Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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108. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the lengthy delays in processing join family spouse visas for holders of a critical skills employment permit, given the policy states that "permit holders can apply for immediate family reunification"; the steps he is taking to expedite the process and confirm entry dates, particularly for those who have received an offer of employment in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57487/25]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that there are currently seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. They are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated sanction from my Department.

I can assure the Deputy that while processing times can vary across the different Visa Offices and Irish Embassies, the majority of visas are processed within stated target times. Most short-term applications are determined in a matter of weeks. The current processing times of applications for join family visas varies depending on the circumstances when the application is made.

In relation to the matters raised, I can inform the Deputy that if a non-EEA national is moving to Ireland because they have been granted a Critical Skills Employment Permit, they can apply for join family visas at the same time as their own employment visa. When these visas are applied for together, they are processed in tandem and are typically completed in under eight weeks. My Department aims to process join family visa applications made in other circumstances within 12 months.

Processing times and decisions at the Dublin Visa Office and the Overseas Visa Offices can be checked at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/

It should be noted that some applications can take considerably longer. Processing times for all applications are influenced by a number of factors. The time it can take 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. Verifying an application is an important part of our immigration system and the checks involved can take time to complete.

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

In the first nine months of 2025, my Department's Visa Division received approximately 165,000 visa applications and has issued over 153,000 decisions. This reflects an increase in applications of 5.5% compared to the same period in 2024. My officials are working to meet the increased level of demand, and over 8,200 additional visa decisions have issued in the first nine months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

Staffing levels are kept under ongoing review having regard to demands placed on my Department’s Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function generally. This year additional resources and staff have been assigned to my Department’s Visa Division in response to the growing demand for these services.