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Immigration Act 2004
Presence in State of non-nationals.
5.—(1) No non-national may be in the State other than in accordance with the terms of any permission given to him or her before the passing of this Act, or a permission F17[given to him or her] after such passing, by or on behalf of the Minister.
(2) A non-national who is in the State in contravention of subsection (1) is for all purposes unlawfully present in the State.
(3) This section does not apply to—
(a) a person whose application for asylum under the Act of 1996 is under consideration by the Minister,
(b) a refugee who is the holder of a declaration (within the meaning of that Act) which is in force,
(c) a member of the family of a refugee to whom section 18(3)(a) of that Act applies, F18[…]
(d) a programme refugee within the meaning of section 24 of F19[that Act, or]
F20[(e) a person who has the right to remain in the State in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 202426 establishing a common procedure for international protection in the Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/463 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 February 202627 and Regulation (EU) 2026/464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 February 202628, and the International Protection Act 2026.]
Annotations
Amendments:
F17
Substituted (10.03.2016) by International Protection Act 2015 (66/2015), s. 81(c), S.I. No. 133 of 2016.
F18
Deleted (12.06.2026) by International Protection Act 2026 (9/2026), s. 303(d)(i), S.I. No. 244 of 2026.
F19
Substituted (12.06.2026) by International Protection Act 2026 (9/2026), s. 303(d)(ii), S.I. No. 244 of 2026.
F20
Inserted (12.06.2026) by International Protection Act 2026 (9/2026), s. 303(d)(iii), S.I. No. 244 of 2026.