931. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of D study visa applications received each year for the past five years, in tabular form; and the number of D study visa applications approved each year for the past five years, in tabular form. [65405/26]

932. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to report on the increased rate of refusal for D study visa applications for this academic year and the delay in processing applications which has left third level institutions uncertain as to student numbers; if there has been a change in the way in which the criteria for acceptance are being scrutinised; and if he will provide clarity to third level institutions as to the changes which have been made. [65404/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 931 and 932 together.

It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based.

Visa and preclearance applications provide legal avenues for people moving to Ireland for employment, study and family reasons and also to facilitate visitors who wish to travel for business and/or tourism. These are important screening processes, designed to establish that a person has a legitimate reason to come to Ireland prior to travel. Verifying an application is an important part of our immigration system. Each visa application is assessed on its own merits, taking all relevant information into consideration at that time.

All visa applicants are advised that the responsibility is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they feel is necessary. Guidelines in this regard are available on the Immigration Service website. People that carefully follow these guidelines have an improved prospect of receiving a positive decision.

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. I can confirm that there has been no recent change to visa processing procedures, approval criteria or documentation requirements in any of the Department's Visa Offices.

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 six months of 2026, my Department's Visa Division received approximately 102,000 visa applications and has issued approximately 85,200 decisions.

Processing times and decisions at the Dublin Visa Office and the Overseas Visa Offices (including study visas) can be checked at the following link:

https://www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/

Table 1. Long Stay (D) study visas received, granted and refused, 2020 - 2026 (up to 31/08/26)

* 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.