Key Points
- The Department of Justice has unveiled a plan to simplify and digitize Ireland's immigration services in 2021
- The government's plan intends to expedite appointment scheduling and processing, form a new multi-lingual website, create a committee to ensure consistent Department of Justice decisions, and more
- The plan also aims to transition GNIB functions to the Department of Justice
- The Department of Justice will provide updates on its progress by mid-year and end of 2021
Overview
The Irish government has published actions it intends to take this year to continue improving Ireland's immigration system.
What are the Changes?
The government intends to:
- Create a new, multi-lingual website
- Emphasize quality and measure service levels
- Form a committee for consistent decision-making regarding Department of Justice decisions
- Provide a roadmap to transition immigration services online
Additionally, the plan will create a new online appointment system for faster processing of in-person immigration applications. The plan also calls for a transition of Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) functions to the Department of Justice. The transition may also create a transition of local registration offices.
What Should Employers and Applicants Know?
The Department of Justice's new plan strives to improve immigration services, including alleviating a backlog of citizenship applications and providing new pathways to regularize status for long-term undocumented foreign nationals and their dependents. The plan also aims to simplify Irish immigration processes.
Looking Ahead
The government's plan does not yet have an implementation date. The Department of Justice will provide updates on the plan's progress in mid-2021 and later at the end of the year.
Originally published 22 February 2021
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