Stamp 4 - what are the benefits?

[Kay]

Hi there

Had to renew my GNIB card last week and was told I qualify for a stamp 4. I have been living in Ireland on work permits since 2002. In 2005/6 I went through very bad time and was very late in renewing my GNIB card. I simply forgot despite working in the same job and on a permit that time. Since then I always renewd on time and apparently had the right amount of months accrued.

What is the benefit of it? Is there one?

Thanks.

[agniukas]

If you have 60 months on stamp 1 covered by work permits, you can apply for long term residency. if successful, you would get stamp 4 for 5 years. no need to renew on an annual basis, and no more work permits needed, you would also be able to change your employer and start your own business if you wished so.

[9jeirean]

Hi there

Had to renew my GNIB card last week and was told I qualify for a stamp 4. I have been living in Ireland on work permits since 2002. In 2005/6 I went through very bad time and was very late in renewing my GNIB card. I simply forgot despite working in the same job and on a permit that time. Since then I always renewd on time and apparently had the right amount of months accrued.

What is the benefit of it? Is there one?

Thanks.

If you've been working on Stamp 1 since 2002, you've potentially got a few options open to you:

1st option ==> Stamp 4 for Workers on W/P for 5 yrs+

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Pr ... ar_workers

One of the major benefit is that unlike your previous stamp 1 on W/P, the stamp 4 in this case allows you to work for any employer, switch jobs and work in any job/occupation of your choice. 1 year duration and can be renew subject to conditions

2nd option ==> Long Term Residency (LTR) which Agniukas referred to up there

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Lo ... _Residency

As Above but valid for 5 years. Can be easily renewed for another 5 years. Added benefit of being able to set up own business if you want. Costs Eur500 + waiting period of up to 1 year at the moment

3rd option ==> Without Condition As To Time (WCATT)

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Wi ... dorsements

Same benefits As for LTR but no time limit (up to expiration of passport) can be easily renewed by post. Limited waiting period. No fee


My advice is if you have confirmed 8 years stamps on your passport, go for the WCATT (cost less and faster than LTR plus you get the added benefit of indefinite residency permits that allows you to work in any jobs/occupation and set up your own business if you want).

Lastly you may apply to naturalize if you are so inclined http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/In ... eaflet_No3



Good luck.

9j

[Kay]

Thansk guys so much.

I know of WCATT as I posted on here about this before. My immigration officer said you need to have 8 work permists - which I have. The problem is that over the 8 years I didnt always renew my GNIB in time (I didnt realise how important it was stupidly). She said she thinks I have to make up about 14 months over the 8 years so that means April next year.

She told me I have to write to get Reckonable Residency section to find out when I can apply for WCATT. She said I have no hope of ringing and finding out when I can apply, which seems ludicrous to me.

Anyone done this before.

Thanks again.

[9jeirean]

Thansk guys so much.

I know of WCATT as I posted on here about this before. My immigration officer said you need to have 8 work permists - which I have. The problem is that over the 8 years I didnt always renew my GNIB in time (I didnt realise how important it was stupidly). She said she thinks I have to make up about 14 months over the 8 years so that means April next year.

She told me I have to write to get Reckonable Residency section to find out when I can apply for WCATT. She said I have no hope of ringing and finding out when I can apply, which seems ludicrous to me.

Anyone done this before.

Thanks again.

Hi Kay,

Not sure there's any such thing as "reckonable residency section" in the INIS. Perhaps she was referring to main immigration section. Also to the best of my knowledge, you don't need any form of pre-approval to apply for WCATT.

Have you been registering/renewing your stamps at the same immigration office? If so, then your local immigration office/officer should be able to tell you exactly how many weeks/months of residency they have for you on their records. In any case, you can also do this yourself. All you need is to calculate how many weeks have been covered by stamps 1 in you passport i.e from the renewal date to expiry date of each stamp. If you can calculate up to 416 weeks in all. You may want to add about 2 weeks extra for errors. Once you are satisfied with this just, send you application highlighting each passport pages and the corresponding number of residency weeks e.g Page 4 - date covered = Jan 2010 to Dec 2010 - residency weeks =50 weeks etc. You might do it a tabular form.

Just one more thing, if you decide to go for the temporary 1year stamp 4 for now, you will have to wait until at least 6 months to the end of the new residency stamp before you can apply for WCATT as the rule is changing effective 1st December. So the IO might be right about April next year for eligibility for WCATT that is on the basis that you do not have enough reckonable weeks yet at the moment

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Wi ... dorsements



Good luck sis