The Department of Justice and Equality published the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Immigration in Ireland: Annual Review 2015 which includes figures on immigration-related processing activity in Ireland during 2015.
Key figures for 2015*
Registration of permission to remain in the State
- The number of non-EEA nationals with permission to remain in the State (for longer than 90 days) was approximately 96,000 in 2015 (an increase of 1,000 compared to 2014).
- Top 5 registered nationalities were from:
- Brazil (16%)
- India (11%)
- China (9%)
- USA (7%)
- Pakistan (6%)
Visa applications
- In 2015, approximately 115,700 entry visa applications were received, an increase of 14% on 2014 figures. The approval rate for applications received in 2015 was 91%.
- Top 5 nationalities of visa applicants were:
- India (17%)
- China (12%)
- Russia (10%)
- Pakistan (7%)
- Nigeria (5%)
Citizenship
- 13,570 citizenship certificates were issued in 2015.
- Top 5 nationalities awarded citizenship were:
- India (12%)
- Nigeria (10%)
- Philippines (9%)
- Poland (8%)
- Romania (7%)
International Protection and Asylum
- Provisional figures show that 3,276 new applications for asylum were received in 2015 compared to 1,444 in 2014, an increase of 127%.
- Approximately 4,696 persons seeking international protection were accommodated in direct provision centres in Ireland in 2015, an increase of 7.6% compared with 2014.
Return
- Approximately 3,790 people were deported/removed from the State in 2015 including:
- 3,451 persons refused entry into Ireland at ports of entry and returned to the place from where they had come.
- 251 unsuccessful asylum applicants and irregular migrants who were deported.
- 19 asylum seekers transferred under the Dublin Regulation to the EU Member State in which they first applied for asylum.
- 69 EU nationals returned to their countries of origin on foot of an EU Removal Order.
- 132 people returned voluntarily of which 110 were assisted by the International Organization for Migration.
Immigration data sharing with the UK
- The details of over 100,000 Irish visa applicants were cross-checked against UK records in 2015.
Department of Justice and Equality stated priorities for 2016:
- Complete the civilisation of the border control at Dublin Airport.
- Transfer the registration functions of the Garda National Immigration Bureau at Burgh Quay to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service.
- Evaluate the Immigrant Investor Programme.
- Review and update procedures and systems at ports of entry to take into account developments at EU level.
- Work with the UK authorities to enhance the security of the common travel area taking into account developments at EU level.
- Work with EU partners to provide solutions to the EU migration situation.
- Implement the recommendations of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process including the Direct Provision System.
- Prepare the Single Protection Procedure as set out in the International Protection Act 2015 including provisions to reduce the length of time to process international protection applications.
For further information:
See: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Immigration in Ireland: Annual Review 2015
* Figures are provisional
