Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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350. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a temporary visa can be granted to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31969/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person referred to by the Deputy created on-line Join Family visa application on 03 October 2022. The supporting documentation and relevant fees were applied on 09 November 2022 in the Pretoria visa office. These visa applications were received in our Dublin Visa Office for further processing on 09 December 2022.

Processing of this application is ongoing at present, however it is not possible to give an exact time-frame for completion. However, the applicant can be assured that there will be no avoidable delay in finalising their application and they will be notified as soon as a decision has been reached by a Visa Officer.

The Visa office Dublin are currently processing applications of this type received on the 08 September 2022. Applicants can keep up-to-date with the dates the Visa Office in Dublin are processing by checking the following page; which is updated weekly; www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/.

Applicants are advised not to pay for airline or other travel tickets without having first been issued with a visa.

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.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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351. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she is taking to address applicants who have been waiting longer than the expected visa decision timeframes for join spouse visa: spouse of an Irish national; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31994/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification contains a stated business target that visa applications for family reunification for immediate family members of Irish citizens should be dealt with within 6 months of application.

However, it must be made clear that this is a business target for the immigration service and reflects the detailed and often complex assessment that is required to be carried out in relation to applications for family reunification.

While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of the Department to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources available.

The staffing levels and the resources available in the Visa Division of my Department are kept under review in line with the business needs of the Division.

Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification. This policy document may be accessed at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Policy-document-on-Non-EEA-family-reunification.pdf.