Cables From Us Consulate In Jeddah About Visa Issuance

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DISSEMINATION: CONS CHARGE : PROG

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APPROVED: CONS : SWBUCK DRAFTED: CONS :CSCOCKBURN: CSC , i CLEARED: ADM:JPAIGE, RSO : AKEPCHAR , CONS:KOGLE, CONSJ VZCZCJII651 RR RUEHC RUEHZM DE RUEHJI #1212/01 3340740 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 300740Z NOV 98 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1911 INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE BT UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 001212 OEPT FOR CA/EX, NEA/EX, NEA/ARP, OIG/ISP, M/FSI/SPS, CA/VO, CA/FPP AND CA/OCS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CMGT, CVIS , CASC, KFRD, ASIG, AFSI SUBJECT: FY 1998 CONSULAR PACKAGE NARRATIVE- -JEDDAH REF:

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A) NAME OF THE CONSULAR SECTION CHIEF: CARL S. COCKBURN OFPTCR TELEPHONE OF THE CONSULAR SECTION CHIEF: | | EXT 4208 _ Ak SEL"1TDN FAX NUMBER;] OR

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:B) DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES (STAFF, NON- AUTOMATED 'EQUIPMENT, SPACE) TO DO CONSULAR WORK AT YOUR POST THAT MEET THE MISSION PROGRAM PLAN OBJECTIVES? --STAFF AND EQUIPMENT ARE GENERALLY ADEQUATE TO DO CONSULAR WORK. IN THE SUMMER PEAK PERIOD, AT LEAST TWO ADDITIONAL PART .TIME EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO MEET NONIMMIGRANT VJSA WORKLOAD DEMANDS. THE SECTION PERIODICALLY EXPERIENCES PROBLEMS IN COMPLETING TELEPHONE CALLS OUTSIDE THE CONSULATE. THE PHYSICAL PLANT IS BARELY ADEQUATE. IN EARLY 1996, THE CONSULAR SECTION WAS TEMPORARILY RELOCATED TO A PREFABRICATED METAL STRUCTURE BECAUSE OF SECURITY

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CONCERNS. THE STRUCTURE IS RAPIDLY SUCCUMBING TO THE NATURAL AGING FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH TEMPORARY BUILDINGS. THERE ARE FIVE NARROW SERVICE WINDOWS IN THE SECTION FOR INTERVIEWS AND FEE COLLECTIONS. THE WINDOWS PROVIDE NO PRIVACY FOR CLIENTS AND THE NOISE LEVELS RESULT IN POOR COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CLIENTS AND CONSULAR EMPLOYEES. • SECTION OFFICES ARE INADEQUATE AND INACCESSIBLE FOR MEETINGS WITH VISITORS AND CLIENTS. THE CONSULAR FACILITIES PROJECT AN UNFAVORABLE IMAGE. IN ADDITION, ACCESS BY CLIENTS TO THE SECTION IS A PUBLIC RELATIONS ISSUE. CLIENTS MUST WALK SOME 215 YARDS FROM THE CONSULATE ENTRANCE TO THE CONSULAR SECTION ON AN UNCOVERED WALKWAY IN TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 100F DEGREES. WHILE FBO AWARDED A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSULAR SECTION/USIS ANNEX IN JUNE 1998, THE CONTRACTOR HAD DIFFICULTY POSTING A BONO, CAUSING A DELAY. IT IS NOW ANTICIPATED THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN EARLY IN 1999. C) IS YOUR AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT (BOTH CA PROVIDED AND POST PROVIDED) ADEQUATE TO YOUR SECTION'S NEEDS? ARE POST PERSONNEL BOTH WITHIN THE CONSULAR. SECTION AND IN ADMIN/IM FULLY TRAINED ON THE OPERATION ANO SUPPORT OF CONSULAR SYSTEMS? --AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT IS GENERALLY ADEQUATE TO THE CONSULAR SECTION'S NEEDS. THE INSTALLATION OF ANO TRAINING ON THE MODERNIZED CONSULAR SYSTEMS WILL BE COMPLETED IN DECEMBER 1998. ALL CONSULAR EMPLOYEES AND SYSTEMS PERSONNEL ARE BEING TRAINED ON THE MODERNIZED SYSTEMS. THE MODERNIZED ACS SYSTEM'S WARDEN/REGISTRATION PROGRAM PRESENTED UNEXPECTED CONVERSION PROBLEMS. THE MODERNIZED SYSTEM IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE CONSULATE'S ORGANIZATION-BASED WARDEN/REGISTRATION SYSTEM. D) IF YOU ANTICIPATE A WORKLOAD CHANGE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, PLEASE DISCUSS THE UNDERLYING FACTORS ANO RECOMMENDED PERSONNEL CHANGES. --POST'S CONSULAR WORKLOAD SHOULD REMAIN CONSTANT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE INTRODUCTION OF ADDITIONAL CONSULAR AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT AT A POST WITH VERY LIMITED ADM/IM RESOURCES WILL REQUIRE ONE FSN CONSULAR EMPLOYEE TO DEVOTE PART OF HIS TIME TO SYSTEM MAINTENANCE ANO TROUBLE SHOOTING. UNCLAS

