Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
826. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average processing times for join family (non-EEA national) spouse visa applications and appeals; and the steps being taken to improve these timelines. [39673/26]
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.
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 2025 the average processing time for a join family application where a sponsor was a non-EEA national was approximately 100 days. The average processing time for visa appeals for the same category was 509 days.
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 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 and is currently live in 40 countries, with South Africa added in January 2026. 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.
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. In the first three months of 2026, my Department's Visa Division received approximately 43,000 visa applications and has issued almost 36,000 decisions.
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/.
