{"id":24957,"date":"2022-01-31T08:34:40","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T13:34:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24957"},"modified":"2022-01-31T08:34:44","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T13:34:44","slug":"long-term-undocumented-in-ireland-to-be-given-opportunity-to-regularize-status","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24957","title":{"rendered":"Long-Term Undocumented In Ireland To Be Given Opportunity To Regularize Status"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, said it will benefit thousands of people who live in Ireland and are part of communities <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thousands of undocumented migrants may have official permission to live in Ireland by the end of the year, as a scheme to regularize their status opens on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scheme allows long-term undocumented people the opportunity to regularize their status, meaning they have official access to the workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Described as a \u201conce in a generation\u201d scheme, it is expected to benefit up to 17,000 people, including 3,000 children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next six months, individuals who are undocumented can apply to regularize their status in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, said it will benefit thousands of people who live in Ireland and are part of communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany of them are working and paying taxes, their children are in our schools, and are part of our community,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe might not even know that they\u2019re (here) in an undocumented way. But they have been living with a cloud hanging over them and this will allow them to apply to regularize their status and to get on with their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor many of them, they haven\u2019t been able to return home to the countries that they\u2019re from, they haven\u2019t seen family in many, many years. I think this will open that up for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applicants will have to meet a particular set of criteria, including residing in Ireland for a four-year continuous period. However, the Fine Gael minister said that a period of 90 days has been built into the scheme that allows for an individual who left the state for a valid reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applicants with children will have to live in Ireland for three years, while asylum seekers will have to meet a two-year minimum period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scheme also accepts applications from people with expired student visas and those with pending deportation orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms McEntee said she hopes to have the applications finalized as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do hope by the end of the year moving into next year, we\u2019ll start to see some of the first people getting their positive positions,\u201d she told RTE Morning Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to move through it as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is an appeals process and it will be looked at by someone who hasn\u2019t looked at their initial application.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms McEntee added: \u201cEvery individual and their family will have to go through a vetting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf it transpires that you have a serious criminal conviction or if there is a reason that the gardai have laid out, that you shouldn\u2019t be successful, that will be taken into account.\u201d<\/p>\n

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