Visa Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023

Monday, 11 September 2023

Ceisteanna (1090)

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1090. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice the targeted processing time for visas; the average processing time in the years 2019 to 2022 and to date in 2023; the number of applications; the average processing time for a child, by visa type; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37454/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

I can advise the Deputy that the Immigration Service of my Department currently operate from seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. They are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated sanction from my Department. The Deputy may wish to note that most applications in respect of a minor would be submitted together with an adult application.

The tables below set out the figures requested. It is important to note that the figures in the tables below relate to all visas processed regardless of the location of the Visa Office or Embassy which carried out the actual processing. The processing time in individual Embassies and Visa Offices can vary depending on the time of year, volume of applications and the resources available.

Table 1 - Type C Short Stay applications processed (granted or refused at 1st instance only i.e. no appeals)

Year Decision Made	Number processed	Avg Processing Time in Days*
2019	121,766	17
2020	20,526	18
2021	13,734	27
2022	72,170	25
2023 (to 31 August 2023)	68,593	24

Table 2 - Type D Long Stay applications processed (granted or refused at 1st instance only i.e. no appeals)

Year Decision Made		Study		Employment		Join Family
	Number processed	Avg Processing Time in Days*	Number processed	Avg Processing Time in Days*	Number processed	Avg Processing Time in Days*
2019	14,132	19	6,870	13	8,581	57
2020	7,978	16	5,371	17	7,526	72
2021	12,491	25	7,066	13	11,245	44
2022	19,290	32	16,777	18	17,313	38
2023 (to 31 August 2023)	16,040	28	10,368	21	12,115	51

Table 3 - Type C Short Stay applications processed (granted or refused at 1st instance only i.e. no appeals) where applicant is aged less than 18 at date of application

Year Decision Made	Number processed	Avg Processing Time in Days*
2019	12,189	22
2020	1,635	28
2021	1,027	49
2022	4,931	33
2023 (to 31st August 2023)	5,354	31

Table 4 - Type D Long Stay applications processed (granted or refused at 1st instance only i.e. no appeals) where applicant is aged less than 18 at date of application

Year Decision Made		D Visas - Excluding Join Family		Join Family
	Number processed	Avg Processing Time in Days*	Number processed	Avg Processing Time in Days*
2019	462	20	3376	53
2020	263	21	3181	69
2021	337	19	4885	42
2022	387	26	7686	35
2023 (to 31st August 2023)	370	31	5527	45

* Processing Days is the number of calendar days between receipt of the application and the first instance decision.