The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service is part of the
civil service of the Republic of Ireland
The Civil Service ( ga, An Státseirbhís) of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the departments of state and certain state agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, t ...
. It serves as an
executive agency
An executive agency is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate, to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government or Nort ...
of the
Department of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
.
Overview
The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) was established in 2005 in order to provide a ‘one stop shop’ in relation to
asylum,
immigration
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, a ...
,
citizenship
Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection".
Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
and
visas.
INIS is responsible for administering the administrative functions of the
Minister for Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry.
Lists of current ministries of justice
Named "Ministry"
* Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia)
* Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan)
* Ministry of Just ...
in relation to asylum, immigration (including visas) and citizenship matters. The INIS also facilitates a whole of government approach to immigration and asylum issues which enables a more efficient service to be provided in these areas. It also works with the
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment ( ga, An Roinn Fiontar, Trádála agus Fostaíochta) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment who is assisted by two Ministe ...
on the issuing of work permits.
Structure
The Service is structured around a number of key areas – asylum, visa, immigration and citizenship processing, asylum and immigration policy,
repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a thing or a person to its country of origin or citizenship. The term may refer to non-human entities, such as converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country, as well as to the pro ...
, and reception and integration. The agency also maintains close contact with the
Garda National Immigration Bureau
The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB; Irish: ''Biúró Náisiúnta an Gharda Síochána um Inimirce'') is a unit of the Garda Síochána, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. It was formed in May 2000, and is responsible for the en ...
in relation to many aspects of its work including, deportations and illegal immigration. Members of the
Garda Síochána of Detective rank, also carrying the seal of Immigration Officers operate on a full-time basis within the head office in Burgh Quay. A Garda Immigration office is also maintained at all Airports and main ports and at all Garda District Headquarters outside the Dublin Region.
Previously the responsibilities were shared between the
Department of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
and the
Department of Foreign Affairs, of the
Civil service of the Republic of Ireland
The Civil Service ( ga, An Státseirbhís) of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the departments of state and certain state agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, t ...
. It is located at 13/14 Burgh Quay,
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...
2,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
.
References
External links
*
Government agencies of the Republic of Ireland
Immigration services
Immigration to the Republic of Ireland
Department of Justice (Ireland)
{{Ireland-gov-stub