Written answers

Tuesday, 18 September 2018

Department of Justice and Equality

Visa Data

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

270. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of EU treaty rights visa applications received, granted and refused, respectively, by country in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37084/18]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the following tables set out the position in relation to the ten highest number of applications received by nationality and a combined figure for all other nationalities for each of the years requested.

As the Deputy may be aware, there was an exponential increase from the second quarter of 2015 in the number of such applications. That gave rise to a caseload of around 10,500 applications which had to be assessed very carefully to ensure that any fraudulent applications or potential abuses of the Directive are detected and dealt with appropriately. The majority of these have now been processed, and explains the high figures of applications and refusals for certain countries in those years.

Most of the sponsors in these particular cases were United Kingdom nationals who came here claiming to be exercising EU Treaty Rights. INIS had serious concerns about many of these cases, particularly as they appeared to be using the Common Travel Area to circumvent national UK immigration rules for family reunification. However, under the Directive genuine movement must be taking place by the EU national, such as taking up employment, etc. A series of measures were taken by INIS including defending cases in the Courts, working with the Garda National Immigration Bureau to address abuses, and working in close cooperation with UK counterparts who subsequently made changes to their laws.

Since these measures were taken, the numbers of such new applicants dropped off dramatically in 2017 and this year to date. Approximately 97% of those 10,500 applications have now been decided, and over 95% refused/withdrawn with a significant number processed this year and thus not reflected in the processing figures in the following tables.

Legal proceedings in relation to a number of such applications have been before the courts, and a referral was made by the Court of the Appeal to the European Court of Justice.

More generally, the central concern, as with all visa services worldwide, in deciding on visa applications is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime while at the same time facilitating travel for those who meet the criteria. Each visa application is therefore decided on its own merits taking all factors into account.

EU Treaty Rights visa applications received 2013 to 2017

Nationality20132014201520162017Total
Afghanistan162283420790444498
Bangladesh154524723647590
India4198270266200875
Iraq6511239373231692
Nigeria30113229305314991
Pakistan95369273535615247284
People's Republic of China2655122103134440
Philippines4268134109114467
Russian Federation5377165154190639
Ukraine2949104100105387
Rest of World3136101300113011094462
Total666176399657127280422325

EU Treaty Rights visa applications decided in 2013

NationalityGrantedRefusedTotal
India41647
Moldova28028
Morocco19019
Nigeria281240
Pakistan88997
People’s Republic of China17421
Philippines35237
Russian Federation51051
Tunisia17118
Ukraine29231
Rest of World23219251
Total58555640

EU Treaty Rights visa applications decided in 2014

NationalityGrantedRefusedTotal
Afghanistan14310153
Egypt37138
India74680
Nigeria8227109
Pakistan25412266
People's Republic of China46753
Philippines56359
Russian Federation75075
Tunisia77279
Ukraine43346
Rest of World49238530
Total13791091488

EU Treaty Rights visa applications decided in 2015

NationalityGrantedRefusedTotal
Afghanistan90133934
Bangladesh414182
India15737194
Iraq15136187
Nigeria13772209
Pakistan560125685
People's Republic of China9713110
Philippines9416110
Russian Federation1621163
Ukraine811394
Rest of World885101986
Total32664883754

EU Treaty Rights visa applications decided in 2016

NationalityGrantedRefusedTotal
Ghana323163
India10133134
Moldova67067
Nigeria176107283
Pakistan77135212
People's Republic of China996105
Philippines82991
Russian Federation1422144
Turkey53457
Ukraine958103
Rest of World62363686
Total15473981945

EU Treaty Rights visa applications decided in 2017

NationalityGrantedRefusedTotal
Afghanistan4449453
India11317130
Iraq7202209
Moldova1151116
Nigeria17692268
Pakistan11813001418
People's Republic of China1244128
Philippines7924103
Russian Federation1874191
Ukraine9011101
Rest of World718203921
Total173123074038

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.