‘Exceptional demand’ for immigration registration delaying international students

Newly arrived international third-level students say they are unable to secure immigration appointments to formalise their status in Ireland through the Government’s online portal, with the Immigration Service admitting availability is “extremely limited”.

Foreign students who arrived in the country in recent weeks, and planned to work part-time to fund their living costs, say delays in securing their Irish residence permit (IRP) are causing financial concerns, frustration and stress.

Florence Walsh, a student in energy engineering at the Atlantic Technological University in Galway who arrived in Ireland on September 4th, planned to find part-time work in hospitality as soon as she arrived and also hoped to return to California over Christmas. Unable to secure an appointment to register for her IRP card, Ms Walsh is relying on savings for living expenses and has accepted she will not make it home in December.

She signs every day into the portal, where she is told there are “no suitable appointment slots” available and is advised to sign in again the following day. She has also encountered a series of technical difficulties.

“It’s very frustrating. We’re not going to be deported but I’d really like to be able to work some hours legally. I took €10,000 out of my retirement savings to come here and was hoping I wouldn’t have to dip into it too much. Being able to work 20 hours a week wasn’t the reason I chose to study in Ireland, but it definitely made the idea of studying abroad more possible.”

International students applying for courses of more than eight months in the Republic must have access to at least €10,000 for their first year in the country and proof of that amount plus course fees for every subsequent year.

Ms Walsh, who completed her undergraduate degree in engineering in 2018 and is staying with her aunt outside Galway, is glad she came to Ireland but concerned she has not yet formally registered here.

Once she does secure an appointment, which she has been told by student services may be in late January or February, she must travel to Dublin’s Immigration Service Delivery office on Burgh Quay to complete the registration process. Before January 2025, international students outside the capital could complete the process at a local Garda station.

“Travelling to Dublin to register puts an enormous strain on students. The bus ride is over three hours so I’ll miss a whole day of classes.”

Ms Walsh says her fellow international students agree that the protracted and costly registration process makes them feel unwelcome.

Jonah Jean, a 21-year-old Canadian who arrived in Ireland on September 6th to complete the final year of his degree in mechanical engineering, has also dipped into his savings to pay for accommodation and utility bills. “The idea was I’d start working part-time as soon as I got here to get through the school year. It would have been nice to know about these delays sooner, I could have prepared differently.”

Muhammad Aftab, a student in business analytics who also arrived in Ireland in early September, is becoming concerned about his immigration status and the “persistent difficulties” he’s faced in securing an appointment.

In an email sent to students who have raised concerns about IRP registration, and seen by The Irish Times, the Irish Immigration Service acknowledged the registration office was experiencing “exceptionally high demand for first-time registration appointments” and that it was aware appointment availability was “extremely limited”. It told students that proof of a booked appointment gives a student temporary permission to remain in the State.

A Department of Justice spokeswoman told The Irish Times it was aware students were struggling to obtain appointments but any delays were due to the high demand rather than any technical difficulties.