Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1506. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice the status of an application by a person (details supplied) to the Afghan Admissions Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39849/22]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy has made an application to the Afghan Admission Programme, which was received by my Department on 9 March 2022. In total, my Department has received 528 applications under the Programme. Officials in my Department are currently processing all applications and expect to issue decisions in the coming months.
It is also important to note that all current immigration avenues remain open for new applications, including visa and family reunification applications. Many people are already availing of these other avenues, and will continue to do so. Since the beginning of August 2021, a total of 135 join family visas have been approved for Afghan nationals as well as 77 family reunification applications.
Further details in relation to the other avenues available and how to apply can be found on my Department's immigration website (www.irishimmigration.ie).
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.
