Written answers

Wednesday, 4 April 2007

Department of Foreign Affairs

Visa Applications

11:00 pm

Photo of Billy TimminsBilly Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position in relation to people living in Bellarus who have to apply to Moscow for visas and so on and have been travelling to Moscow to apply and to pick up the documentation; if there is an arrangement between the embassy in Moscow with the Bellarus Foreign Ministry to courier visas and so on back to Bellarus where they can be picked up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13356/07]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The majority of visa applications from Belarus are those relating to travel to Ireland of Chernobyl Children's groups. Following my meeting in Minsk in 2005 with various interested NGOs, arrangements were put in place by the Embassy in Moscow to ensure that the introduction of a visa requirement for the groups would not create obstacles for children's travel. These arrangements, which include processing within 1 week by the Visa Office in Moscow of applications which arrive by courier from Minsk and the issue of gratis visas, are operating satisfactorily and there is no impediment to children's travel. The staff of the Visa Office in Moscow has recently been increased to deal with the additional applications. There is no requirement for the children to travel to Moscow concerning their applications which are forwarded to the Embassy and returned through a courier arrangement.

Otherwise, visa applications from people living in Belarus can be lodged at the Irish Embassy, Moscow either in person, by courier, or lodged by a third party on behalf of an applicant. Most applications are lodged in the latter way.

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