A new Frequently Asked Questions document about the impact of COVID-19 on Immigration and International Protection has also been published and you may read it in full here.
Below are a few points I have highlighted that affect the majority.
All immigration permissions such as work permit, student visas, etc will remain valid and, if applicable, will be extended according to the notice published on 20th March 2020. (The two-month extension is from the expiry date for permits expiring between 20th March 2020 and 20th May 2020. For example, a permit expiring on 29th March is extended to 2 months until 29th May.)
If you have been selected to volunteer or work for HSE when you are on a stamp that does not require permission to work: you can contact HSE in accordance with their 'Be on Call for Ireland' campaign If the HSE agrees that you qualify under this program, please provide INIS with written confirmation of the same and it can change your permission.
Stamp 2 holders (students) can work 40 hours per week during the COVID-19 crisis, this is conditional upon you completing your course online and your school/college offers this program. This constitutes a short-term and temporary step.
Students who were in employment and lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic may apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (You cannot under any circumstance become self-employed as a student in the State).
Stamp 1 holders may take up a job with another company, you must apply for your permission to be renewed and have documentary evidence that the COVID -19 epidemic has caused the business you previously worked in to stop trading.
The EU Treaty Rights Residence would automatically extend your card for two months but in the meantime, you must make the application for a permanent residency card (EU3) online. If you do not apply by now until 20th May 2020, no further extensions will be issued.
The intake of new residence card applications will continue to be approved by the EU Treaty Rights Division even though certain documents are lacking and applicants should explain why they cannot receive the document(s), but due to lack of documentation, no application will be closed or denied.
If the EU family member has lost their job during the length of the current COVID-19 crisis, it will not affect your current residency status until further notice, as long as both you and your EU citizen family member are still in accordance with the Directive.
If you have no permission to live in the State and provided that information collected by health and other State authorities is used in the national battle against COVID-19, the Department's Immigration Services do not require that State authorities collect or reveal information on the immigration status of any individual seeking access to critical health care or other public services
For Citizenship applicants who are absent from the State due to COVID-19 travel limitations or exclusion steps and/or temporary unemployment and/or collecting Pandemic Unemployment Payment, a realistic approach will be applied.
Individuals granted family reunification and can't travel during the time specified because of COVID-19 restrictions; this can be extended during the current crisis. Anyone in that position should contact the relevant unit.
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