By Chinedu Onyejelem

The Department of Justice is to embark on more innovative ways of registering immigrants following the introduction of its online appointment system in September.

In a statement to Metro Éireann, Justice said the decision to “make the system more user friendly” is “based on service user feedback” – and would result in the reduction and simplification of the number of registration categories and sub-categories currently available.

“It is hoped that by the end of 2017 the appointment confirmation slip will include a barcode which will allow service user to check themselves in for their appointment,” the department added. 

Plans are also under way to train staff at the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) office at Burgh Quay over the course of 2017. This training would cover cultural diversity, including the pronunciation of culturally specific names.

Meanwhile, Justice said the introduction of its new online appointments system has been “very positive” claiming some 29,000 appointments booked until the end of January 2017.

“The long queues that were synonymous with the office at this time of year are gone,” the department added. “In the past customers queued, sometimes for several hours, and in some cases may have had to wait for several more before their appointment. 

“The new system gives customers greater certainty about the time it will take to get registered.”

However, this has not been the experience of every service user, with some expressing fristration over difficulties in booking appointments on the INIS website, or with selecting “the date and a time that suits you” as promised.

Regarding these issues, a Justice spokesperson said the only way to ensure booking an appointment for a suitable date and time is “to book early – up to 10 weeks in advance of the expiration of their card for a date within two weeks of the expiry of their current GNIB card.”

Additional appointments are released daily by 2.30pm at the Burgh Quay office, and applicants are advised to check the website to be in a chance to secure these.

However, the department adds that “emergency situations are dealt with on a case-by-case basis” and any such enquiries should be forwarded by email to burghquayregoffice@justice.ie. So far more than 500 emergency appointments have been processed.