Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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391. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if it has been brought to his attention that applications for Long-Stay Family Reunification Visas are currently taking in excess of 24 months to process; the measures he intends to introduce to bring processing times back in line with the advertised six month standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68449/25]

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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441. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he is taking to reduce the processing time for Join Family Visa applications, which are currently reported to take in excess of 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68151/25]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 441 together.

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.

While processing times can vary across the different Visa Offices and Irish Embassies, the majority of visas are processed within stated target times.

The current processing times of applications for join family visas varies depending on the circumstances when the application is made. 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.

I can assure the Deputy the majority of join family visas receive a first instance decision within the 12 month business target. In the first nine months of 2025 the average processing time for a join family application was approximately 100 days.

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 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. These increases have continued, in the first nine months of 2025, my Department's Visa Division received approximately 166,000 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.

On 26 November, I announced the publication of a comprehensive review of the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy. This review sets out a number of short-term measures to be introduced immediately, and longer-term measures which will be kept under ongoing review.

The purpose of the revised Policy is not to deter people making applications, but to ensure that people who are sponsoring an application have sufficient resources to provide for their family, without the reliance on public services or state funds.

The revised policy can be accessed on my Departments website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/publications/revised-non-eea-family-reunification-policy-and-final-report-on-the-review-of-the-policy/.