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Visa Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2024

Tuesday, 11 June 2024

Questions (527)

Paul Murphy

Question:

527. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of spousal visa applications made from Abu Dhabi; and the number that were rejected over the past five years. [24757/24]

View answer

Written answers

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 process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated sanction from my Department.

As with all visa services worldwide, the central concern in deciding on visa applications is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime while at the same time not placing unnecessary or unreasonable obstacles in the way of intending visitors.

The table below details all applications and selected decisions for long stay join family type applications received by the Abu Dhabi Visa Office (ADVO) from 1 January 2019 to 31 May 2024.

Year

Applications received

Applications granted at first instance

Refused at first instance

Granted at appeal

Refusal at appeal

2019

692

548

114

14

25

2020

642

556

75

35

38

2021

1,091

628

165

38

11

2022

1,239

871

375

49

8

2023

979

755

254

20

17

2024(1st January to 31st May)

536

342

51

15

<5*

* Where the number is low (less than 5), a breakdown is not provided. This is for reasons of confidentiality.

**Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing. It should be noted that a decision made in a particular year may relate to an application received in a previous year.

I can advise the Deputy that applications based on De Facto partnerships and Family Reunification under the International Protection 2015, are sent to the Dublin Visa Office for processing. Information regarding these types of application is not detailed in the table above.

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