Issuing residence permit cards sees State bag over €70m

Non-EEA migrants who require a visa to live, work, and/or study in Ireland pay a fee of €300 to either register or renew their residence permit cards.

More than €70m was made by the State last year to produce residence permit cards for non-European migrants living in Ireland.

This was an increase of 34%, compared to 2022, and is the highest total ever recorded by the department.

A total income of €71,012,700 was made by the Department of Justice last year, in respect of 236,709 residence permit cards that were issued in 2023.

Non-EEA migrants who require a visa to live, work, and/or study in Ireland pay a fee of €300 to either register or renew their residence permit cards.

However, the fair fees campaign by the Migrants Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) said it only costs the State €20.50 to produce and deliver each residence permit card.

It said the fee had doubled to €300 in 2012, as an “austerity measure”, and has not been reviewed since.

The group said Ireland’s fee is “much higher” than other European countries. In Greece, it costs €16 for a residence permit card, while it costs €20 in Austria and €80 in Luxembourg.

The spokesperson for the campaign group, Lijie Shao, said Justice Minister Helen McEntee had told them that the fee would be reviewed by March this year.

“Now, we are in May and still paying this exorbitant fee," Ms Shao said.

It’s having a huge negative impact on people’s lives

Kareshma Sookharry, who is originally from Mauritius and works as a catering assistant, said the cost of the residence permit cards “leaves us in a big hole financially". 

“It is always hard for me as a single mother to find any extra money for the Irish Residency Permit (IRP) card. There were times when we had to go without basics just to have money to pay the fee.

“I pay monthly rent of €1,300 on top of bills, food, childcare, medical expenses while also supporting my parents," she said.

The campaigns manager with MRCI, Neil Bruton, added that reducing these fees is “the right thing to do”. 

“[It] will show that Ireland values students, workers, and families who make their home here and contribute so much to our society,” Mr Bruton said.

“A review was promised months ago by the minister and people need action now.”