Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 December 2013
128. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will arrange to have an application for a visa reviewed as a matter of urgency in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53301/13]
View answerThe visa application referred to by the Deputy was made by a person who wished to join their spouse in Ireland on a permanent basis. It was received in the Visa Office, Dublin on 27 June, 2013. Following full consideration, the Visa Officer decided to refuse the grant of the visa on 18 October, 2013. The decision to refuse was appealed on 24 October, 2013 and was upheld by an Appeals Officer on 14 November, 2013 and a letter providing the reasons for this was issued to the applicant.
The Visa Appeals Officer did not consider that the person concerned provided sufficient evidence of their relationship history with their spouse in Ireland. Such evidence is key to establishing to the satisfaction of the Appeals Officer the bona fides of the relationship. Furthermore, the Visa Appeals Officer deemed the evidence provided to demonstrate adequate levels of available finances to be insufficient. This increases the likelihood that the granting of a visa in this case could result in a cost to State funds or resources.
It is open to the person concerned to make a new application should she so wish. Where doing so, the applicant should be in a position to address the reasons for the refusal. Guidelines regarding the visa application procedure are available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service - www.inis.gov.ie.
Queries in relation to general immigration matters may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
