Immigration cards in Ireland increase by 50 per cent

Immigration cards in Ireland were substantially increased in price last week.  Before the change in price, an immigration ID card in Ireland cost about €100.  Now after the huge price increase cards costs about €150, a 50 per cent hike in cost.  The reason for the sudden hike in cost is that the Irish government has switched from the traditional ID card to new biometric immigration ID cards.

It is projected that the rise in the cost for the immigration card will raise an extra €20 million in additional revenues for Ireland.  So far about 1,500 people from around the European Union have been issued the new biometric ID cards.  Nearly 200 people each day are fingerprinted as part of the new biometric ID process. 

An immigration official who commented on the new rate for immigration ID cards said "Nobody has complained about the fee increase yet, either because many are unaware of it or don't want to bring trouble on themselves by asking too many questions.  Irish people would certainly complain if they were asked to pay such an amount."

Others feel that the prices increase will have negative effects on the country.  The chief executive officer of the Immigration Council of Ireland, Denise Charlton, said "I believe it will have a detrimental impact on the number of foreign students who travel here from countries such as China. They generate €900m a year and I think we should not do anything that makes it more expensive for non-EU nationals to reside and study in Ireland."

www.dcu.ie