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E) WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR ACS WORK ARE THE MOST DEMANDING? --SAUDI LAW AND CUSTOM ARE UNCOMPROMISING WITH RESPECT TO FAMILY AND GENDER ISSUES, MAKING THEIR EQUITABLE RESOLUTION DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE. GENERALLY, PROTECTIVE SERVICES REQUIRE FREQUENT AND EXTENSIVE CONTACTS WITH THE SAUDI BUREAUCRACY. FOR EXAMPLE, A NUMBER OF SAUDI GOVERNMENT OFFICES MAY HAVE TO BE CONTACTED TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER AN AMERICAN CITIZEN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND TO LOCATE THE INDIVIDUAL. A VISIT TO A DETAINED AMERICAN MAY BE DELAYED FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE VISITS MUST BE REQUESTED BY DIPLOMATIC NOTE. CASES INVOLVING ASSISTANCE WITH LOCAL AUTHOR ITIES POSE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN OEALING WITH THE SAUDI BUREAUCRACY. THE ANNUAL HAJJ PILGRIMAGE PLACES SPECIAL DEMANDS ON THE CONSULAR SECTION. THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS, AMONG THE TWO MILLION MUSLIM FAITHFULS, MAKING THE PILGRIMAGE GROWS EACH YEAR (ESTIMATED 4500 FOR 1999). F) WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR NIV WORK ARE THE MOST DEMANDING? --A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NONIMMIGRANT VISA APPLICANTS ARE THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS. MOST TCN APPLICANTS ARE INTERVIEWED. BECAUSE THERE IS NO LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENCE STATUS FOR NON-SAUOIS AND THE SAUOI GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IS TO REPLACE FOREIGN WORKERS WITH SAUOI NATIONALS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE NONIMMIGRANT BONA FIDES OF TCN APPLICANTS. G) WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR NIV APPLICANTS ARE NON-HOST COUNTRY (TCN) RESIDENTS? NIV: 45 PERCENT FROM WHICH COUNTRIES ARE THEY? --YEMEN, INDIA, PAKISTAN, JORDAN, EGYPT, THE PHILIPPINES H) IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN ANY BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE NOT LISTED IN QUESTIONS 1-17 ON THE BP SCHEDULE PLEASE DESCRIBE THEM. --THE CONSULATE HAS BEEN PROACTIVE IN ENCOURAGING CITIZEN REGISTRATIONS. IN FY 1998, REGISTRATIONS INCREASED BY 20 PERCENT. AMERICANS WHO ATTEND SOCIAL FUNCTIONS ON THE CONSULATE COMPOUND ARE ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER. MEMBERS OF THE CONSULATE'S EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION ARE ASKED TO INVITE ONLY RESIDENT AMERICANS WHO ARE REGISTERED WITH THE CONSULATE TO ASSOCIATION SPONSORED SOCIAL FUNCTIONS.

