Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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234. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the case of a person (details supplied) will be re-examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9330/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Following full consideration by a Visa Officer in the Immigration Service of my Department, the visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused. A letter was issued to the applicant on 26 October 2020, outlining the reasons for this refusal. An appeal was subsequently lodged in respect of this application, on 23 November 2020.

The visa application was then re-examined by a Visa Appeals Officer. All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they feel is necessary. Guidelines in this regard are posted on my Department's website. The appeals process, which is free of charge, allows applicants, in the event of a refusal of the application at first instance, to address the factors which gave rise to that decision.

The appeal in relation to this application was not successful and the original decision to refuse the application was upheld. The reasons for the refusal of the appeal are outlined in the refusal letter issued to the applicant on 25 November 2020.

Should any person who has been refused a visa wish to make another application at a future point, that application will be assessed on its own merits taking all relevant information into consideration at that time.

The granting of a work permit by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), has no bearing on whether a visa will subsequently be granted. There are two very distinct application procedures with different checks and procedures in place in each respective Department.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), 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 is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.