Cork man in plea for wife’s visa application to be expedited

A father is imploring the Government to expedite his wife’s visa application so that she and their Irish-passport-holding baby can come to Ireland and escape volcanic ashfall.

Leonard Lyons, from West Cork, is concerned his nine-month-old baby is at risk of illness due to delays in processing his Filipino wife Rosel’s visa application, which was sent to the Department of Justice 14 months ago.

An emergency filing was made in July to expedite the process following a volcanic explosion of Mount Kanlaon on Negros Island, which has led to ashfall reaching Cebu, where Rosel and Leo are currently living.

Mr Lyons said the couple have followed every rule in applying for a long-stay visa but are becoming increasingly frustrated at the length of the process, especially now that their child has started coughing due to ashfall.

He said he desperately wants his wife and son to join him in West Cork and is growing frustrated with delays.

The couple met online in late 2022 and got married in April 2025.

Correspondence shows that Rosel’s long-stay join-family visa application was received by immigration services in July 2025.

The correspondence was sent to Fianna Fáil TD and minister of state Michael Moynihan following representations made on the family’s behalf.

It was further confirmed that the application was originally received in the Manila visa office and was then sent to the Dublin visa office.

Assessing visa applications

On its website, the immigration service confirmed that it is now assessing “join family visa” applications made in July 2024.

Mr Lyons told The Echo that he and his wife have followed all rules and his son holds an Irish passport but is being prevented from coming to Ireland because of the delays with Rosel’s visa.

Mr Lyons said he, Rosel, and their immigration lawyers are satisfied that she is eligible for the visa, and all relevant information has been provided.

He urged authorities to make a decision on the visa.

“If it’s the case that it was a no, then we’d have to follow the rules by appealing."

The Department of Justice said it does not comment on individual immigration cases.

It said most visa applications receive a decision within its published target times but that some can take longer, depending on the circumstances.

“Applicants who submit join family visa applications separately will generally receive a first instance decision within the 12-month business target.”