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Lasers : ACTION: CONS INFO : CG

#73 /9/11 Working-level

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DISSEMINATION: CONS CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CONS:CSCOCKBURN DRAFTED: CONS iSABAUAHJ..;'SAB 41 CLEARED: CONS VZCZCJII196 RR RUEHC RUEHRH RUQMDH DE RUEHJI #1254 3240738 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 200738Z NOV 99 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/ SECSTATE WASHDC 0441 INFO RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0925 RUQMDH/ AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 1239 BT UNCLAS JEDDAH 001254 STATE FOR CA/EX E.G. 12958: N/A TAGS: CMGT, CVIS, CASC, KFRD, ASIG, AFSI, SA SUBJECT: FY-1999 CONSULAR PACKAGE. FY-1999 CONSULAR PACKAGE DISKETTE AND PRINTOUT WERE FORWARDED TO THE DEPARTMENT ON NOVEMBER 16 UNDER REGISTRY NUMBER 4303514 . BALTIMORE UNCLASSIFIED

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Lasers: ACTION: CONS INFO: ADM CG DISSEMINATION: CONS CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CONS:RLBALTIMORE DRAFTED: CONS:CSCOCKBURN:CSC CLEARED: ADM:WSHOLDEN, RCO:AJKEPCHAR, ADMC: RLGAIN, CONS:AHMILLS,

VZCZCJII986 RR RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHRH RUQMDH DE RUEHJI #1225/01 3130806 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 090806Z NOV 99 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0407 INFO RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0897 RUQMDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 1228 BT UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JEDDAH 001225 DEPT FOR CA/EX, NEA/EX, NEA/ARP, DIG/ISP, M/FSI/SPS, CA/VO, CA/FPP AND CA/OCS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CMGT, CVIS, CASC, KFRD, ASIG, AFSI SUBJECT: FY 1999 CONSULAR PACKAGE NARRATIVE--JEDDAH REF: STATE 177931 A) NAME OF THE CONSULAR SECTION CHIEF: CARL S. COCKBURN OFFICE TELEPHONE OF THE CONSULAR SECTION CHIEF: I | EXT 4208, (IVG: -I 1 rONSTTT.AR . S'm'TrON FAX NUMBER: \ OR

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;B) DO YOU HAVE THE RESOUCES (STAFF, NON- AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT, SPACE) TO p0 CONSULAR WORK AT YOUR POST THAT MEET THE MISSION PROGRAM PLAN OBJECTIVES? PLEASE DISCUSS. IF NOT, WHAT DO YOU NEED AND WHY? PLEASE BE SPECIFIC. REPORT'" HERE ANY ONGOING OR PROJECTED RENOVATION PROJECTS AND HIGHLIGHT ANY PROBLEM AREAS. STAFF AND EQUIPMENT ARE GENERALLY ADEQUATE TO DO CONSULAR WORK. IN THE SUMMER PEAK PERIOD AT LEAST TWO ADDITIONAL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND TWENTY ADDITIONAL MRV CASHIER HOURS PER WEEK ARE REQUIRED TO MEET NONIMMIGRANT VISA WORKLOAD DEMANDS. BECAUSE TOO MANY / .,-••'' 9/11 Personal Privacy

