Returns

Returns processes are in place for people who are not entitled to be in Ireland. These are different depending on an individual’s circumstance.

When someone has been refused international protection and exhausted the appeals process, or if they have no permission to be in the State, they can opt to voluntarily return to their home country before a deportation order is made. This does not apply to people involved in criminality.

More information can be found here.

If a person does not or cannot opt for voluntary return, they will be issued a deportation order.

A deportation order is a legal order to leave the State and remains on a person’s record permanently, unless revoked. This means they may not enter Ireland again in the future.

Someone issued with a deportation order can make a request to have it revoked if their circumstances have changed.

The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) enforce deportation orders. The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration work closely with GNIB to progress deportations.

Further information on deportation orders can be found here.

People from European Union (EU) countries, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are allowed to travel and live in these places as long as they follow the rules set out in the Free Movement Directive.

The Minister of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration can issue an order to restrict these rights on specific grounds, including where someone poses a threat to society. A re-entry ban of up to 10 years can be applied to prevent someone’s return to Ireland.

This is called an EU Removal order and is different to a deportation order.