Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 July 2016
48. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the eligibility of a person to apply for permission to remain here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23594/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy arrived in the State on 17/11/2010 and that their most recent permission to remain in the State, on the basis of student conditions, expired on 12/10/2015.
The person concerned married an Irish National on 17/12/2015 and subsequently made an application to INIS at the beginning of January 2016 for permission to remain in the State, as the spouse of an Irish National.
I understand that the person concerned did not respond to correspondence from INIS which issued mid January 2016 requesting documentation to support their application. It could not therefore be ascertained that this person was residing in the State with her Irish National spouse as part of a family unit. The application was subsequently deemed withdrawn, and the person concerned was notified by way of letter from INIS at beginning of June 2016. The person concerned, if still living in the State, should now contact INIS as a matter of urgency regarding their permission to remain.
I wish to refer the Deputy to his previous parliamentary question Ref. No. 16609/16, which was answered on 16 June 2016. The position remains unchanged.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
