Paul Nicholas Gogarty
Ceist:150 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the delays surrounding the spouse visa process for relatives of those who are working legally here. [12856/03]
Written Answers. - Visa Applications.
In general, non-EEA workers who are not required to have a visa to travel to the State may be joined by their families at any time.
In the case of non-EEA workers who require a visa to travel to the State, if they arrive under the work permit scheme they must be in employment in the State for 12 months and have been offered a contract for a further 12 months before they can be joined by their families. This 12 month waiting period has been reduced to three months in the case of certain high skilled workers. Workers who arrive under the working visa scheme, which was set up as a fast track recruitment scheme designed for designated sectors of the employment market where skill shortages are particularly acute, may be joined by their families after three months.
In the case of all immigrant workers, they must be in a position to support the family members in question without the need for those family members to have recourse to public funds or paid employment, unless of course the family member is admitted in their own right on the basis of a valid work permit or working visa. Where a visa required family member wishes to travel to the State to join the spouse, a visa must be obtained.