The Department of Justice collected more than €71 million from issuing migrant registration cards in 2013, the highest total ever recorded.
Every year migrants in Ireland from outside of the EU and UK must pay a €300 fee for an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card.
The Migrants Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) estimate that the cost to produce and deliver the card is €20.50.
The amount of money the Department of Justice is collecting is rising as the number of non-European migrants has risen.
Some migrants are exempt from the IRP card. These including those under the age of 18, asylum seekers, refugees or are married to an Irish citizen or a family member of an EU citizen.
“Every year we have to pay €600 to get renewed. To live in Ireland is quite expensive.”
Lijie Shao came to Ireland more than 10 years ago as a student from China. She now works in Dublin City University.
When Ms Shao was a student, she got help from her parents to pay for her IRP card.
“We don’t have any choice, we have to pay that [€300 fee] otherwise we won’t be able to continue to study and we will become illegal here,” she said.
Ms Shao told Morning Ireland that between herself and her husband, who joined her here six years ago, the couple has spent over €5,000 on IRP cards.
“Every year we have to pay €600 to get renewed,” she added, “To live in Ireland is quite expensive.”
For a year when Ms Shao’s husband was unable to work, the couple didn’t pay insurance so that they could afford the €600 fee.
“We should be treated fairly,” Ms Shao said.
“[The IRP card fee] is not in proportion to any other documents here in Ireland.”
“For example, it is much higher than the passport and much much higher than the driver license,” Ms Shao added.
According to MRCI, the fee is also significantly higher than the equivalent card issued by other European countries. For example, in Austria the equivalent card costs €20, in Switzerland €42 and in Luxembourg €80. In Greece, the card costs €16.
The fee for the IRP card doubled in 2012 as an austerity measure.
Between 2013 and 2023, the IRP cards have generated €318 million in revenue.
However, MRCI say it cost the State just €22 million to process and deliver the cards.
In 2013, more than 66,500 cards were issued, bringing in nearly €20 million in fees.
Last year, over 236,000 cards were issued.
In a statement to Morning Ireland, the Department of Justice said: “The standard registration fee of €300 payable by an applicant is designed to reflect the effort and cost, above and beyond the cost of producing the card itself, in processing registrations.
“This includes, among other things, the significant staffing costs incurred by the Department and An Garda Síochána, the costs associated with the public offices at which the activity is carried out and the costs of information technology to deliver current services.
The statement continued: “It also reflects the significant technology and other costs associated with a major modernisation programme underway to improve the quality of services to all users.
“The Department is reviewing a wide range of aspects of the registration process and recently met with MRCI to discuss key issues in this field.”
The IRP card is a secure immigration document that includes biometric indicators designed to show the holder’s immigration status in Ireland. The card allows the holder to re-enter the country without applying for a re-entry visa when returning to Ireland after a short period abroad.
