Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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184. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the eight-month delay in responding to an application for a visa by a person (details supplied); when she will issue a decision on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8253/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the application referred to by the Deputy was submitted to the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi on the 09/07/2015 and is currently under consideration. Officials will be in contact with the applicant and sponsor as soon as a decision is made. The business target for applications of this type is to issue a decision within 12 months, as per the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification.

The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited .

In addition, applicants may themselves e-mail queries directly to INIS (visamail@justice.ie).