Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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281. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there are circumstances in which a person (details supplied) can apply for a visa to enter the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3771/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Beijing on the 6 October 2022. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicants at that time.

The Irish immigration website advises all applicants that if they include false or misleading information or documents in their application they may be refused. They are also advised that in some circumstances, they may not be allowed to appeal the visa decision and may be blocked from getting an Irish visa for 5 years.

The Person referred to by the Deputy submitted correspondence to the Visa office in Beijing, however it is noted that the reasons for the office’s proposal to place an exclusion period on this person were not adequately addressed in this correspondence.

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.

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.