The process to renew a work visa in Ireland changed from when I first moved here. The first year I went to the GNIB office, took a number and waited. Since then they started to require people to register for an appointment through a website. This is an efficient way to do it, except for it needs to be done well in advance. So, when I went to the website in mid-April to renew my work visa that expired June 26th I was surprised to see that there were no dates available in May or June.

The first available date was July 2nd when I would be on vacation. So, I called the number on the website to ask if it would be an issue to get the renewal done in July after I return from my trip. She sent me to another number. The second person, with a very thick Irish accent gave me an email address to contact.

ready for takeoff

 

I emailed: burghquayregoffice@justice.ie

 Hi,

I am on the website to renew my visa, which expires on June 26th. But the earliest date I can find to schedule an appointment is July 2nd If I renew my visa after it expires, is that going to be an issue? Or, is there any way I could get an appointment sometimes in June before it expires?

Please note that I will also be traveling during this time, and don’t want to have any issues getting back into the country.

 

Almost immediately, I received a reply to the first email.

Dear Milo Denison,

Please attend at the Burgh Quay Registration office at your scheduled time.

Samuel G Gallagher

 

My reply to him:

Hi Samuel,

Are you replying to my email? This didn’t actually answer the question at all.

  • Will it be an issue to renew my visa after the expiry date?
  • Will I have an issues getting through immigration if my work visa renewal is scheduled after the expired date.

 

At the same time, I emailed: reentryqueries@justice.ie

I am on the website to renew my visa, which expires on June 26th. But the earliest date I can find to schedule an appointment is July 2nd. I will also be traveling during this time, and don’t want to have any issues getting back into the country. Will this be an issue getting through immigration is my renewal date is scheduled after the expire date?

 

Who replied saying:

For information on Registration please send your query to:

Burghquayregoffice@justice.ie

 

My reply:

 I’ve already emailed them.

My inquiry to you is, will there be any issue if I am traveling back to Ireland on July 9th, if my origonal work visa is expired on June 26th? Or would I simply be on a standard travel visa entry at that point?

Thanks,

 

I received two replies at the same time. The first was:

What nationality are you? and when does your Immigration stamp in your

Passport and your IRP card expire.

Kind Regards,

 

And the second was:

Can you please direct your query, as previously advised to

burghquayregoffice@justice.ie, since it does not relate to Re-entry Visas.

 

I replied to the first one:

I’m from the United States. It expires on June 26th. But, I can’t get an

appointment to renew it until after that. So, when I travel back to

Ireland, in that two week period after it expires but before my renewal

appointment, as I pass through customs will there be any problem with Irish

immigration. I would assume they would treat me as a standard tourist

coming from the US. But I want to confirm that.

 

And they sent me this:

 

As US citizens are neither Entry visa / Re-entry visa required for Ireland,

you need to talk to Immigration. The query line is

Burghquayregoffice@justice.ie

 

Who, were the ones who told me to attend my appointment, even though I didn’t have one scheduled.

 

I emailed burghquayregoffice@justice.ie again

Thinking that maybe it was the way I phrased the question that they didn’t understand.

My current work visa expires on June 26th. But the earliest date I can find to schedule an appointment is July 2nd through your website. I will be traveling on this date and out of the country. If I renew my visa after it expires, is that going to be an issue? Or, is there any way I could get an appointment sometimes in June before it expires? Or, if I travel while it is expired, will I have any issue getting back into the country from the US, if my appointment is scheduled after I return.

  1. Is there a way to get an earlier appointment, since nothing is available through your website?
  2. Or if not, will it be an issue to renew my visa after the expiry date?
  3. Will I have an issue getting through immigration if my work visa renewal is scheduled after the expired date?

 

I then was told to email  bmu@justice.ie, which I did and received this response.

 

   The question of entry for any individual, visa or non-visa required, is

   determined by the Immigration Officer at the time of the individual

   seeking leave to enter the State. All relevant factors are taken into

   account with the principal ones being: the purpose of the visit or stay,

   the duration of stay, the ability of the individual to support

   themselves during their stay, and proof that the person will exit the

   country on or before the expiry of any permission given. Each

   application for entry to the State is assessed on its own merits.

 

   Furthermore, a permission issued by an Immigration Officer on a previous

   visit lapses once an individual leaves the State. Therefore it is

   advisable to carry any relevant documentation with you for presentation

   to the Immigration Officer on arrival in Ireland, even if you are

   returning following a previous visit.

 

   It may be noted that the powers granted to an Irish Immigration Officer

   are not unfettered. The Immigration Act 2004 provides for the grounds on

   which an individual may be granted or refused leave to land at a port of

   entry

 

   It is advise to bring all relevant documents with you upon you’re return

   to Ireland.

 

   Kind regards,

   ICO Cosgrave,

Border Management unit,

Dublin Airport.

 

Basically what they are saying is, if I get a nice immigration officer at the airport it wouldn’t be a problem, but if I get a jerk of one, it might be an issue getting through. Good policy?!?!?! In the end I gave up and booked an appointment for a month after it expired hoping that if I had the appointment confirmation document with me it wouldn’t be  an issue.

Just to be clear on this, I am sure that people in the US, UK, or any other country have similar issues when dealing with government agencies.  And honestly, I wouldn’t even think of it as an issue, if it weren’t for the travel.

So what happened?

I went through the line with a copy of my scheduled appointment, GNIB card, and ready to tell the story of the emails and why I hadn’t scheduled it sooner and the person working didn’t even ask. All he asked was where I was living and if my stamp 4 was for work purposes. He didn’t mention the expire date and possibly didn’t even look. A lot of back and forth emails for nothing in the end.