John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 607: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a holiday visa will issue to persons (details supplied). [22530/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The visa applications referred to by the Deputy were for the purposes of allowing two non-EEA nationals travel to the State for a short-term visit. Application number 1760456 was refused by my Department on 23 March 2005. The second application, application number 1760457, was refused by my Department on 29 March 2005.

In assessing any visa application, the visa officer will consider various matters, including whether it is reasonable in all the circumstances to conclude that the applicant would fully honour the conditions of the visa, for example, it is unlikely that the applicant would overstay the length of time applied for. The visa officer will also have regard to information provided and to such factors as the applicant's ties and general circumstances in his or her country of origin. Both of the applications in question were refused because the visa officer could not reasonably be satisfied, on the basis of the documentation supplied to my Department, that the applicants would observe the conditions of the visas applied for. In particular, it was felt that the applicants had not displayed evidence of their obligations to return home following the proposed visit. Additionally, in the case of application number 1760456, the visa officer concluded, on the basis of the documentation supplied, that the applicant did not have appropriate financial means to enable her support herself during the proposed visit.

Although it was open to the applicants to appeal, within two months of receipt of the refusal decision, my Department has no record of any such appeal in respect of these applications having been received. As the timeframe for submission of an appeal has now passed, the applicants should submit fresh applications should they still wish to travel.