Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 July 2020
592. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a C visa will be granted on compassionate grounds to a person (details supplied) in view of the fact that the short stay visa system remains closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. [17090/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraVisa Offices have temporarily suspended the processing of all non-priority short stay visa applications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A limited resumption of visa services was commenced from 22 June 2020. During this initial resumption phase, the Immigration Service has only been accepting Long Stay “D” visa applications, including Study, as well as those identified under its current criteria as Emergency/Priority visas. It remains the position that short stay visas are not being issued for non-essential travel.
The current criteria for Emergency/Priority visas is as follows:
- Emergency visa (e.g. Healthcare professionals, health researchers, and elderly care professionals);
- Immediate family members of Irish citizens (who are returning to their ordinary place of residence in Ireland);
- Persons legally resident in the State;
- Persons entitled to avail of the provision of the EU Free Movement Directive;
- Transport personnel engaged in haulage of goods and other transport staff to the extent necessary;
- Diplomats, staff of international organisations, military personnel and humanitarian aid workers in the exercise of their functions.
Based on the above, this particular case does not meet the criteria for a short stay visa to be issued currently. Officials of my Department have been in contact with the person referred to and have advised that the short stay visa application will be processed when normal service resumes.
A Frequently Asked Questions document on the impact of COVID-19 on immigration and international protection is available on the Immigration Service website (www.inis.gov.ie). This document is regularly updated. Additionally any person intending to travel should also take note of the General COVID-19 Travel Advisory issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
