Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the status of visa applications (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33672/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The visa applications referred to by the Deputy were received in the Visa Office, Dublin on the 22 September 2011. They were refused by the Visa Officer on the 7 November 2011 for the following reasons:

1. There was insufficient documentation submitted in support of the applications. The Visa Officer noted that insufficient evidence regarding the marital and family status of the contact host was provided;

2. The Visa Officer noted inconsistencies in that there were contradictions in the information supplied. This refusal reason is essentially linked to the concern surrounding insufficient documentation;

3. The primary applicant had not provided evidence of a relationship being in existence prior to the visa applications/marriage;

4. It was the opinion of the Visa Officer that the granting of visas may result in a cost to public funds and public resources.

In arriving at this decision, the Visa officer also noted the immigration history of the primary applicant.

It is open to the persons concerned to submit an appeal within two months of the date of refusal, in this instance before the 7 January 2012. If doing so, the applicant would be strongly advised to be in a position to address the above mentioned concerns. Guidelines on the visa appeals process are available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (www.inis.gov.ie).

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.