/

£/n/^s
Fl., _JCSTATE WASHDC
TO-ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS
SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 5408
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 4829 'Oe-^Ji
RUEHLG/AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 9931
RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 2309
BT
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 029306

VISAS, INFORM CONSULS:TOPIC OF THE MONTH SERIES NO. 13

E.0.12958: N/A
TAGS' CVIS
SUBJECT: VISA INTERVIEWS: COURTESY AND COMMUNICATIONS COUNT

REF: (A) 9 FAM 41. 102 N2, (B) 95 STATE 106618, (C) STATE
6010

1. THE ABILITY TO CONDUCT EFFECTIVE VISA INTERVIEWS

REQUIRES CONSUMMATE SKILL AND TACT. INTERVIEWING OFFICERS
MUST ADJUDICATE EACH APPLICATION ON ITS OWN MERITS,
BRINGING TO BEAR A FAMILIARITY WITH LOCAL POLITICAL,
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO PURSUE
JPRIATE LINES OF QUESTIONING. AN INTERVIEWING OFFICER
i ALERT TO, AND INVESTIGATE, FRAUD INDICATORS WITHOUT
X>.,JULY OFFENDING A POTENTIALLY BONA FIDE APPLICANT.
ACHIEVING ALL THIS IN A FEW MINUTES' INTERVIEW IS NOT EASY,
YET REPRESENTS A BASIC TASK FOR CONSULAR OFFICERS AROUND
THEWORLD. /

THE VISA WINDOW: FRONT LINE DIPLOMACY

2. THE OLD SAYING THAT THE CONSULAR SECTION-AND

PARTICULARLYTHE VISA WINDOW-ISTHE "FACE OF THE EMBASSY*
IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. IN ANY GIVEN COUNTRY, THE FIRST AND
OFTEN ONLY POINT OF CONTACT WHICH HOST NATIONALS HAVE WITH
THE USG IS USUALLY THE CONSULAR SECTION, AND USUALLY AT THE
VISA WINDOW. THE WAY IN WHICH CONSULAR EMPLOYEES (FSOS AS
WELL AS FSNS) DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC WILL REFLECT DIRECTLY
UPON NOT ONLY THE MISSION'S IMAGE, BUT ON THE UNITED L-A
STATES. THIS MEANS TREATING APPLICANTS COURTEOUSLY AND
FAIRLY, EVEN WHEN THE APPLICANT IS QUICKLY FOUND INELIGIBLE
JOR VISA ISSUANCE. WHILE THERE ARE CERTAINLY TIMES WHEN
CONSULAR MANAGERS MUST BE FIRM WITH RUDE OR ARGUMENTATIVE
APPLICANTS. IT IS NEVER APPROPRIATE TO RESPOND IN KIND.

3. BEING POLITE DOES NOT EQUATE TO BEING "SOFT" ON FRAUD OR

MALA FIDE APPLICANTS. IT MEANS TREATING EACH APPLICANT
^*tfRLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY HOURS ONE
f J BEEN ON THE LINE OR THE FACT THAT THE LAST APPLICANT
SrfKNTED TO ARGUE ABOUT HIS CASE. BEING POLITE CAN ENCOURAGE
AN APPLICANT TO VOLUNTEER MORE INFORMATION THAN HE WOULD
OTHERWISE PROVIDE, HELPING THE INTERVIEWING OFFICER MAKE A
MORE ACCURATE DETERMINATION OF VISA ELIGIBILITY.

INFORMED ADJUDICATION

4. EACH VISA APPLICATION MUST BE ADJUDICATED BASED ON ITS

OWN MERITS. TO DO THIS ACCURATELY AND EFFECTIVELY, THE
INTERVIEWING OFFICER MUST HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE
LOCAL SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS WHICH MAY
AFFECT THE APPLICANTS LIFE. "COMING UP TO SPEED" ON LOCAL
CONDITIONS MAY REQUIRE CONSULTATION WITH FSNS. COLLEAGUES
FROM OTHER SECTIONS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PRIVATE AMERICAN
COMMUNITY. CONSULAR OFFICERS, PERHAPS MORE THAN ANY OTHER
MEMBERS OF A POST, HAVE A GROUND-LEVEL VIEW OF THE LOCAL
SOCIETY. AN EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWER WILL USE THIS TO HIS OR
HER ADVANTAGE IN EVALUATING AN APPLICANTS CREDENTIALS.

5. INTERVIEWING NON-RESIDENT APPLICANTS CAN BE MORE

PROBLEMATIC, AS IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE CONSULAR OFFICER
WILL HAVE AS MUCH FAMILIARITY WITH CONDITIONS IN THE
APPLICANTS COUNTRY. THE BURDEN OF PROOF FOR DEMONSTRATING
VISA ELIGIBILITY IS ON THE APPLICANT, AND THE VAST MAJORITY
OF NON-RESIDENT TCNS CAN PROBABLY BE ADJUDICATED WITHOUT—
SEEKING GUIDANCE FROM ANOTHER POST. A TCN APPLICANT WHO
HAS RECENTLY ARRIVED FROM HIS OR HER HOME COUNTRY, AND WHO
DOES NOT HAVE A CREDIBLE REASON FOR APPLYING OUT OF
DISTRICT, WILL HAVE PROBLEMS DEMONSTRATING COMPELLING TIES
TO THAT COUNTRY. IN PARTICULAR, CONOFFS SHOULD REVIEW
CAREFULLY APPLICATIONS FROM RESIDENTS OF COUNTRIES
SUFFERING CIVIL UNREST AND/OR ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. REF C
PROVTOED A1^ OF THOSE NATIONALITIES WHICH, IF IN THE
UNITED STATES, CAN BENEFIT FROM TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS
BASED ON ADVERSE CIVIL AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
PERSONS FROM SUCH COUNTRIES, IF OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES,
SHOULD BE QUESTIONED CAREFULLY. THE SAME HOME COUNTRY
CONDITIONS THAT PROMPTED INS TO EXEMPT THEM FROM NORMAL
REQUIREMENTS TO LEAVE THE UNTIED STATES MAY.INCREASE THE
LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY ARE INTENDING TO ABANDON THEIR
RESIDENCE, BUT THIS GENERALITY MAY NOT APPLY IN AN
INDIVIDUAL CASE.

