Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 July 2022
664. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice the plans to speed up the processing of appeals in the join family visa section of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39228/22]
View answerDecisions regarding the granting or refusal of visa appeals are made in a number of Visa Offices overseas and in my Department's Dublin Visa Office.
All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they feel is necessary. Guidelines in this regard are posted on my Department's immigration website (www.irishimmigration.ie). Applicants that follow these guidelines have an improved prospect of receiving a positive decision at first instance.
In order to be fair to all applicants, appeals are processed in the order in which they are received. The processing time at each office and location worldwide is determined by a number of factors such as the volume and complexity of appeals, whether investigation is required or not, individual circumstances, peak application periods, seasonal factors, and the resources available. While every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, processing times inevitably vary as a result.
The Deputy can be assured that every effort is made to keep processing times to a minimum, and a number of measures have been put in place to deal with the increased demand for visas to come to Ireland. This has included the streamlining of visa processes where possible. The position in this regard is being kept under review.
The central concern in deciding on visa applications and appeals, as with all visa services worldwide, is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime while at the same time facilitating travel for those who meet the criteria. Each visa application and appeal is therefore decided on its own merits taking all factors into account.
