2251. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when applications for tourism or visit a family and-or friend received in Dublin on 2 June 2026 may be completed. [60893/26]

2252. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason the Dublin visa office is still processing tourism or visit a family and-or friend applications received in May 2025; and the steps being taken to reduce this backlog. [60892/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2251 and 2252 together.

I can assure the Deputy that, while processing times vary across Visa Offices and Irish Embassies, the majority of visa applications are processed within the published target timeframes. The average processing time for all Type C short-stay visas in 2025 was 37 days.

My Department's website recommends that visa applications be submitted three months before the intended date of travel. While applications may be submitted earlier than this, applicants are advised to ensure that all supporting documentation is as up to date as possible. Applicants may also use my Department's Customer Service Portal to upload updated documentation after an application has been submitted.

The Customer Service Portal can be accessed at: portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/.

In 2025, approximately 206,000 visa applications of all types were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This represented an increase of 2% compared with 2024, with more than 3,900 additional applications received. This followed a 21% increase in applications in 2024 compared with 2023. During the first six months of 2026, the Visa Division received approximately 102,000 visa applications and issued approximately 85,200 decisions.

Processing times are influenced by a range of factors, including the type and complexity of the application, the individual circumstances of the applicant, peak application periods such as holiday seasons or the beginning of the academic year, and, importantly, the quality and completeness of the application submitted. Verification of application details is a critical component of the immigration system, and the necessary checks can take time to complete.

Information on current processing times for visa applications being processed in Dublin is available at: www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/.

The website currently indicates that tourism and visit family/friend visa applications received by the Dublin Visa Office on 11 August 2025 are being processed. It should be noted that the date published on the website represents the oldest application currently under consideration within a particular category. Visa officers continue to process and decide applications received after the published processing date. Where an individual application requires additional examination and takes longer to finalise, the published processing date may remain unchanged for a period. This should not be interpreted as indicating that processing of applications within that category has ceased.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide a definitive date for the finalisation of any individual application. Applications are generally processed in chronological order based on their date of receipt.

In December 2025, the Immigration Service of my Department introduced online payment functionality to the Department's online visa system. This enables 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 operational 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, thereby supporting improved processing efficiency.