Ireland plans 3-year wait for refugee family reunification

LONDON

People who are granted refugee status in Ireland will have to wait three years before they can bring close family members to join them, under planned changes to immigration law.

The new rules would affect relatives, including spouses and children, The Irish Times reported on Monday.

On Tuesday, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan is due to brief the Cabinet on the bill, which is designed to overhaul Ireland’s asylum system ahead of EU-wide rules that are due to come into force in June.

Last November, the government indicated it planned to tighten family reunification rules for refugees.

At that time, it said the ability to bring family members to Ireland could be restricted if refugees were not financially self-sufficient, if they had been receiving certain social welfare payments, or if they owed money to the state.

However, O’Callaghan is now expected to outline further restrictions. These include a general waiting period of three years for adult refugees before they can apply for family reunification. This waiting period would also apply to immediate family members.