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FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS
SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM
BELGRADE POUCH
DUSHANBE POUCH
KABUL POUCH

UNCLAS STATE 038316

FOR CONSULAR CHIEFS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OFFICERS

E.O.I 2958: N/A

TAGS: CMGT, CVIS, ASEC
SUBJECT: CONSULAR OPERATIONS POST 9/11: MANAGEMENT CONTROLS

WHEN CLASS IS UNAVAILABLE

\ UNDER EXISTING PROCEDURES, IN THE ABSENCE OF CONSULAR

LOOKOUT AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS (CLASS) CONNECTIVITY, POSTS
HAVE BEEN PERMITTED TO COMPLETE PROCESSING AFTER,RUNNING A a:
NAMECHECK THROUGH THE BACKUP DISTRIBUTED NAMECHECK (DNC)
SYSTEM. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, POSTS SHOULD FOLLOW THE
PROCEDURE DESCRIBED BELOW IN THE EVENT THEY LOSE ACCESS TO
CLASS.

2. WHEN CLASS GOES DOWN AND NAMECHECKS ARE COMING BACK

FROM DNC, POST SHOULD WAIT FOR CLASS TO COME BACK UP AND
RESEND NAME CHECKS FOR ANY VISA ISSUANCE CASES PRIOR TO
ADJUDICATION. SHOULD AN EMERGENCY ISSUANCE BE REQUIRED,
POST SHOULD CONTACT A NEIGHBORING POST TO RUN THE CLASS
NAMECHECK ON ITS BEHALF BEFORE ISSUING THE VISA AND SHOULD
MAKE A NOTE OF THE ACTION IN THE VISA RECORD. BECAUSE DNC
ALSO PERFORMS THE IMPORTANT SYSTEM FUNCTION OF MANAGING
LOCAL LOOKOUTS, POSTS SHOULD NOT, HOWEVER, SIMPLY TURN OFF
THEIR DNC SYSTEM. TO DO SO WOULD BUILD UP A QUEUE OF LOCAL
LOOKOUTS THAT WOULD SLOW PROCESSING OF REGULAR CLASS
NAMECHECKS. WHILE THIS NEW PROCEDURE WILL SLOW VISA
PROCESSING AT THOSE TIMES WHEN CLASS IS UNAVAILABLE, THE
REVISED PROCEDURE IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF
EVERY VISA ISSUED. THIS REVISED PROCEDURE IS A TEMPORARY
MEASURE; AN ALTERNATIVE BACKUP NAMECHECK SYSTEM (BNS) THAT

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WILL PROVIDE A MORE ROBUST NAME CHECK AND MORE TIMELY DATA
THAN DNC PROVIDES IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND SHOULD
BE AVAILABLE TO POSTS WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

MRV REVENUE

3. THE NONIMMIGRANT VISA (NIV) WORKLOAD WORLDWIDE HAS

DECREASED APPROXIMATELY 15 PERCENT SINCE SEPTEMBER 11,2001,
AND THE REDUCED REVENUE HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR
CONSULAR OPERATIONS. TO ENSURE THAT ALL MRV FEES ARE BEING
COLLECTED AND DEPOSITED TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNT
IN A TIMELY FASHION AND THAT WORKLOAD STATISTICS ARE BEING
RECORDED ACCURATELY, ALL CONSULAR MANAGERS AND FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT OFFICERS ARE ASKED TO REVIEW IMMEDIATELY THEIR
POSTS MRV PROCESSING/FEE COLLECTION PROCEDURES.

4. CONSULAR SECTION CHIEFS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY MUST

CONDUCT PERIODIC AUDITS (AT LEAST MONTHLY) TO ENSURE THAT MRV
FEES COLLECTED ARE CONSISTENT WITH NIV APPLICATIONS
PROCESSED. IN COUNTRIES WITH CONSTITUENT POSTS, THE CONSULAR
COORDINATOR MUST CARRY OUT THE AUDIT COUNTRYWIDE. POSTS
SHOULD FOLLOW THE CURRENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR PERIODIC AUDITS
WHICH ARE DESCRIBED IN SECTIONS 767 AND 772.2 OF THE CONSULAR
MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK (CMH), WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON THE CA
INTRANET.

5. WHEN CONDUCTING YOUR AUDITS, PLEASE BE SURE TO EXCLUDE

ALL NON-FEE ACTIVITY SUCH AS A, G, C 2, C 3, AND NATO
CATEGORIES PLUS 22KG) OVERCOMES.

6. CA HAS IDENTIFIED THE PROCESSING OF 221(G) CASES AS A

POTENTIAL SOURCE OF DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN REVENUES
COLLECTED AND WORKLOAD PROCESSED. SOME POSTS APPEAR TO
HAVE BEEN REENTERING 221 (G) CASES AS NEW CASES INSTEAD OF
READJUDICATING AND CLOSING OUT THE ORIGINAL CASE. WHILE
THIS APPROACH MAY BE QUICKER. IT DISTORTS THE POSTS
WORKLOAD STATISTICS AND HINDERS PROPER ACCOUNTABILITY.
CA/EX/CSD IS WORKING ON SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS TO SIMPLIFY THE
221(G) FUNCTION.

7. DURING THE COURSE OF A PERIODIC AUDIT, SHOULD A POST

DISCOVER A DISCREPANCY GREATER THAN 10 PERCENT IN TERMS OF
WORKLOAD OR FUNDING, POST SHOULD IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY ITS

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REGIONAL MANAGEMENT ANALYST IN CA/EX.

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR NIV FOILS

8. PLEASE REVIEW POST PROCEDURES WITH RESPECT TO THE

HANDLING OF MRV FOILS TO ENSURE THAT POST IS FULLY
COMPLIANT WITH THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED IN CMH, CHAPTER 654.5.

9. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE

SECURITY OF AMERICA, WHILE ALSO MEETING THE NEEDS OF
FOREIGN TRAVELERS.
POWELL

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