Is the Digitalisation of the Residence Permit Procedure under Threat?
On 9 February 2024, a draft bill on amendments to the Act on Foreigners and certain other acts was published on the website of the Government Legislation Centre, which envisages revolutionary changes in the way applications for residence permits are submitted.
Among other things, the draft provides for the introduction of an obligation to submit the above-mentioned applications via an ICT system.
The first opinions of the provincial governors on the planned changes were made known at the beginning of last week. Most of them are negative – mainly because of the proposed change in the way applications are to be submitted.
The governors point out that the digitalisation will only affect the application procedure, while the authority will still have to process the case in writing. The influx of a greater number of applications – at a time when there is a shortage of new staff in the offices – will in practice lead to longer procedures.
The above opinions may herald the abandonment of the proposed digitalisation. As a result, however, the amendment to the law may prove to be less revolutionary than originally envisaged.