Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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369. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of joint family visa applications received by his Department for the last five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13081/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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370. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of join family visa applications successfully processed by his Department for the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13082/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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379. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe for processing joint family visa applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13265/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 369, 370 and 379 together.

I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and I want to assure anyone who has made an application for a join family visa that my Department is doing everything possible to progress these applications as quickly as possible.

The entitlement to family reunification varies depending on the permission granted to the sponsor of the application. Accordingly, there is no average processing time available for each type of join family visa.

Family members of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders can apply for join family visas at the same time as the Sponsor’s employment visa. When these visas are applied for together, they are processed in tandem and are typically completed within 12 weeks.

My Department aims to process join family visas applications within 12 months. The business target reflects the detailed and often complex assessment that is required to be carried out in relation to applications for family reunification. The majority of join family visas receive a first instance decision within this business target. In 2024 the average processing time for all types of Join Family visa application was 72 calendar days.

In 2024, approximately 201,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of 21%, compared to 2023, with over 35,000 additional applications received. Approximately 22,000 join family visa applications were received by my Department in 2024; this represents an increase of 14% compared to 2023, with 3,000 additional applications received.

I am acutely aware that join family applications, are very important for the persons impacted and I am committed to improving the service my Department provides. In recent months, additional resources and staff have been assigned to my Department’s Visa Division which I expect will reduce the waiting times for join family applications.

The table below shows the number of Long Stay Join Family Visa applications received, decisions made and application grants from 2021, up to 18 March 2025.