What happens after you apply for international protection
After applying for international protection at Citywest Reception Centre you will be referred to IPAS for accommodation while you are in the screening procedure.
Asylum procedure pathway
At the end of screening, the International Protection Office (IPO) will decide and communicate your asylum procedure pathway for your application for international protection. Depending on your asylum procedure pathway, you may be required to reside in a designated IPAS accommodation centre, or you may have the option to reside in private accommodation if you have sufficient financial resources to do so.
Depending on your asylum procedure pathway, you may be required to reside in Citywest Reception Centre, or you may be offered accommodation in an IPAS dispersal accommodation centre and IPAS will arrange transport to take you to the centre.
If you are sent to an IPAS dispersal accommodation centre, you will stay here for a short period of time, approximately two weeks, while you are provided with orientation and support for new arrivals. You will then be transferred to an IPAS accommodation centre which can be anywhere in Ireland. IPAS will not consider requests for specific locations.
IPAS accommodation will continue to be available to you until your application for international protection has been completed unless accommodation is withdrawn due to serious breaches of the IPAS House Rules.
Vulnerability assessment
As part of the screening procedure, you will be offered a vulnerability assessment. The vulnerability assessment is done in accordance with the International Protection Act 2026 and is voluntary.
The Act defines a number of categories of vulnerability which include a person who is a minor; an unaccompanied minor; a person with a disability; an elderly person; a pregnant woman; a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex person; a single parent of a minor; a victim of trafficking in human beings, a person with a serious illness, a person with a mental disorder, and a person who has been subjected to torture, rape or other form of serious psychological, physical or sexual violence, victims of gender-based violence, of female genital mutilation, of child or forced marriage, or of violence committed with a sexual, gender, racist or religious motive.
The Vulnerability Assessment Programme is in place to assess special reception needs. Where a vulnerability is identified, the person is signposted to relevant services and the information is also used by IPAS to appropriately accommodate people. It is important to note that the majority of vulnerabilities can be addressed in all IPAS accommodation.
Transfer requests
Due to the high demand for accommodation, IPAS can only consider location transfer requests that involve a medical priority, or otherwise exceptional cases at this time.
To submit a transfer request on medical grounds, please see the IPAS Protocol for Medical Transfer Requests.
To submit a request for a special medical consideration, please see the IPAS Protocol for Requesting Additional Consideration on Medical Grounds.
Pregnancy related transfers and other special reception needs
For cases relating to transfers during pregnancy, centre managers should be notified of the pregnancy by the applicant. This is to ensure that the centre manager can consider the suitability of the current accommodation.
Where an applicant is currently residing in family accommodation and has notified the centre manager of their pregnancy, the centre manager must try to facilitate the family in their current location.
If the centre manager cannot facilitate the family (for example, ensuring there is enough space for a cot), the centre manager must notify IPAS as soon as possible and include the name(s), TRC number(s) and details of the case.
Families living together in IPAS accommodation
In some instances, families may become split between accommodation centres. You may request to be united with your family if you meet the eligibility criteria and both parties contact the IPAS Helpdesk ([email protected]) separately in writing requesting to be accommodated together.
The request must include the names, TRN numbers, current accommodation centres and relationship type for all eligible persons requesting to be re-unified.
Requesting accommodation at a future time
If you leave IPAS accommodation and/or choose to live in private accommodation and later require support from IPAS, you may apply for re-accommodation. Please contact [email protected] and include the name(s), TRC number(s), and full details of the request.
People who have not previously received an offer of accommodation from IPAS due to accommodation shortages should refer to the next paragraph.
People awaiting offers of accommodation by IPAS
For cases related to a person whom IPAS has been unable to accommodate due to the current accommodation shortages, please note the following:
IPAS is currently experiencing an acute accommodation shortage for single males who apply for international protection. As a result, we are regretfully unable to provide accommodation to everyone who makes an application for international protection at this time.
We are working to accommodate everyone as soon as possible. Contact details are taken when each person presents at the International Protection Office and they will be contacted as soon as accommodation becomes available.
Leaving IPAS accommodation
IPAS provides reception conditions for international protection applicants. If you have been granted international protection or a return decision, IPAS may withdraw your reception conditions.
Voluntary returns
If you have been refused international protection and exhausted the appeals process, or if you have no permission to be in the State, you can opt to voluntarily return to your home country before a deportation order is made.
Find out more about voluntary returns.
Granted international protection
If you have been granted refugee status, subsidiary protection status, or a permission to remain in Ireland, there are a range of supports available to you. These will help you to leave centres and begin the next chapter in your life..
People with status are entitled to live independently, work and find housing in the community.
Housing
The first challenge you will face is to find a new home. This may be in public (social) housing or in private, rented housing. IPAS operates a dedicated transition team, which works with various agencies on moving residents to independent housing. You will also be assigned a housing support worker by IPAS who will help you find a place to live and support your transition to housing in the community so that you can fully integrate into Irish society.
Social housing support
It is open to anyone to apply for social housing support. In order to qualify, the household must be deemed to be eligible for and in need for support before being placed on a social housing waiting list. You will only be considered for social housing if your household income is less than the threshold that applies in the local authority’s area. You must fill out an application form for local authority housing. Your housing support worker, local authority or local Citizens Information Centre can help you with this. Detailed information is available from the Housing Agency.
An easy-to-read guide to the completion of the application form is available in 26 languages.
If a household meets the eligibility and needs criteria, it qualifies for a range of social housing supports, including Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). The household is placed on the housing list to be considered for the allocation of suitable tenancies in accordance with the authority’s allocation scheme. Housing associations and housing co-operatives also have rules about who may be eligible for their housing
Private rented housing
If you do not qualify for social housing, you should look at renting in the private sector. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) oversees the private rental sector in Ireland. The RTE website explains the rights and responsibilities of tenants (you) and landlords. They also have a Good Landlord Tenant Guide which you can download.
You can also get information and advice from Threshold, the national housing charity.
More information is available in this detailed guidebook on independent living.
