Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Visa Applications

9:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 605: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average waiting time to process visas; the number of applications awaiting a decision; the number received, approved and rejected in 2009; the steps he is taking to expedite the processing time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1564/10]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Visa applications are processed as speedily as possible having regard to the numbers on hand and the resources available to process them. Although the INIS website advises applicants to allow six to eight weeks for visa applications to be processed, in fact most applications are processed much faster than that. In my Department's dedicated overseas visa offices, most applications are typically processed in 2 - 3 weeks, often in 2-5 days for very straightforward short stay visas. Applications referred to Dublin are generally being turned around within 10 - 15 days of receipt in Dublin and, again, very straightforward applications for short stay visas are often processed in 2-5 days. This figure for applications processed in Dublin does not include the time the application has spent in transit to Ireland, often up to 2 weeks or more, depending on the place of origin of the application. While statistics have yet to be finalised for 2009, approximately 65,500 visas were granted and 10,700 were refused. At the end of December 2009, 1,886 Irish visa applications and 233 appeals against visa refusals were in transit or awaiting decision worldwide.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 606: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average waiting time to process re-entry visas; the number of applications awaiting a decision; the number received, approved and rejected in 2009; the steps he is taking to expedite the processing time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1565/10]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Applicants who call to the Public Office in person for re-entry visas are dealt with on a same day basis. Alternatively a postal application for a re-entry visa can be made and such applications are dealt with within four working days. In 2009, re-entry visa applications received numbered 57,413. Of these applications 2 were rejected.

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