Immigration Updates – 11th of March

General Updates

Ireland

New Residence Permit Card

From Tuesday 1 March 2022, a new version of the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card is being introduced for all non-EEA nationals who are registered to live, work or study in Ireland.

The new IRP card, which complies with updated EU common format specifications, includes the cardholder’s signature as well as additional security features.

The old version of the IRP cards (see example below) will remain valid until the expiry date that is printed on the card or until 31 May 2022, whichever is the later.

The date of 31 May 2022 is in line with the temporary extension of immigration permissions announced by the Minister during COVID-19.

Changes for Non-EEA Doctors

The Department of Justice is creating a new stamp category called Stamp 1H for doctors in HSE and HSE funded agencies (that is, the Section 38s/voluntary hospitals) and private hospitals. This includes those who have recently received a 2-year multi-site General Employment Permit.Spouses of these doctors who currently have a Stamp that does not allow them to engage in employment will be able to apply for a Stamp 1G as part of this new system, which will give them unlimited work rights.Doctors who complete 2 years’ service under Stamp 1H will then become eligible for a Stamp 4 support letter. A Stamp 4 offers the right to work without preconditions.

For doctors in HSE and HSE funded agencies (that is, the Section 38s/voluntary hospitals) and private hospitals on a General Employment Permit, but not a 2-year multi-site General Employment Permit, arrangements will be made to allow them to transition to a Stamp 1H in the coming months. Those who had already completed 24 months’ service in Ireland will be entitled to apply for a Stamp 4 support letter. It is estimated that up to 1,800 doctors are in this cohort. Their spouses will become eligible for Stamp 1G, allowing labour market access once the Stamp 4 is granted to the doctor.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will soon open an application process, from mid-March until the end of April only, for these doctors to apply for a Stamp 4 support letter. Once assessed the information will be electronically shared with the Department of Justice, who will then issue the Stamp 4, with a target date of completion by end May.

Doctors will in future only need to renew their permission annually instead of every 6 months.

United Kingdom

Effective 15 March 2022, Ukraine passport holders are no longer required to attend in-person appointments to submit fingerprints or facial verification before they travel to the UK.

Under the new application process passport holders will apply online and be granted 6 months’ leave to enter the UK outside of the rules, enabling them to work, study and claim benefits immediately. Once they have submitted biometric data in the UK, they will have their leave extended to 36 months.

This currently applies only to passports – not ID Cards. However, the Home Office says that this will be kept under review, in line with security advice.

In addition, the Ukraine Family Scheme has been extended to include aunts, uncles, nephew, nieces, cousins and in-laws (but not stepchildren, as yet).

COVID-19 Updates

Belgium

• Effective 11 March 2022:
  • It is no longer necessary to complete a Passenger Locator Form, unless travelling from a third country that is not in the EU white list.
  • Those who present a valid certificate of vaccination, recovery or test are no longer subject to testing or quarantine on arrival.
  • Belgian residents who do not have a valid certificate of vaccination, recovery or test and are travelling from dark red countries or non-white list third countries are subject to testing on day 1 after arrival.
  • Non-residents who do not have a valid certificate of vaccination, recovery or test are not permitted to enter.
  • Travellers arriving from countries with a variant of concern are subject to unchanged entry rules.
  • A ban on entry remains in place for non-essential travel by non-EU citizens residing in a third country that is not on the European Union’s white list, unless they have a vaccination or recovery certificate.
  • A ban on entry remains in place from countries or regions with a new variant of concern (very high-risk area with a variant of concern (VOC).

Greece

• Effective 15 March 2022, inbound travellers are no longer required to complete an electronic Passenger Locator Form (ePLF).

Hungary

• Effective 7 March 2022, all COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted.

Ireland

• Effective 6 March 2022:
  • Travellers to Ireland are not required to show proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative PCR test result upon arrival.
  • There are no post-arrival testing or quarantine requirements for travellers to Ireland.
  • Travellers to Ireland are no longer asked to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form.

Monaco

• Effective 7 March 2022, the country classification has been updated as follows:
  • Green Zone: European Union Member States, Angola, Andorra, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Canada, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Colombia, Comoros, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Vatican, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
  • Orange zone:  countries that are not classified in the green and red zones.
  • Red zone: NONE.
• Regardless of nationality, anyone (aged 16 or over) who wishes to enter Monaco from a country in the green zone must present one of the following documents:
  • A negative result of a PCR or antigen test dated within the last 24 hours.
  • Full vaccination:
    • For the “COVID-19 Janssen Vaccine” 28 days after the administration of one dose
    • For other vaccines, 7 days after the 2nd dose, or a single dose for those who have had COVID-19.
  • A certificate showing proof of recovery from COVID-19: a positive PCR test taken more than 11 days ago and within the last 6 months.
• Regardless of nationality, anyone (aged 16 or over) who wishes to enter Monaco from a country in the orange zone must present one of the following documents:
  • Full vaccination:
    • For the “COVID-19 Janssen Vaccine” 28 days after the administration of one dose
    • For other vaccines, 7 days after the 2nd dose, or a single dose for those who have had COVID-19.
  • A certificate showing proof of recovery from COVID-19: a positive PCR test taken more than 11 days ago and within the last 6 months.
  • If the person coming from an orange zone cannot present proof of vaccination or recovery, they must comply with the following requirements:
    • Have an essential purpose for travel (personal or family, a health reason relating to an emergency or a professional reason that cannot be postponed);
    • Present the negative result of a PCR or antigen test of less than 24 hours;
    • Either self-isolate for 7 days on arrival in Monaco; OR present the negative result of two new PCR tests, the first carried out within 24 hours of their arrival and the second carried out 5 to 7 days later.
• Regardless of nationality, anyone (aged 16 or over) who wishes to enter Monaco from a country in the red zone must present one of the following documents:
  • Full vaccination:
    • For the “COVID-19 Janssen Vaccine” 28 days after the administration of one dose
    • For other vaccines, 7 days after the 2nd dose, or a single dose for those who have had COVID-19.
  • If the person coming from a red zone cannot present proof of vaccination or recovery, they must comply with the following requirements:
    • Have an essential purpose for travel (personal or family, a health reason relating to an emergency or a professional reason that cannot be postponed);
    • Present the negative result of a PCR or antigen test of less than 24 hours;
    • Self-isolate for 10 days and present the result of a new PCR test at the end of the isolation period.

Poland

• Poland has reduced the quarantine period for incoming unvaccinated and unrecovered travellers.
• Arrivals from the EU, Schengen area and Turkey:
  • All travellers must present either proof of vaccination or recovery or a negative result of a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 48 hours before arrival.
    • Persons who fail to present proof of vaccination or recovery or a negative result will be required to undergo a 7-day quarantine but can end quarantine early by obtaining a negative result from a test carried out after 48 hours at the earliest.
• Arrivals from outside the EU, the Schengen area and Turkey:
  • All travellers must present proof of vaccination or recovery AND a negative result of a COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours before arrival.
    • Persons who fail to present proof of vaccination or recovery and a negative result will be required to undergo a 7-day quarantine and cannot end quarantine early.

Romania

• Effective 9 March 2022, COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted. Travellers can enter Romania without a green certificate showing proof of COVID-19 status and without quarantine.
• All passengers must still present a completed passenger locator form on arrival.