Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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154. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which a person (details supplied) can extend a temporary stamp 4 status until receiving an appointment. [16372/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person to whom the Deputy refers was granted, on 2 June 2020, a temporary permission of two months to reside in the State under Stamp 4 conditions. I have today announced that immigration permissions, due to expire between 20 July and 20 August 2020, will be automatically extended for one month. Therefore the person referred to will now have their permission automatically extended until 1 September 2020. This renewal is on the same basis as the existing permission, and the same conditions will continue to apply.

Stamp 4 conditions allow a person to take up employment; work in a profession, subject to conditions of the relevant professional or other bodies; establish and operate a business; and access state funds and services as determined by Government departments or agencies. The time period for which a Stamp 4 permission is granted is reckonable as residence when applying for citizenship by naturalisation.

While it is intended that this will be the final temporary extension of immigration permission, my Department will continue to keep the situation under active review as matters evolve in our national response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As I announced on 7 July 2020, the Registration Office in Burgh Quay, having been closed since 20 March due to COVID-19 restrictions, will reopen on 20 July in line with the Government Roadmap. Priority will be given initially to those who had their appointments for first time registrations cancelled when the Office closed. Such applicants will be contacted directly by Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) with a new appointment. Anyone who did not previously have an appointment but needs to register should contact Immigration Service Delivery by email and request an appointment. The email address is - burghquayregoffice@justice.ie.

The person referred to by the Deputy should therefore email the above address to obtain an appointment, setting out their details and forwarding a copy of their marriage certificate if they have not already done so.

My Department is providing regular updates on all immigration related matters on the Immigration Service website: .

A detailed Frequently Asked Questions document on the COVID-19 impact on immigration and international protection can also be found on the website. This document is also regularly updated. I would encourage all immigration applicants to refer to the website for up-to-date information.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.