Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
394. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the reason applicants for an Irish visa are requested to show bank statements of a person with whom they will be staying when they arrive in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45071/23]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that any non-EEA national intending to visit the State must show that they have access to sufficient finance to support them in Ireland; visa required nationals must provide documentary evidence of this finance when applying for a visa. If an applicant is paying for their own visit they must include an up-to-date bank statement with their application. In such a situation there is no need for any financial information to be provided from the person with whom they will be staying in Ireland.If however, a friend or family member in Ireland is acting as a sponsor for the visit the applicant must provide an estimate of how much the sponsor will spend (in Euro) and what they will pay for (if appropriate); for example, the cost of airline tickets. Acting as a sponsor means assuming certain responsibility for the friend/family member they are seeking to bring to visit Ireland.
In line with most visa services worldwide the sponsor must submit documentary evidence of their finances to show that they can afford these costs. Any person sponsoring a Type C short stay visa application must submit the following original documents:
• An up-to-date bank statement
• Their 3 most recent payslips
• Their most recent tax return document, for example in Ireland, an employment detail summary from Revenue
• A letter from their employer that confirms they are employed.
Further details on the documents required can be found at the following link:
www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-visit-ireland/how-to-apply-for-a-short-stay-c-visit-tourist-visa/
The central concern in deciding on visa applications, 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.
