Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

540. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 was refused a tourist visa to visit Ireland; the additional details they must furnish to have a visa application accepted and the policy with regard to INIS in relation to such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36253/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The visa application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Visa Office, Dublin on 27 February 2013. Following full consideration, the Visa Officer decided to refuse the grant of the visa on 3 May 2013. The decision to refuse was appealed on 16 May 2013 and was upheld by an appeals officer on 5 June 2013. The visa appeals officer did not consider that the person concerned provided sufficient evidence of her obligations to return following a visit to Ireland and had concerns that she would not observe the conditions of a visa were it to be approved. It was noted the person concerned indicated on their application they were not employed or engaged in education. At appeal she indicated she was self employed but did not provide evidence of this.

It is a fundamental consideration in any visa application that the deciding visa officer is satisfied that the conditions of the visa will be abided by including that the applicant will return home at the expiry of the permission to remain in the State. At the core of this consideration is an assessment of the applicant's obligations to return to their home country. It is open to the person concerned to make a new application should she so wish. Where doing so, the applicant should be in a position to address the reasons for the refusal, in particular in this case, by showing stronger evidence of obligations to return.

Guidelines regarding the visa application procedure are available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service - www.inis.gov.ie. Queries in relation to general immigration matters 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.