What am I applying for?

Following an application for International Protection, you may be granted one of the following:

• Refugee Status
• Subsidiary Protection
• Permission to Remain

Refugee Status and Subsidiary Protection are what are known as International Protection Statuses. Permission to remain is a discretionary status.

What is International Protection?

International Protection is the protection granted by a government to someone who has left another country due to a well-founded fear of persecution (Refugee Status) or a risk of serious harm (Subsidiary Protection).

The video below (available in Arabic language here) explains who is eligible for refugee status, subsidiary protection, as well as permission to remain:

Refugee

A refugee is a person who is outside their country of origin/ country of former habitual residence, owing to a ‘well-founded fear of persecution’ linked to one or more of the below five grounds: ​

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• Race​
• Religion ​
• Political Opinion (can be imputed or by association)​
• Nationality​
• Membership of a Particular Social Group (e.g. gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc)​

Subsidiary Protection

If it is decided that you are not a refugee, you may qualify for subsidiary protection if there are substantial grounds for believing that you would face a real risk of suffering serious harm if returned to your country of origin/country of former habitual residence.

To be eligible for Subsidiary Protection a person needs to demonstrate that they face ‘serious harm’ in their country of origin, for instance:​

• Death penalty or execution​
• Torture or inhuman or degrading treatment​
• Serious threat to your life due to indiscriminate violence in international or internal armed conflict (war).​

Permission to Remain

Permission to Remain is granted by the Minister on humanitarian or other grounds.​

​Things that might be considered include:​

• family connections in Ireland​
• Humanitarian considerations​
• Length of time in Ireland ​
• Work ​
• Education​