t miss out on the opportunity to apply to this Scheme. We want to build on this early momentum and continue raising awareness of the Scheme. My Department will run a targeted communications campaign in the coming weeks to reach out to migrant communities likely to benefit from the Scheme to encourage them to consider applying.
We are continuing to engage with the NGO community and other stakeholders who have played and will continue to play a key role in building confidence in the Scheme among the more vulnerable members of those migrant communities.
I hope seeing these first positive decisions issuing will encourage more people to apply for what is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity to regularise their status in the State.”
Minister McEntee encourages all undocumented migrants who are eligible to apply for the main scheme to do so before the closing date of 31 July 2022. Applications can be made online at https://inisonline.jahs.ie.
Further details regarding the qualifying criteria, the required documentation, and how to apply for the scheme are available on the Department’s immigration website at www.irishimmigration.ie/regularisation-of-long-term-undocumented-migrant-scheme.
International protection applicants who have an outstanding application for international protection and have been in the asylum process for a minimum of 2 years have a separate application process. The International Protection Office of the Department has written to approximately 4,000 potentially eligible applicants inviting them to apply. Over 1,300 people from this cohort have applied so far.
The International Protection strand of the Scheme is open for applications until 7 August 2022. Further information can be found on the website of the International Protection Office (Site Redirected) at: www.ipo.gov.ie/en/ipo/pages/whatsnew.
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