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SECURITY GUARD HOURS ARE DEVOTED TO CONSULAR RECEPTION DUTIES, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO ARRANGE FOR DEDICATED GUARD POSITIONS FOR THESE FUNCTIONS. MUCH NEEDED OFFICE FURNITURE WAS ORDERED IN FY 1999 FOR DELIVERY TO THE SECTION IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR. THE CONSULAR SECTION REQUESTED REPLACEMENT OF ITS COPIER, WHICH REQUIRES WEEKLY SERVICING. TO BE ADEQUATELY PREPARED IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, POST WILL INSTALL WARDEN FAXNET ON LAP TOP COMPUTER. THIS WILL ENHANCE CRISIS MANAGEMENT PREPAREDENESS. BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION LINE CAPACITY IN JEDDAH, WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE DEPARTMENT'S INTRANET OR INSTALL NEW APPLICATIONS. THE CONSULATE PERIODICALLY EXPERIENCES PROBLEMS COMPLETING TELEPHONE CALLS OUTSIDE THE CONSULATE. CONSULAR OFFICERS WITHOUT PRIVATE PHONE LINES AT HOME HAVE DIFFICULTIES MAKING LONG DISTANCE CALLS IN EMERGENCIES. OFTEN, WE RELY ON CELLULAR TELEPHONES. THE SECTION REQUIRES TWO CELLULAR PHONES TO REPLACE AGING ONES PROVIDED BY ADM/IM. OUR CURRENT PHYSICAL PLANT IS INADEQUATE. .SINCE 1996, THE CONSULAR SECTION HAS BEEN LOCATED IN A PREFABRICATED METAL STRUCTURE. THERE ARE FIVE NARROW SERVICE WINDOWS IN THE SECTION FOR INTERVIEWS AND FEE COLLECTIONS. THE WINDOWS PROVIDE NO PRIVACY FOR CLIENTS AND THE NOISE LEVELS RESULT IN POOR COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CLIENTS AND CONSULAR EMPLOYEES. SECTION OFFICES ARE ALSO INADEQUATE AND INACCESSIBLE FOR MEETINGS WITH VISITORS AND CLIENTS. CLIENTS NOW WALK SOME 215 YARDS FROM THE CONSULATE ENTRANCE TO THE CONSULAR SECTION ON AN UNCOVERED WALKWAY IN TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 100F DEGREES. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSULAR SECTION/PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ANNEX IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN DECEMBER 1999. THE SECTION SHOULD BE RELOCATED TO THE NEW FACILITIES BY MARCH 2000. C) HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR CONSULAR SECTION'S SATISFACTION WITH THE AUTOMATED CONSULAR SYSTEMS. (EXCELLENT, GOOD, AVERAGE, POOR)? ARE THERE ANY UNRESOLVED SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE ISSUES? HOW DO YOU RATE THE TRAINING OF POST PERSONNEL, BOTH WITHIN THE CONSULAR SECTION AND IN ADMIN/IM ON THE USE AND SUPPORT OF CONSULAR SYSTEMS (EXCELLENT, GOOD, AVERAGE, POOR)? WHAT TYPES OF ASSISTANCE WOULD YOU NEED FROM THE NEXT TRAINING AND REFRESHER TEAMS COMING FROM THE CONSULAR SYSTEMS UNCLAS

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DIVISION TO ASSIST CONSULAR SYSTEMS USERS. OUR LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH AUTOMATED CONSULAR SYSTEMS IS GOOD. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE CA SUPPORT DESK FOR ITS HELPING US TO RESOLVE THE POST-MODERNIZED INSTALLATION PROBLEMS WITH OUR REGISTRATION/WARDEN SYSTEM. WHEN THE SECTION IS RELOCATED, WE WILL USE OUR BACKUP PC AND A DATA ENTRY PC FOR WINDOW ADJUDICATIONS. WE NOW HAVE NO PCS AT WINDOWS, FOUR PCS FOR DATA ENTRY AND ONE BACKUP PC. WE COULD MANAGE WITH ONE LESS DATA ENTRY PC BUT WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP UNIT. TRAINING OF POST PERSONNEL ON THE USE AND SUPPORT OF CONSULAR AUTOMATED SYSTEMS IS GOOD. POST'S FSN SYSTEMS MANAGER RECEIVED NFACT TRAINING ON CONSULAR SYSTEMS IN SEPTEMBER 1999. HIS BACKUP, WHO IS A CONSULAR ASSISTANT, WOULD BENEFIT FROM SIMILAR STATESIDE TRAINING. D) IF YOU ANTICIPATE A WORKLOAD CHANGE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, PLEASE DISCUSS THE UNDERLYING FACTORS AND RECOMMENDED PERSONNEL CHANGES. WE ANTICIPATE A MODERATE INCREASE OF ABOUT 10 PERCENT IN OUR NIV ISSUANCES OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS IF A NEW VISA FEE RECIPROCITY SCHEDULE IS FINALIZED AND IF PETROLEUM PRICES REMAIN STRONG. CURRENT NIV PERSONNEL LEVEL SHOULD BE ADEQUATE TO COPE WITH THE ADDITIONAL VOLUME. BARRING A DOWNTURN IN THE U.S. ECONOMY AND SECURITY CONCERNS IN THE REGION, THE NUMBER OF AMERICAN PILGRIMS TO THE ANNUAL HAJJ SHOULD REMAIN CLOSE TO THE RECORD FIGURE OF 1999 (6,200). THE PRESENCE OF AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 TO 6,000 U.S. CITIZENS IN OUR CONSULAR DISTRICT, AND AN ESTIMATED 5,000 LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE U.S. WHO MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE WILL PLACE EXTRAORDINARY DEMANDS ON OUR SECTION FOR ACS, LPR DOCUMENTARY SERVICES AND INEVITABLE ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS. WE ANTICIPATE HAVING TO DETAIL-IN EMPLOYEES FROM OTHER CONSULATE SECTIONS AND OBTAIN FUNDING FOR TRAVEL AND LODGING, TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS ON THE HAJJ PILGRIMAGE. E)

WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR ACS WORK ARE THE MOST DEMANDING?

SAUDI LAW AND CUSTOM ARE UNCOMPROMISING WITH RESPECT TO FAMILY AND GENDER ISSUES, MAKING THEIR EQUITABLE RESOLUTION DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE. UNCLAS

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GENERALLY, PROTECTIVE SERVICES REQUIRE FREQUENT AND EXTENSIVE CONTACTS WITH THE SAUDI BUREAUCRACY. FOR EXAMPLE, A NUMBER OF SAUDI GOVERNMENT OFFICES MAY HAVE TO BE CONTACTED TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER AN AMERICAN CITIZEN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND TO LOCATE THE INDIVIDUAL. A VISIT TO A DETAINED AMERICAN MAY BE DELAYED FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE VISITS MUST BE REQUESTED BY DIPLOMATIC NOTE. OTHER SERVICES, SUCH AS DEATH CASES AND W/W REQUESTS, POSE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN DEALING WITH THE SAUDI BUREAUCRACY. THE ANNUAL HAJJ PILGRIMAGE PLACES SPECIAL DEMANDS ON THE CONSULAR SECTION. THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS, AMONG THE TWO MILLION MUSLIM FAITHFUL, WHO MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE GROWS EACH YEAR (ACTUAL 6200 IN 1999) . F) WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR NIV AND IV WORK ARE THE MOST DEMANDING? NIVS: A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NONIMMIGRANT VISA APPLICANTS ARE THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS. MOST TCN APPLICANTS ARE INTERVIEWED. BECAUSE THERE IS NO LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENCE STATUS FOR NON-SAUDIS AND THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IS TO REPLACE FOREIGN WORKERS WITH SAUDI NATIONALS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE NONIMMIGRANT BONA FIDES OF TCN APPLICANTS. IV: POST DOES NOT PROCESS IV APPLICATIONS. DVS: THERE IS GREAT DEMAND FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE DV PROGRAM FROM THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS. THIS RESULTS IN SERIOUS PRESSURES AND A DRAIN ON POST'S RESOURCES SUCH AS PRINTING EXPENSES, TIME DEVOTED BY SECURITY GUARDS TO HAND OUT INFORMATION SHEETS, AND THE TIME SPENT BY CONSULAR PERSONNEL RESPONDING TO INQUIRIES. G) WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR NIV APPLICANTS ARE NON-HOST COUNTRY (TCN) RESIDENTS? NIV:

40 PERCENT

--FROM WHICH COUNTRIES ARE THEY? YEMEN, INDIA, PAKISTAN, JORDAN, EGYPT, THE PHILIPPINES H) UNDER A 1997 AMENDMENT TO INA 245(1), MOST OUT OF STATUS ALIENS WHOSE IV PETITIONS WERE FILED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 15, 1998, ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR UNCLAS

