GNIB backlog preventing refugees from leaving direct provision

The queue for the Anglesea Street GNIB last October.

Migrants and refugees trying to get a Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) appointment to renew their Visas or obtain a GNIB card are facing long delays.

These delays have even prevented refugees who have been granted status to remain in Ireland from exiting the direct provision system.

Migrants outside Dublin go through the GNIB system, which has come under pressure in Cork city's Anglesea Street unit in recent years, with long queues forming and no appointment system in place.

In the wake of Covid-19, all of the GNIBs have operated on an appointment by email system.

However, when people apply for an appointment, they are told they will not receive an appointment for a few weeks, due to the backlog that has built up since lockdown. 

When people eventually receive an appointment date, their appointment is for another few weeks' time. 

Applicants are still unable to request specific appointment dates and times.

Denis and Elena are a couple from Russia who have been granted refugee status. 

They currently live in a direct provision centre in county Cork.

They say they received their refugee status quite quickly compared to other people living in direct provision. 

They got an interview a year after they applied, and a few weeks after that they got the recommendation. 

The couple received their status five months after that in March, just before the pandemic hit. 

They are waiting to get a GNIB card so they can exit the system and finally start building a life in Ireland.

When Denis and Elena arrived in Ireland, they were first placed in Mosney direct provision centre, which they say had good facilities and services.

"In Mosney there are separate little homes, so there are separate kitchens, bedrooms, you can cook yourself," Denis said through a translator. 

"In Mosney there was a points-based system where you could purchase food, there were also English classes, cooking classes, makeup and beauty courses. It's a big centre with supports."

Denis and Elena were then moved to Cork. They were given papers to sign at Mosney, but without the aid of a translator they didn't understand what exactly was happening, or that they were moving quite so far away.

"We were shocked when we got there. It was just like a hotel, it was one room we were staying in."

However, Denis said he and Elena weren't shocked when they were unable to leave direct provision straight away after they were granted status. 

We were talking to people, and there were some people living [in direct provision] for six to eight years. We were really shocked to hear kids were living there for their [entire childhood].

"We couldn't imagine having our children's lives spent going to the canteen and getting food, [then going back to the room]."

Denis said they knew they had to get a GNIB card to exit direct provision and avail of other services. 

They also expected the process to take a long time from listening to other people's experiences.

Their immigration officer is based in Midleton. "There's only one officer there, and sometimes he might be on holidays."

They received an appointment for April, but that was cancelled due to Covid. 

The Midleton office reopened on July 30, and the couple rang straight away to see if they could get an appointment. 

They were able to go to the station, give their details and get their photos taken, and are waiting for their cards to be issued. 

It has been 21 days of waiting, and the couple is worried they will have to spend a second lockdown living in direct provision. 

A woman from China, who wants to remain anonymous, said she is worried she will not be able to renew her visa on time.

She is heavily pregnant and due to give birth towards the end of August. 

Her visa expires in October, but she was hoping to renew it before the baby arrived, to take away some of the stress.

"I called their office on July 20. That's the first day they opened. 

"I was advised over the phone that day it will take the staff two or three weeks just to get an appointment through the email system.

"I asked if it would be possible to get an earlier appointment date, because I was 37 weeks pregnant, and wanted to limit my exposure to other people."

The woman said the person on the phone said there was nothing they could do, they only had an email system, and a random date or time would be given. 

"It's not really flexible."

"On July 21, I applied straight away through the email, with all my information. I didn't include that I was pregnant in that email. 

"On July 23, I called the immigration office again but could not get through to them. 

I left them a voicemail message, telling them I was hoping to get an appointment before my due date, I just wanted to get this done and out of the way. 

"Also I did not want to email them again, because they said not to email multiple times requesting an appointment. So that's why I called them."

She received an appointment a few weeks ago. 

"I got an appointment for a date at [the end of August], in the morning. I think they didn't get my request over the phone at all, because my delivery date is two days before my appointment. I will probably still be in hospital."

She rang the office straight away, but she couldn't get through to them again. She rang again later on in the day, and spoke to someone working there. 

"I explained my situation, that I would probably be in hospital, and I was told to relax, enjoy my pregnancy and the baby, and not to worry about getting my GNIB card registered."

She says while her visa expires in October, she is trying to get it sorted before the baby. 

In terms of reform, she says a centralised application system where you could choose a date and time, as well as more staff for the GNIB, would help. 

"They need more staff, they are so short-staffed. There's lots of work at the moment too, there's a backlog of six months [of applications]."

Covid has also impacted her life tragically. The woman could not travel back to China after her father died in March, and her mother cannot travel to Ireland to be with her when the baby is born. 

She did not want to tell me [my father was sick]. The only reason she told me was because I was so looking forward to them coming to Ireland to visit their grandchild in September, and I was [going to] book a ticket for them to fly over. She had to tell me then. 

"I wanted to go home straight away and stay for a few months to support her, but because of the pandemic she was worried about my health and the baby. 

"I don't know when I will see her. The last few months have been really hard."

She was hoping her mother could obtain a short stay visa for Ireland, which lasts for three months, to help her with the newborn as well as to grieve together.

"I cannot apply for a short stay visa because of Covid, they have been cancelled. 

"But also, I have to have a valid visa myself, in order to apply for my mother to come visit."

She is anxious to renew her visa soon, so if short-stay visas are allowed again if the spread of the virus stops, she will be able to apply for one for her mother, and hopefully be reunited.  

In a statement, the Garda Press Office said: "When an applicant has requested an appointment, they will be advised of an available appointment in due course.

"There are three teller positions at the Immigration Office at Anglesea Street, in order to comply with social distancing measures only two of these positions will be opened at any time.

"There has been a large number of applications received but work is ongoing to clear the backlog of those applicants awaiting an appointment."

The Garda Press office did not answer questions about whether appointments could be made based on extenuating circumstances, such as having to enter hospital, or in order for refugees to leave the direct provision system.