Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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551. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to that has been made to date in the determination of applications in the case of persons (details supplied); when the applications will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52935/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer, the visa applications you refer to were refused. Letters issued to the applicants on 9 September 2022 outline the reasons for these refusals.

An appeals process, which is free of charge, is available which allows applicants, in the event of a refusal of the application at first instance, to address the factors which gave rise to that decision. Appeals must be in written form and sent to the Visa Appeals Officer in the relevant Visa Office within two months of the date of the refusal. Faxed or emailed appeals will not be considered.

As no appeal has been received within the two month period these applications cannot be considered further. However, should any person, who has been refused a visa, wish to make another application at a future point, their application will be assessed on its own merits taking all relevant information into consideration at that time. Their prior immigration history is a matter of record but does not preclude them from seeking a visa in the future.

Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification. This policy document may be accessed at the following link:

www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Policy-document-on-Non-EEA-family-reunification.pdf

All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they feel is necessary. Guidelines in this regard are posted on our website. Applicants that meticulously follow these guidelines have an improved prospect of receiving a positive decision at first instance.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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552. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the provisions that are in place for the urgent return of passports in the case of persons (details supplied) when making a short stay business visa application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52938/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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When applying for a visa, an applicant must submit their current passport and this must be valid for at least 6 months after the date the applicant plans to leave Ireland. The visa office will also require a photocopy of each page from all previous passports where available. The application will be delayed if the applicant does not provide copies of all previous passports available.

As part of the application process, the visa office usually retains an applicant's passport for the duration of the application, as the visa office will place the visa sticker in the passport if the application is successful. However if an applicant wishes to have their passport returned while the process is ongoing, they may contact the visa office by email and request their passport be returned, including reasons why they would need it returned.

The Ankara Visa Office can be contacted at the following address:

visaankara@dfa.ie.

The visa office will contact the applicant when a decision has been made, asking them to return their passport if successful, so that the visa can be attached. The Deputy may wish to note that the current processing time for business visas in the Ankara Visa Office is just under 4 weeks.