Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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628. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when applicants (details supplied) will receive short-stay family visit visa application decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33885/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that the visit visa applications referred to were created on 19 and 25 March 2025. Supporting documentation was received in the South Africa Visa Desk on 23 April 2025 where it awaits examination and processing.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to give a definitive date as to when these applications will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt.

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

The current 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.

Target processing times and weekly decision reports, for this desk, are available at the following link:

www.irishimmigration.ie/south-africa-visa-desk/.

Applicants are advised that unforeseen delays can arise, which are outside the control of my Department. Processing times for all applications are influenced by a number of factors and varies depending on the type and complexity of application; individual circumstances; peak application periods; such as holidays or the start of the school year; and, crucially, the quality and completeness of the application lodged.

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.

Any applicant can now directly check the status of their visa application on the Immigration Service’s new Customer Service portal. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at:

As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@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 Question process.