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ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS IN THE US AND MUST TRAVEL ABROAD AND APPLY FOR AN IMMIGRANT VISA. WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF THIS AMENDMENT ON YOUR WORKLOAD? NA. H) ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS: PLEASE COMMENT ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS IN PLACE AT YOUR POST: --FREQUENCY OF TRAINING CONDUCTED FOR CONSULAR OFFICERS, FSNS AND KEY CONTACTS: LOCAL PASSPORT AND IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD WELCOME INS ANTI-FRAUD TRAINING. PREVIOUSLY PLANNED TRAINING WAS CANCELLED DUE TO SCHEDULING PROBLEMS WITH OTHER POSTS. THE LOCAL SAUDI PASSPORT OFFICE ALSO OFFERED TO PROVIDE SOME TRAINING TO CONSULATE EMPLOYEES ON SAUDI DOCUMENTATION. --LIAISON WORK THAT HAS PROVEN EFFECTIVE: POST'S COOPERATION WITH SAUDI PASSPORT AND SECURITY OFFICIALS RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF AT LEAST THREE THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS WHO WERE ATTEMPTING TO PROCURE U.S. VISAS WITH PHOTOSUBSTITUTED SAUDI PASSPORTS AND ONE SAUDI NATIONAL WHO ALLEGEDLY SOLD HIS PASSPORT. --APPLICATIONS OF DATABASES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS TO DEFEAT FRAUD. PLEASE DESCRIBE SPECIAL INNOVATIONS AND THEIR USEFULNESS: IN 1998, OUR NIV CHIEF COMPILED A DATABASE OF B-l ISSUANCES TO DOMESTIC SERVANTS TO ENABLE OFFICERS TO PERFORM VISA VALIDATION SURVEYS ON A GROUP DEEMED TO BE HIGH RISK. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TOOL PROVED TO BE OF LIMITED UTILITY SINCE MOST EMPLOYERS DID NOT COOPERATE WITH CONSULATE SURVEY EFFORTS. J) BEST PRACTICES: IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN ANY BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE NOT LISTED IN QUESTIONS 1-22 ON THE BEST PRACTICES SCHEDULE IN THE DATA PORTION, PLEASE DESCRIBE THEM. NONE --IF YOU WISH TO CLARIFY OR ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THAT ALREADY PROVIDED IN YOUR ANSWERS TO QUESTION 1-22 ON THE BEST PRACTICES SCHEDULE, PLEASE DO SO HERE. PLEASE ALSO ADVISE IF IN THE PAST YEAR POST DISCONTINUED ANY BEST PRACTICES THAT IT HAD IMPLEMENTED UNCLAS

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IF SO, PLEASE GIVE REASONS FOR THE TERMINATION. NONE

--COMMENT ON STATISTICAL PORTION: PASSPORT SCHEDULE-AN INCREASE IN PASSPORT SERVICES IS . ANTICIPATED BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN NUMBER OF AMCIT HAJJ PILGRIMS. BALTIMORE BT #1225 NNNN

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#74 UNCLASSIFIED PROG: XX/XX/XX APPRV: RLBALTIMORE DRFTD:AHMILLS RCO:TFUREY; ADMC: LBLACKBURN; CONS: LMEALEY;

DISTR: CG; CONS; ADM 9/11

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AMCONSUL JEDDAH SECSTATE WASHDC AMEMBASSY RIYADH INFO AMCONSUL DHAHRAN GCC COLLECTIVE DEPT FOR CA/EX, NEA/EX, NEA/ARP, OIG/ISP,\, CA/VO, CA/FPP, CA/OCS \.

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CMGT, CVIS, CASC, KFRD, ASIG, AFS?, SA FY 2000 CONSULAR PACKAGE NARRATIVE — JEDDAH

REF: 00 STATE 2 0 8 0 6 5 A) CONSULAR SECTION CHIEF:[ TELEPHONE:] FAX:I I B) DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES (STAFF, NON-AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT, SPACE) TO DO CONSULAR WORK AT YOUR POST THAT MEEETS THE MISSION PROGRAM PLAN OBJECTIVES? STAFF AND EQUIPMENT ARE ADEQUATE FOR OUR CURRENT WORKLOAD. IN THE SUMMER PEAK PERIOD (MAY-JULY) WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY TAKEN ON TWO ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND INCREASED fHE MRV CASHIER TO FULL TIME TO MEET VISA DEMANDS. LAST /SUMMER IT PROVED DIFFICULT TO FIND SATISFACTORY TEMPORARY HELP AND WE INTEND TO IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES MUCH EARLIER THIS YEAR. BEGINNING IN AUGUST 2000, JEDDAH CEASED ISSUING U.S. PASSPORTS. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED AND APPROVED IN JEDDAH, WITH MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS (MRP) SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED FROM RIYADH AND POUCHED FOR RETURN TO JEDDAH. THE PROGRAM HAS PROVED SUCCESSFUL, AND THE TIME SAVED IN PASSPORT BOOK PRODUCTION HAS ALLOWED JEDDAH'S PASSPORT AND CITIZENSHIP FSN TO ASSIST IN REVAMPING THE 9/11 Personal Privacy

