Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of and have raised the matter of the waivers for three-year and ten-year travel bans in relation to US visa applications for Irish undocumented who have overstayed their visa in the United States. At my request, the Secretary General of my Department wrote to the US ambassador earlier this year requesting that he further explore the question of such waivers. The US Embassy indicated that the waiver system is applied strictly in accordance with US laws and regulations and is operated uniformly on an international basis, including Ireland. Such a waiver can be applied for in the case of a three-year or ten-year ban having been imposed for overstaying a visa in the United States of America.

I acknowledge the difficulties on the part of the many Irish undocumented. I assure the Deputy that this continues to be a priority and I intend raising the issue early in the new year. The Government continues to actively pursue all opportunities to advance immigration reform that would benefit our citizens. In the meantime, the Government provides significant financial support, in the order of €1.5 million in 2015, to assist the work of various Irish immigration centres across the US.

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