On Monday, January 31, a new scheme was launched allowing undocumented migrants to apply for legal residence in Ireland. The ‘Long-Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme’ has the potential to help thousands of immigrants and their families, including many members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The scheme is open to people who have been undocumented in Ireland for at least four years as of January 31, or three years in the case of families with children under 18. In order to apply, you must be undocumented in Ireland, meet the residence rules, have the documentation and identification needed, not be convicted of serious criminal offences, not be a threat to national security, and pay an application fee. 

Those eligible will have until July 31, 2022 to apply, and you can register as an individual or as a family. If registering as an individual, the application fee is €550, and if registering as a family, it is €700.

Although the criteria requires one to have been resident in Ireland for a continuous three or four year period depending on circumstances, there is a 90-day window built-in that would allow for someone to have left the State for valid reasons.

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, said to RTÉ: “We want to be as responsive as possible to people’s situations; understanding that it’s never straightforward.”

Our undocumented scheme is now open! It will give thousands of people who are already contributing so much to our country and communities the opportunity to come in from the legal shadows and regularise their status.

Find out more at https://t.co/An4XcLFZhJ pic.twitter.com/TloEfi8thp

— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) January 31, 2022

According to the Department of Justice, there are up to 17,000 undocumented people living in Ireland, up to 3,000 of whom are children. There is no telling how many of these are LGBTQ+ as countless flee their home countries seeking a better and more inclusive life.

At present, LGBTQ+ migrants in Direct Provision face very stressful experiences, and according to research conducted by the NXF, 50% report feeling excluded from Irish society, with 50% of respondents saying they experience poor mental health.

Ms McEntee added that this is a “once in a generation scheme”, with the ability to improve the lives of thousands who contribute to Irish society but do not have legal protections.

She further explained that the aim is to process applications as quickly as possible and hopefully offer results to some of the first people by the end of 2022.

Successful applicants will be allowed to access labour, and can begin their path to Irish citizenship. If an application is rejected, McEntee confirmed that there will be an appeals process, where the case will be independently reassessed.

Minister Helen McEntee says a new scheme to allow thousands of undocumented migrants and their families official permission to reside in Ireland is not an 'open-ended' one, and that people will need to fit certain criteria in order to apply | Read more: https://t.co/pULFwQsmZD pic.twitter.com/2QLLTwPRxv

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 31, 2022

The regularisation scheme is a positive step forward for undocumented migrants in Ireland, and many organisations have welcomed the news.

Brian Killoran, CEO of the Immigrant Council, said the scheme would “change the lives of thousands of people” and “allow them to come out of the shadows”. Although he said that it “doesn’t solve everything,” while also criticising the application fee among other things, he did add that it was a great first step.

Undocumented LGBTQ+ migrants who meet the requirements can apply for this scheme. You can find out more information here.