Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that this visa application was created on the 16 May 2022. Supporting documentation was received in the Ankara visa office on the 18 May 2022 where it awaits examination and processing.

Decisions regarding the granting or refusal of study visas are made in a number of Visa Offices overseas, in my Department's Visa Office in Dublin, and at certain Embassies of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which process certain visa applications under delegated sanction from my Department.

Applications from Turkish residents are normally processed by the Visa Office in Ankara. Visa processing times for the Ankara Visa Office are published online by the Department of Foreign Affairs at dfa.ie/irish-embassy/turkey/visas/visas-for-ireland-weekly-decisions-report/. The Ankara Visa Office has seen an almost 50% increase in visa applications received in the year to date to the end of September 2022 in comparison with the same period in 2019 (before COVID-19 related travel restrictions). Long stay study visas accounting for more than 45% of those being received in 2022. In addition to this increase in applications, the Ankara Visa Office has received an extremely high number of incomplete applications, which is also adding to the longer processing times, given the resources that have to go into examining these applications.

The processing time at each Visa Office and location worldwide is determined by a number of factors, such as: the volume and complexity of applications, whether investigation is required or not, individual circumstances, peak application periods, seasonal factors, and the resources available. While every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, processing times inevitably vary as a result.

The central concern in deciding on visa applications, as with all visa services worldwide, 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.

It is not possible to give a definitive date as to when this application will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. Applicants are advised not to pay for airline or other travel tickets without having first been issued with a visa. The applicant will be notified as soon as a decision has been reached by a Visa Officer.