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Visa Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 April 2014

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Questions (501)

Noel Harrington

Question:

501. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 439 and 464 of 8 April 2014 that he is stating that there is no statutory instrument, guidelines, rules, or written instructions that the deciding officer must operate under in requesting personal information from the applicant and or host in assessing applicants for visitor visas; his views that he should introduce a statutory instrument or at least written guidelines in the interests of good governance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18071/14]

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Written answers

While it is the case that there is no separate statutory instrument setting out the visa decision-making process, I can assure the Deputy that visa officers assess visa applications having regard to detailed administrative guidelines.

Key elements of those guidelines are available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (www.inis.gov.ie). For example, the list of documentation normally required in support of each visa type is set out with, of course, the rider that there is no one set of documents that will guarantee the approval of an application. The key issues that the visa officer will assess are also set out and include, for example, whether the applicant, or the applicant's sponsor (where relevant) has sufficient money to support and accommodate the applicant without recourse to public funds or resources. It is made clear that the burden of proof is at all times on the applicant.

A visa officer may, when examining an application accompanied by insufficient documentation, request such personal information from an applicant and /or host as would allow the officer to make a fully informed decision on the application. This procedure is to the benefit of the applicant as their application would otherwise be refused. As previously advised, applicants are forewarned of the possibility of further information being requested by the wording of the declaration that they sign as part of the application process.

Any documentation provided for the purposes of a visa application is treated in complete confidence and is subject to the provisions and safeguards of the Data Protection Acts.

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