Early GNIB card renewal

I am a EU national but my wife is South African.
Been in Ireland for 6 years now (she is applying for her passport now).

We are going to Portugal for Xmas to visit my parents but the embassy require that your GNIB card be valid for at least 60 days after your return to Ireland. But her card will expire 30 days after returning from Portugal.
Added to that she is off to Taiwan for 3 months in a few days so she needs to apply for her Visa for Portugal now.

Has anyone had any experience with early renewal of their GNIB cards?
We would need to renew it 6 months early!!

foreigndub wrote:so you better phone gnib and ask them to clariy that instead of asking people here. good luck

This is a good place to start your enquiries. Getting though the GNIB helpline and getting the correct response is like winning a lottery somtimes.Of course, getting confirmation from DOJ/GNIB is the best option.

It would appear early renewal is a bit more difficult when dealing with the GNIB in Dublin- as apposed to a Garda down the country. I have family members who were given an extension of 3 months to cover the validity requirements for obtaining a visa. Otherwise, I don't think its possible to re-new early merely get an extension, if that makes any sense.