Ireland – COVID-19: Further Temporary Extension of Residency Permissions

Ireland–Further Temp Extension of Residency Permissions

Employers should note that if the expiry date of any of their employees’ Irish Residence Permits falls within the period of 20 May 2020 to 20 July 2020, the employees’ legal status in Ireland will be maintained. Employers should also be aware that employees whose permissions expired between 20 March 2020 and 20 May 2020, and were previously already automatically extended by two months, will again be extended by a further two months to maintain their legal status in Ireland. Also, the Burgh Quay Registration Office and all other local registration offices will remain closed.

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CONTACTS

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The Immigration Service Delivery has announced that the Burgh Quay Registration Office in Dublin and all other local registration offices in Ireland will remain temporarily closed and has further indicated they will only reopen if it is safe to do so.1  Consequently, residency permissions that are due to expire between 20 May 2020 and 20 July 2020, are automatically renewed for a period of two months, thereby maintaining the legal status of those with residency permissions expiring during this period.  This will also apply to those individuals whose residency permissions were already extended under the previous extension notice covering the period 20 March to 20 May 2020 (for prior coverage, see GMS Flash Alert 2020-108, 25 March 2020).  

WHY THIS MATTERS

Employers should note that if the expiry date of any of their employees’ Irish Residence Permits falls within the period of 20 May 2020 to 20 July 2020, the employees’ legal status in Ireland will be maintained.  Employers should also be aware that employees whose permissions expired between 20 March 2020 and 20 May 2020, and were previously already automatically extended by two months, will again be extended by a further two months to maintain their legal status in Ireland.  This should help alleviate any concerns and anxieties about what to do about non-European Economic Area (EEA) employees with soon-to-expire residency permissions.

Further Extension of Permissions and Continued Closure of Registration Offices

As a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Burgh Quay Registration Office and all other local registration offices had previously announced that they would be closing from 20 March 2020 to 20 May 2020.  However, these offices will now remain closed and will only reopen when it is safe to do so.  Therefore, it will not be possible for individuals to book

appointments or attend at either the Burgh Quay Registration Office or their local registration office.

When these offices reopen, priority will be given to those individuals seeking to register for the first time.  Those applicants for first-time registration who had previous appointments cancelled will have their appointments rescheduled automatically.  The Immigration Service Delivery is also considering alternative arrangements for the renewal of registrations.

As a result of this extension, all such permissions that are due to expire between 20 May 2020 and 20 July 2020, are automatically renewed for a period of two months.  This includes permissions that expired between 20 March 2020 and 20 May 2020, which were previously already extended for a period of two months as well as those on” short stay” visas.  This helps ensure that the legal status of individuals with valid residency permissions will be maintained.

These further extensions will apply to the same three categories as with the previous notice:

1.      Persons who hold a current valid permission (or a permission that has already been extended under the previous extension notice covering the period 20 March to 20 May 2020).

2.      Persons granted permission to land at a port of entry on condition they register at the Burgh Quay Office or their local registration office within three months but who have yet to do so.

3.      Those in the country with a short stay visa who have been granted permission to remain for less than three months and who may be unable to leave the country and return home due to uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

KPMG NOTE

Clients should be aware of these changes as it maintains the legal residency status of their current Non-European Economic Area (EEA) employees until further notice.

For advice on this changing situation, please contact your local qualified immigration counsel or the Corporate Immigration and Employment Law Team with KPMG in Ireland.

FOOTNOTE

1  See www.inis.gov.ie.

* Please note that KPMG LLP (U.S.) does not provide any immigration services.  However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.

 

The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in Ireland.

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GMS Flash Alert is a Global Mobility Services publication of the KPMG LLP Washington National Tax practice. The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee and does not provide services to clients. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm. The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

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