After the asylum process

Registering your immigration permission: 

After you receive your Ministerial letter confirming your status, you need make an appointment at your local GNIB office to register your permission.

If you live in Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Limerick, Meath or Wicklow you must phone 1800 800630 to book an appointment to register at Burgh Quay. If you live elsewhere, you must contact your local office.

You should receive your Irish Residence Permit after a week or two (times can vary). 

Work:

You no longer need your labour market access permit to work. You are permitted to work as a Stamp 4 holder and this is reflected on your GNIB card

Social Welfare: 

If you require social welfare support, you should apply for a relevant payment as soon as possible at your local Intreo Office (e.g jobseekers allowance, disability allowance etc). You are no longer entitled to the daily expenses allowance and this might be stopped suddenly. 

Other Right and Entitlements 

Access to travel documents, family reunification and citizenship will vary depending on what status you are granted: refugee status, subsidiary protection or permission to remain. 

To find out more please check out This page

For more details on family reunification and how to apply please check out this page 

Leaving IPAS Accommodation: 

Can I get help to pay rent?

Yes, depending on your income.

If you earn under a certain amount of money per year, you should be eligible for a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). 

HAP is a way the government can help you to pay rent.

Before you become eligible for HAP, you will have to make a Social Housing Application to your local Council and wait for it to be approved. 

What is the maximum I can earn?

If you are receiving a social welfare payment such as jobseekers allowance or, if you are earning under a certain amount of money per year, you should be able to apply for social housing and therefore, be eligible for HAP.

The income limit will depend on where you live and your family size.

To give an example: If you are a single person living in Dublin, you must earn less than 40'000 euro per year (after tax) to be eligible. 

To find your income limit, please check this table 

Please be aware, you cannot start a social housing application if you have no income. If you are not working, you will need to apply for a social welfare payment such as jobseekers allowance, disability allowance etc

Step 1: Applying for Social Housing 

You will apply for social housing to your local Council. 

What is my local Council?

Find your local council here: https://www.housingagency.ie/!nd-my-local-authority

You must have a local connection to the Council to apply there. 

What is a local connection?

Usually your local Council is the Council you are currently living in.

You can also get a local connection through: Employment, education, medical needs, or family living in the area.

Please do not apply for social housing to a council you have no local connection to. 

How do I apply for social housing?

You will need to print and complete an application form and gather supporting documents. You can find the application from on the Council's website.

The Dublin City Council form is here

When you were granted status, you should have received a letter informing you of your housing caseworker who can support you. Housing caseworkers usually work for housing charities such Peter Mcverry and Depaul. You can ask your housing caseworker for help. 

You can also contact our office for advice. Please email [email protected] 

How long will it take for my social housing application to be approved?

This depends on the Council. 

DCC can take up to 6 months. Most other councils should be faster. 

When your social housing application has been approved, your name will be added to a waiting list of social housing and you become eligible for HAP.

Step 2: Finding somewhere to rent

Finding somewhere to rent (especially within the HAP limits) in Ireland is extremely difficult but it is possible.   

Example email to send to landlord

Step 3: Complete HAP paperwork

You should request the (homeless) HAP paperwork from your Council, after your social housing application is approved. 

You will complete Section A and send it to the Council

Your Landlord will complete Section B and send it to the Council. 

If you need advice on completing the HAP paperwork, please email [email protected]

The overall amount you will receive depends on where you apply for HAP. 

HAP contracts are usually for 2 years minimum. It can be very difficult to move out before the contract finishes. 

What is Homeless HAP?

Only if you are moving out of IPAS accommodation or homeless services, you are entitled to homeless HAP. If you are staying with friends for instance, you are not entitled. In this case you will be entitled to regular HAP.

There are extra benefits to homeless HAP:

The Council will pay your deposit + 1 or 2 months rent paid upfront.

With regular HAP you do not receive receive these extra benefits.

How much Homeless HAP (HHAP) am I entitled to?

It can be difficult to calculate how much HHAP you will be entitled to.

But it is very important that you do this correctly. You need to understand your budget in order to find a tenancy you can afford.  

The amount HHAP you will receive depends on various factors:

1. if you want to find shared accommodation or rent your own place
2. the size of your family 
3. where your tenancy is

HHAP rates in Dublin:

However, if you are living in Dublin, your council should offer you an additional 50% on top of the normal HAP rate (in the chart above).

Below is an example for a single person living in Dublin:

50% of 1,215 = 607.5

1,215 + 607.5 = 1,822.5

The final HHAP total should be 1,822.5 per month.

You can also add 15% of your income to this total. 

HHAP rates outside of Dublin

The rate changes depending on the council, some examples above. 

Outside of Dublin, your council should offer you an additional 20% on top of the normal HAP rate (in the chart above).

Below is an example for a single person living in Cork city:

20% of 550 = 110

550 + 110 = 660

The final HHAP total should be 660 per month

You can also add 15% of your income to this total. 

Can I rent anywhere in Ireland?

Yes, you will be able to rent anywhere in the country.

For example, if you applied for social housing in Galway City Council. You will be able to rent (with HAP support) in Galway, Dublin or anywhere else in country.

Once you are on a social housing list, you can get HAP in any county.

You submit the HAP paperwork to the Council where you are on the list.

You will get the HAP rate for the county where you are moving to (but you only get the higher rate of Dublin HHAP if you are on a Dublin housing list).