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UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN Ireland and their families will be able to apply for permission to reside in Ireland from today for the next six months.
The “once-in-a-generation” scheme is open to people who have been living here for at least four years without documentation, or three years if they have minor children.
Applicants will have to meet specific criteria. Spouses, civil partners or de facto partners and eligible children aged 18 to 23 years of the primary applicant are also eligible.
Successful applicants will be granted immigration permission and have their residency status regularised, meaning they have full access to the labour market in Ireland.
From there, they will be able to pursue Irish citizenship by naturalisation.
Online applications for the scheme will be accepted from 10:00am today for six months until 31 July, when the scheme will close. Applications can be made online.
In a press statement, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said: “I am delighted to now be able to open the once-in-a-generation scheme for long-term undocumented migrants and their family members living in Ireland. The scheme has been welcomed by those who have been contributing to our society for years but were seeking a way of regularising their status here in Ireland.
“I firmly believe this scheme will improve the lives of thousands of people across the country who contribute to our society, enrich our culture and work in our economy but unfortunately still live in the legal shadows,” McEntee said. “People come to Ireland to make a better life for themselves and their families and they can find themselves undocumented for many reasons.
“This scheme will provide an opportunity for those who meet its criteria to remain and reside in the State and to become part of mainstream Irish society rather than living on its margins.”
It is believed there could be as many as 17,000 undocumented immigrants in Ireland, including as many as 3,000 children, though there is no reliable data.
Family applications will incur a €700 fee to cover the cost of administration. Individuals will be charged €550.
Successful adult applicants will have to pay a further €300 when registering at their local immigration office.
All successful applicants over the age of 18 will be required to pay a fee of €300 when they are registering their permission at their local immigration office.
A specific scheme for asylum seekers be fee exempt at both application stage and at registration.
Those with an existing deportation order can apply, if they meet the minimum undocumented residence requirement.
Applicants must meet certain standards concerning good character and criminal records or behaviour and “not pose a threat to the State”. Having convictions for minor offences will not, by itself, result in disqualification.
People with expired student permissions will also be able to apply, if they meet the minimum undocumented residence requirement.
McEntee added: “People who are in an undocumented situation are burdened with a great deal of stress and uncertainty regarding their position in society. Unfortunately, they also may be more vulnerable to exploitation due to their precarious legal situation.
“In an effort to reach those migrant communities most likely to benefit from the scheme, my Department will engage in a targeted communications campaign during the six month application window,” she said. “The support of key organisations working directly with people and families who find themselves in these circumstances will also be crucial in encouraging people to come forward and participate in the scheme.”
Further details regarding the qualifying criteria, the required documentation, and how to apply for the scheme are available on the Department’s immigration website.
It’s freighting the amount of people that go missing in Ireland.
Yeah there’s truck loads of them!!!
I think it needs to be highlighted. There is a website set up.
Tinker
I like other family’s have a member missing. Your joke is immature and in bad taste.
The majority of children going missing are being found which indicates that it’s for attention which is taking away precious time with actual people that have gone missing for valid reasons. I agree that something needs to be done for family support or for the child in the community or at school, some how to prevent this.
Most of my jokes are immature and in bad taste.
I agree with Lisa. I was saying this myself a few months ago. We grew up in an era where we hardly heard any teenagers going missing, now we hear pretty much nearly 4 times a week. These teenagers need some lessons about society and this is life. Life is hard. You can’t just go off and leave your parents not knowing where you are, then the police putting in alot of resources to search for them, etc. I think the missing group has to start bringing talks and discussions into the secondary schools. So far, it is not working with only the parents. To hit the schools and teach them the impact it has on families, friends, etc when you go missing. I hope I don’t come across mean but the reality is they have to learn that life is hard and it does not come easy for anyone. We do the best we can.
Glen , I think you meant frightening .
This is the 2nd posting of a teenager/child missing today. Why are we hearing so much lately of kids going missing. As I said before in the article of the other teenager missing “Why are these kids going missing” is it attention seeking, do they require support, what is happening at home, in school, on social media. May be we should have something here like they have in other countries like “The big brother/sister support” There is just a lot in the media about kids going missing for a few hours to days. If it’s just attention seeking then they require a reality check but if it more then they should get the support they require.
Don’t know, don’t care. Wolf has been cried too many times.
Teenagers have always gone missing, it’s just easier to highlight and share information than it used to be.
How come RTE are not reporting this? what is real story not being said?
- Apologies Paul, – I scrolled down & saw the image in another article…
“There is currently no photograph available.”……???
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/information-sought-on-missing-teenagers-in-dublin-and-galway-1.2165402
Hopefully she will be found, safe & sound…
Looks a lot older than 15, and with that photo I would guess acts a lot older as well
She’s 15 Romanian. Does it take Columbo to join the dots?
We need community drop in centers where these kids can go to be safe and talk with an adult not related to them. Some however I suspect need a good kick up the backside . Where’s the shame the ” attention seekers”should be feeling when they come home.I worry the real victims won’t receive the help they need if this goes on too long.
Tv3e have been showing a very informative documentary on Roma lifestyle for past week. It’s on again this Thursday.
Roma and Romania are not the same thing. Some Romanians ate Roma. …not all of them. Roma are a unique group of people who are thought to have moved westward from India. They exist all over Europe.
Ate=are
have your say