Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 49: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding a visa application in respect of a person (details supplied), when a decision will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4022/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The visa application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Visa Office, Dublin on the 26 October 2010. It was refused by the Visa Officer on the 25 January 2011 for the following reasons: 1. Relationship History - The applicant had not provided evidence of a relationship being in existence prior to the visa application/marriage; 2. General Policy - It is not the general policy to permit any person, whether related or not, to join or visit any person who has been granted temporary permission to remain in the State. This case was fully examined, and all relevant facts were taken into consideration by the deciding officer. No compelling grounds were shown as to why an exception to the general policy should be made.

It is open to the persons concerned to submit an appeal within two months of the date of refusal, in this instance, before the 25 March 2011. Guidelines on the visa appeals process is available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service - (www.inis.gov.ie).

I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual Immigration cases may be made direct to INIS by Email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. The service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek this information through the more administratively expensive Parliamentary Questions process.