Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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168. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the circumstances in which a visa will be granted to a dependent family member over 18 years contrary to general policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47455/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Each visa application is considered on its individual merits with the onus resting on the applicant to satisfy the visa officer as to why the visa sought should be granted.

As every visa applicant and their family circumstances are unique, it is not possible to be completely prescriptive about the circumstances which would result in a visa application being approved for a dependent family member over 18 years old. In assessing a visa application a visa officer takes into consideration a number of factors before arriving at a decision.

My Department is currently working on a comprehensive family reunification policy document that will include guidelines on all of the main issues arising including eligibility, dependency, the financial resources necessary to support a dependant and any requirements that the person seeking entry must meet. It is my intention to publish this policy shortly and to make it available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (www.inis.ie). It should also be noted that our existing policies in respect of certain classes of migration compare very favourably with many other jurisdictions.

Guidelines on the visa application process, including details of the required supporting documents, are available on www.inis.ie . Queries in relation to specific 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.