Ireland: Efforts to Reduce Residence Permissions Backlogs

Key Points  

• Ireland announced plans to explore reducing visa renewal backlogs of residence permissions 

Overview  

The Irish government notified employers regarding renewals of residence permissions in Galway. Due to the large volume of applications, the Galway Immigration Office is currently facing a significant backlog, with no appointments available before April 2025. 

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (ISD) and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) are actively working on a solution to address these delays. 

As an interim measure, if an employee’s Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card expires and they are unable to obtain a new card before its expiry, they are allowed to remain in the country under the conditions of their current IRP card, including access to the labor market. This is contingent on the employee proving that they have applied for and secured an appointment at the Galway immigration office before their IRP card expires, even if they plan to change the stamp category. 

The Galway immigration office will confirm all appointments by email. 

Looking Ahead 

Continue to check the Irish government’s website and Envoy Global’s website for the latest updates and information.