Ireland – Abolition of Re-entry Visa System
Ireland – Abolition of Re-entry Visa System
This report covers important changes to Ireland’s re-entry visa system that will facilitate mobility and reduce administrative burdens.
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The re-entry visa system has been abolished for adult visa-required nationals residing in Ireland with effect from 13 May 20191:
- Visa-required nationals who hold a valid Irish Resident Permit (“IRP”) or GNIB (Garda National Immigration Bureau) Card will no longer require a re-entry visa to leave and return to Ireland.
- Visa-required nationals who do not hold an IRP or GNIB card will continue to have a valid visa requirement to enable travel into and out of Ireland (this includes visa-required nationals who intend to reside in Ireland for more than 90 days but have not yet received their IRP).
WHY THIS MATTERS
Immigration counsel, global mobility professionals in charge of the travel requirements of their assignees, and travelers themselves, need to be aware of these changes. The changes to the re-entry visa system will remove the administrative burdens on adult visa-required nationals who typically have had to undergo a re-entry visa application prior to engaging in future travel outside of Ireland.
This should facilitate the mobility requirements for visa-required nationals who will no longer be required to wait for up to three months to receive their re-entry visa before they are in a position to leave and re-enter Ireland.
Abolition of Re-entry Visa System: Some Details
From 13 May 2019, visa required nationals who hold a valid IRP or GNIB card will no longer need a re-entry visa to travel and return to Ireland. Their IRP / GNIB cards and passports will be sufficient to prove to airlines and immigration officials that they have a right to travel to Ireland and are exempt from the requirement to hold a re-entry visa.
Visa-required nationals who do not hold an IRP or GNIB card will continue have a valid visa requirement.
Such individuals include:
- Minors: Under 16-year-olds will be required to hold a re-entry visa to travel into and out of Ireland while living in Ireland;
- Intending residents: Visa-required nationals who intend to reside in Ireland for more than 90 days should apply for a multiple-entry visa at the Irish embassy or consulate in their country of residence prior to travel in order to enable travel into and out of Ireland pending receipt of their IRP;
- Diplomats and accredited embassy staff: Such candidates must continue to hold a re-entry visa to enable travel into and out of Ireland;
- Stamp 6 Holders: As holders of Stamp 6 permission are not issued with IRPs, they must continue to apply for their re-entry visas to enable travel into and out of Ireland.
KPMG NOTE
Understanding these changes can facilitate effective planning for the future travel requirements of visa-required nationals accordingly.
It is important to note the new requirement for visa-required nationals to apply for a multiple-entry visa at the Irish embassy or consulate in their country of residence in order to enable their future travel pending receipt of their IRPs.
Affected parties should consult with their usual immigration counsel about this development or alternatively, contact the Corporate Immigration and Employment Law Team with KPMG in Ireland.
FOOTNOTE
1 See Notice 1: Notice 1 “Abolition of adult re-entry visas from 13 May 2019,” on the Department of Justice and Equality’s Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service website.
* Please note that KPMG LLP (U.S.) does not offer immigration services or labour law 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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