Establishing the identity of non-EEA nationals1 entering the EU is often the first step in determining eligibility for visas, certain residence or visitor permissions and permissions associated with international protection statuses. Establishing identity is an EU-level policy priority as set out in both the European Agenda on Security (European Commission, 2015a) and the European Agenda on Migration (European Commission, 2015b).
No legal or overarching definition of ‘identity’ in the context of migration procedures exists in the majority of Member States. For the purposes of migration, identity is generally established by documents such as birth certificates, passports or other identity papers. Biometric identification refers to physical characteristics including fingerprints and digital facial images.
Any individual wishing to enter Ireland, whether visa required or not, is subject to immigration controls at ports of entry. All non-EEA (both visa required and non-visa required) nationals require permission to enter Ireland upon arrival.2 Visa required non-EEA nationals must apply for a visa to travel to Ireland. However, an Irish visa is a form of pre-entry clearance to travel to a point of entry to the State only (Quinn, 2011). In almost all cases a passport or travel document is required in order for a non-EEA national to be issued a visa, to register in the State and to access the territory at the border. Protection applicants are not required to have a passport or travel document to access the asylum procedure.
This study looks at the processes in place for establishing the identities of applicants for: short- and long-stay visas; residence and visitor permissions; international protection and permission to remain; and in relation to persons subject to a deportation order who have exhausted the asylum process. This study also looks at the process of establishing applicants’ identities at the point of access to the national territory
