Written answers

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

Department of Justice and Equality

Visa Applications

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1131. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the processing of short stay C visas will recommence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30990/21]

Photo of James BrowneJames Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Government advice is that everyone, regardless of their nationality or visa/preclearance status, or where they started from, who cannot provide proof of an essential purpose to travel to, should not travel to Ireland. To support that position, my Department is not currently accepting any short stay visa applications, except for cases that fall under the Emergency/Priority criteria set out below. The suspension of short stay applications will continue to be reviewed in consultation with the relevant authorities in the coming weeks. My Department intends to resume accepting applications as soon as safety concerns abate.

The Priority/Emergency cases that continue to be accepted and processed at this time include the following:

- All long stay employment applications, supported by an employment permit or Atypical permission;

- Patients travelling for imperative medical reasons;

- Transport workers or transport service providers, including drivers of freight vehicles carrying goods for use in the territory as well as those merely transiting;

- Pupils, students and trainees who travel abroad on a daily basis and Third-country nationals travelling for the purpose of 3rd level study;

- Join Family applications;

- Preclearance applications from De Facto Partner of an Irish National, De Facto Partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit Holder, or of a non EEA Researcher on a Hosting Agreement and Family members looking to join a UK National in Ireland;

- Persons travelling for imperative family or business reasons;

- Persons entitled to avail of the provision of the EU Free Movement Directive;

- Diplomats, staff of international organisations and people invited by international organisations whose physical presence is required for the well-functioning of these organisations, military personnel and police officers, and humanitarian aid workers and civil protection personnel in the exercise of their functions;

- Passengers in transit;

- Seafarers;

- Journalists, when performing their duties.

Applicants seeking to travel for imperative family reasons are assessed on an individual basis and are largely confined to emergency cases that may arise in a family situation. Applications will be determined by examining the circumstances and supporting documentation of each individual case.

If a person is seeking to make a short stay visa application and believes that their application falls into one of the Emergency/Priority categories, they can apply on-line in the usual way. Before proceeding with their on-line application, they should check with their local Irish Embassy/Honorary Consulate/Visa Office to confirm that their application meets the Priority/Emergency criteria. Once the on-line application is complete, they should follow the instructions given on the summary page as to where they should submit their application.

These measures are designed to support our public health restrictions on movement, including into and out of Ireland. All travellers arriving into Ireland must continue to comply fully with the public health measures required by law. These include completing a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form, pre-arrival PCR test and quarantine in a designated facility or at home, as required.

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