6. IN SOME CASES, CONSULAR OFFICERS MAY BE WELL-ADVISED TO

QUERY THE U.S. CONSULAR POST IN, OR NEAREST TO, THE
APPLICANTS PLACE OF RESIDENCE TO OBTAIN INSIGHT ON LOCAL
CONDITIONS. THIS INFORMATION WILL ASSIST OFFICERS IN
ASSESSING THE APPLICANTS CURRENT TIES TO HIS/HER RESIDENCE
OR HOME COUNTRY AND REASON FOR TRAVELING TO THE U.S. IN
ADDITION, CA/VO/F IS INITIATING A SERIES OF FACT SHEETS, TO
BE SENT BY CABLE, TO ASSIST CONSULAR OFFICERS IN
INTERVIEWING "HOMELESS" NATIONALITIES FROM COUNTRIES IN
WHICH THERE IS NO OFFICIAL U.S. MISSION OR WHERE VISA
SERVICES HAVE BEEN SEVERELY LIMITED DUE TO THE
POLITICAL/SECURITY SITUATION.
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 OFFICERS WHO ROUTINELY PROCESS APPLICATIONS
r IGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF NON-RESIDENTS OF A SPECIFIC
NATIONALITY ARE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER POSTS AND THE DEPARTMENT, AND WHERE
APPLICABLE, TO MAINTAIN OPEN COMMUNICATIONS WITH POSTS IN
THE APPLICANTS' HOME COUNTRIES.
^

8. COMING NEXT IN THE TOPIC OF THE MONTH SERIES: VISA

REFUSALS. POSTS ARE INVITED TO PROVIDE COMMENTS AND
SUGGESTIONS TO CA/VO/F/P (MICHELLE BERNffiR-TOTH, TEL.
202/663-1164, FAX 202/663-3897)

9. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. ,
TALBOTT
BT
#9306

NNNN

O
17
Subject: SECSTATE 213313
VZCZCFSO556*
RRRUEHFSI
DE RUEHC #3313/01 3150349
ZNRUUUUUZZH
R\10346Z NOV 99
5ECSTATEWASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS
INFO SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM
BT
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 213313
E.0.12958:
TAGS: CVIS, CltfGT
SUBJECT: USIN\VISA ANNOTATIONS FOR MRVS

SUMMARY: WHILE TlE EXPANDED ANNOTATIONS FIELD ON THE

MRV COMPUTER SCREE\GIVES POST CONSIDERABLE ROOM TO
PROVIDE DETAILS ABOUT\HE NIV BEARER'S VISIT. POSTS SHOULD
CLOSELY FOLLOW FAM ANDALDAC GUIDANCE, SUMMARIZED BELOW,
ON THE USE OF ANNOTATION^. END SUMMARY.

2. THE 88 CHARACTER ANNOTATIN FIELD ON THE MRV-ISSUING

COMPUTER SCREEN ALLOWS FOR MUCH USEFUL INFORMATION TO BE
INCLUDED ON THE NON-IMMIGRANT VI6A THE FIELD WAS
DESIGNED TO BE LARGE IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE MORE
INFORMATION THAN COULD HAVE BEENPROVIDED USING THE HAND-
WRITTEN ANNOTATION'S OF THE OLD-STYCE BURROUGHS VISAS. THE
ANNOTATION SPACE IS AN IMPORTANT TOO\TO FACILITATE THE
ADMISSION OF THE ALIEN, AS IT H..ELPS INS TO>ADJUDICATE THE
ALIEN'S APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION.

3. IN ORDER TO HELP INS, THE ANNOTATION INFO VT1ONMUST

BE CONSTRUCTIVE, GMNG INFORMATION SUCH AS IE BASIS OF
ISSUANCE AND CONDITIONS OF ISSUANCE, GEN INFORMATION

THE INS INSPECTOR MIGHT NOT READILY HAVE WITHOUTVEXTENSIVE

INTERVIEW. AN INADEQUATELY ANNOTATED VISA. PARTICULARLY IN
THE CASE OF A BEARER WHOSE NAME APPEARS AS A CLAS3JENTRY,
COULD RESULT IN INS REFUSING THE BEARER ADMISSION. THUS,
ALTHOUGH ANNOTATIONS ARE TIME-CONSUMING, THEY CAN SAVE THE
TRAVELER. INS AND EVENTUALLY POSTS CONSIDERABLE EXTRA
AND INCONVENIENCE.

4. ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE COIN. OVER-ANNOTATION OF

VISAS CAN GENERATE WORK THAT NEED NOT BE DONE AND CREATE
DELAYS FOR ALL IN THE PROCESS. FOR EXAMPLE. POSTS SHOULD
AVOID USING DEPARTMENT SHORTHAND. SUCH AS "CLOK CABLE

o
SENT." WHICH MAY BE INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO INS. OTHER SUCH
TIME WASTERS ARE POST ANNOTATIONS WHICH DO NOT CONVEY
INFORMATION TO INS BUT WHICH ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE A
LIMITATION ON THE BEARER'S VISIT OUTSIDE OF POSTS

18