Bernard Durkan
Question:1342. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice when a visa extension will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39437/21]
View answerTuesday, 27 July 2021
Questions (1342)
Written answers
The visa sticker issued for the application referred to by the Deputy had a validity period from 21 October 2020 to 21 April 2021. In the normal course of events, the person concerned could travel to Ireland between the dates of validity, including the first and last dates on the visa, and travel outside of these dates would not be permitted.
However, the travel restrictions and the measures introduced as part of the Government’s efforts to interrupt the transmission of COVID-19 has meant that travel may not be possible during this time and even if possible was not advisable unless absolutely essential. It is therefore open to the Visa Office to consider, on a case by case basis, issuing a new visa without the need to make another visa application.
If the individual concerned could not travel before the expiry of their current visa, they should send their passport to the Visa Office, Embassy or Honorary Consulate to which they would be submitting a new application and include:
- A cover letter explaining why the visa was not used;
- A letter from their employer stating employment is still available to them;
- Any other information which they would like the Visa Officer to take into account when deciding if a new visa will be issued without making a new application.
If the original Employment Permit (or Atypical Working Authorisation) has expired or is expiring soon then they will also need to submit a new Employment Permit or Atypical Working Authorisation.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), 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 is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.