Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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609. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of visit family/friend visas processed by the South Africa visa desk within the target processing time of 6-8 weeks; the number of visas processed which exceeded the target processing time in 2024; the number of tourist visas processed by the South Africa visa desk within the target processing time of 12 weeks; the number of visas processed which exceeded the target processing time in 2024; the number of join family (category B) visas processed by the South Africa visa desk within the target processing time of 12 months; and the number of visas processed which exceeded the target processing time in 2024. [33576/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that on 10 July 2024 visa requirements were introduced for nationals of South Africa.

My Department has established a dedicated “South Africa desk” to process applications from residents of South Africa. My Department also established Visa Application Centres, located throughout South Africa, with visa service provider VFS Global. This is to ensure the facilitation of legitimate travel with processes that are robust, effective, and fair.

Table 1. below details the number of first instance decisions issued for short stay visas processed by the South African Visa Desk from 10 July 2024 to 31 December 2024.

Since July 2024 over 11,700 applications of all types have been received by the South African Desk and over 7,900 decisions have issued with an overall 89% grant rate.

The current (2025) target processing times for visa applications submitted to the South Africa Visa Desk are 10 to 12 weeks for applications to visit family/friend and approximately 14 weeks for tourist applications. I can assure the Deputy that efforts are being made to improve the current processing times.

Insofar as join family visas are concerned, as the visa requirements for South African nationals were only introduced in July 2024, none of the join family applications have exceeded the 12 month target referred to by the Deputy.

Table 2. below details number of first instance decisions issued for join family visas processed by the South African Visa Desk from 10 July 2024 to 31 December 2024.

I understand extended wait times can be frustrating. I want to assure anyone who is waiting on a decision that my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible. 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 all applications.