Decision letters issued to overseas applicants since March 2019 are to have the period of recognition extended, NMBI has announced.

Decision letters are given to applicants trained outside Ireland who need to successfully complete a compensation measure before NMBI can recognise their qualifications. Many need to travel to Ireland to complete compensation measures such as aptitude tests.

“Under normal circumstances a decision letter is valid for 12 months from the date of issue,” says Nadia Dagash, Director of Registration at NMBI.

“We have taken the decision that due to the ongoing pandemic and the travel restrictions in place, the NMBI will consider all decision letters issued on or after 1 March 2019 valid until further communication is issued to applicants and stakeholders.”

The move by the NMBI has been recognised by the Department of Justice for visa purposes.

“All of our overseas applicants who had a decision letter issued to them from 1 March 2019 were emailed today and informed of the extension,” said Nadia Dagash.

“NMBI will keep the issue under active consideration, in line with developments related to the pandemic.

“However we have also decided today that due to these circumstances, we will give three months’ notice of any further changes to all those holding decision letters issues since March 2019.”

The decision does not apply to any decision letters issued prior to 1 March 2019.