Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
738. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of visa applications that were live as of 31 December 2025, by type and expressed as a whole number; the number of these that had been determined by 31 December 2025; the number of these that had been granted by 31 December 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5905/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that my Department currently operates seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. These are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. In addition, staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated authority 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. However, 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.
In 2025, approximately 206,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of 2% compared to 2024, with over 3,900 additional applications received. This follows a 21% increase in applications in 2024 compared to 2023. My officials are working to meet the increased level of demand, and over 8,700 additional visa decisions have issued in 2025, compared to 2024.
Table 1 below provides the statistics requested by the Deputy.
Table 1. Applications received and decisions made in 2025.
|
- |
Short Stay (Type C) Visa |
Long Stay (Type D) Visa |
|
Outstanding/undecided as of 31/12/2025* |
12,981 |
13,504 |
|
Applications received in 2025 |
144,465 |
61,153 |
|
Decisions made in 2025** |
136,909 |
58,677 |
|
Granted in 2025 |
114,324 |
45,349 |
*Total applications that are payment complete as at 31/12/2025 but have not received a decision.
**Decisions made in 2025 will include those made in respect of applications made in previous years.
Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
A decision made in a particular year may relate to an application received in a previous year.
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/).
In December 2025, the Immigration Service of my Department introduced online payment functionality to my Department's online visa system. This allows applicants to pay visa fees as part of the online application process. The initiative is being rolled out on a phased basis, initially with 39 countries. This reduces the administrative burden on Irish Missions and visa teams, and allows visa officers to dedicate more time to core application processing and decision-making, contributing to improved processing efficiency over time.
