Written answers
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Visa Applications
6:00 am
Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the recent report from the European Tour Operators Association which highlighted that 31% of Chinese tourists and 12% of Indian tourists booking trips to Ireland in 2010 are cancelling their holidays due to the slow processing of visa applications; his views on whether this loss of business is unacceptable when our tourism industry is suffering so much and has the potential to cost us dearly in the future if not addressed immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39612/10]
Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform in view of figures from the European Tour Operators Association which state that 31% of Chinese tourists and 12% of Indian tourists booking trips to Ireland in 2010 are cancelling their holidays due to the slow processing of visa application, his plans to introduce a faster and reformed visa processing system to ensure we can capitalise on the growing tourism numbers from these markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39613/10]
Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform in view of our common travel area with the United Kingdom, the contact his Department has had with his United Kingdom counterparts regarding introducing a reformed and faster tourist visa processing system for visitors from emerging markets such as China and India; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39614/10]
Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 66 and 67 together.
While promotion of tourism in Ireland is primarily a matter for the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and associated agencies, I am aware of the recent report from the European Tour Operators Association referred to by the Deputy.
As with all visas in all countries worldwide, the central concern is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime, while at the same time not placing unnecessary or unreasonable obstacles in the way of those who intend travelling for legitimate purposes and who are likely to abide by the terms of their visa. Each visa application is decided on its individual merits and I believe that, in most cases, my Department achieves this balance. Visa approval rates for the countries mentioned by the Deputy bear this out. Approval rates for visa applications of all types processed through the Irish overseas Visa Offices in India and China in 2009 were:
New Delhi (serving India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal) - 90%
Beijing (serving China, Cambodia, Mongolia) - 86%.
I am satisfied that processing times in those offices also compare favourably internationally. This is borne out by the Report to which the Deputy herself refers. That shows that, in the case of India, Ireland had a lower cancellation rate than either the Schengen States or the United Kingdom on the basis of perceived delays in processing. In the case of China, Ireland had a similar cancellation rate to the United Kingdom and only a marginally higher rate than the Schengen area.
The relevant figures are:
| Schengen | United Kingdom | Ireland | |
| India | 21% | 26% | 12% |
| China | 26% | 30% | 31% |
Overall, the figure for cancellations from all countries reflects very favourably on Ireland with only 15% of clients reporting cancellations as against 21% for the Schengen area and 24% for the United Kingdom. This demonstrates that Ireland is not at a disadvantage to its main competitors due to any issue with perceived delays in visa processing.
Currently, straightforward 'visit' visa applications are being decided upon within 10 working days by the Visa Office, Beijing. The decision time frame is even shorter where applications are lodged via a Chinese government approved tourist agent, such applications being decided upon within 1 - 3 working days. A decision time frame of 1 - 5 working days applies to 'visit' visa applications considered by the Visa Office, New Delhi.
My Department continually examines ways in which the visa process can facilitate the promotion of tourism in the State, including in cooperation with the United Kingdom with whom we have a common travel area, in conformity with the needs of an effective immigration regime.
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