Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will clarify the issue regarding the extension of a visitors visa which has been refused in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will re-examine or arrange an early appeal. [4396/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the person mentioned by the Deputy contacted my Department in relation to an extension of his permission to remain in the State on 22 November 2010. This application was examined by officials in my Department and a letter of refusal was issued on 22 November 2010.

Nationals of the U.S.A. are not visa required and may seek to enter and reside in the State on visitor's conditions for up to 90 days. A visitor stamp should be read as indicating that the immigration Officer at the port of entry was told by the Non EEA national that he/she was coming for a visit of a duration of not more than 90 days and should leave at the end of the permitted period.

In accordance with the immigration laws of the State the person mentioned is required to leave the State on expiry of their visitors condition. However, once outside the State there is nothing to prevent them from re-entering the State. It is the policy of my Department not to extend a permission to remain to persons who are admitted for a period of 90 days or less on a short stay visit, save in very exceptional and unforeseen circumstances.

If the person in question feels that there is additional information which has not been submitted with his initial application and which would add further weight to his initial request for an extension, it is open to that person to contact General Immigration Division requesting that his case be considered in light of this additional information.

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.