Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
561. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the provisions in place that would allow an Irish citizen to have his or her Russian partner move to Ireland if they have not been cohabiting for two years or more; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55520/13]
View answerThe criteria that apply to the consideration of an application for a visa for the purposes of family reunification from a de facto partner are set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification which I published on 31 December 2013. The document is available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (www.inis.gov.ie). The criteria which are in place to deter persons who are not in de facto relationships from using this means to unlawfully enter the State include a requirement that the partners must have existed in a relationship akin to marriage including cohabitation for 2 years prior to the application for family reunification. In the event that the partner does not meet the criteria for a de facto partner visa, there exists a variety of other immigration channels whereby a person may qualify for Irish residence in their own right as a worker, student or otherwise. A person may also apply for a short-stay visa, i.e., a period not exceeding 90 days.
It is open to a visa required national to make a visa application, for any purpose, the onus resting with the applicant to satisfy the Visa Officer as to why the visa should be granted. All information that the applicant wishes to have taken into consideration should be included where a visa application is submitted. Comprehensive information on the visa application process is available on the INIS website. It should be borne in mind however that the information contained on the website is intended to act as a guideline only. It does not limit the discretion of the Visa Officer in dealing with individual applications.
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.