WARDEN SYSTEM AND IN CLOSER MONITORING OF INCREASINGLY COMPLICATED CHILD CUSTODY CASES. IN APRIL 2000 THE CONSULAR SECTION MOVED TO A NEW BUILDING, TO BE SHARED WITH PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, ADJACENT TO THE CHANCERY. THE DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN OUR PHYSICAL PLANT HAS STRENGTHENED EMPLOYEE MORALE AS WELL AS CUSTOMER SERVICE. LARGE WINDOWS WITH FLAT SCREEN PCS MAKE IMMEDIATE OFFICER VISA ADJUDICATION SIMPLE. THE ADDITION OF A PRIVACY BOOTH FOR SENSITIVE INTERVIEWS HAS ENHANCED OUR ABILITY TO ASSIST BOTH VISA APPLICANTS AND AMERICAN CITIZENS. HOWEVER, SOME DRAWBACKS REMAIN. LACK OF OFF-SITE FEE COLLECTION MAKES WAITING ROOM SPACE INADEQUATE DURING THE PEAK VISA SEASON. THERE ARE ISSUES OF SECURE ACCESS AND AN UNCOVERED OUTDOOR OVERFLOW WAITING AREA. IN CONJUNCTION WITH EMBASSY RIYADH, WE ARE EXPLORING POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO PEAK SEASON TRAFFIC PROBLEMS, SUCH AS RESURRECTING OFFSITE FEE COLLECTION PLANS AND OTHER NON-INTERVIEW OPTIONS FOR SAUDI NATIONALS. WE ANTICIPATE FBO ASSISTANCE IN COVERING THE WALKWAY AND OUTDOOR WAITING AREA ONCE SECURITY ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED. C) HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR CONSULAR SECTION'S SATISFACTION WITH THE AUTOMATED CONSULAR SYSTEMS? ARE THERE ANY UNRESOLVED HARDWARE ISSUES? HOW DO YOU RATE THE TRAINING OF POST PERSONNEL BOTH WITHIN THE CONSULAR SECTION AND IN ADMIN/IM ON THE USE AND SUPPORT OF CONSULAR SYSTEMS? WHAT TYPES OF ASSISTANCE WOULD YOU NEED TO FROM THE NEXT TRAINING AND REFRESHER TEAMS COMING FROM THE CONSULAR SYSTEMS DIVISION TO ASSIST CONSULAR SYSTEMS USERS? OUR LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH AUTOMATED CONSULAR SYSTEMS IS GOOD. ALL SUBSEQUENT UPGRADES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES, AND THE CA SUPPORT DESK HAS BEEN PROMPT AND HELPFUL ON THOSE FEW OCCASIONS WHEN WE HAVE CALLED WITH MINOR TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. WITH OUR NEW HARDWARE, WINDOW ADJUDICATION OF NIVS IS NOW NORMAL PRACTICE. THE CONSULAR FSN WHO SERVES AS BACKUP SYSTEMS MANAGER RECECIVED NEEDED TRAINING IN BANGKOK IN 2000, AND IS NOW FULLY COMPETENT TO DEAL WITH THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF CONSULAR SYSTEMS. D) IF YOU ANTICIPATE A WORKLOAD CHANGE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, PLEASE DISCUSS THE UNDERLYING FACTORS AND RECOMMENDED PERSONNEL CHANGES.

IN LATE 1999 JEDDAH BEGAN ROUTINELY ISSUING TWO-YEAR MULTIPLE ENTRY VISAS TO SAUDI NATIONALS. THIS WILL LIKELY GIVE RISE TO A SLIGHT "WAVE EFFECT" IN TWO YEARS, AS EXPIRED 2000 VISAS COME FOR RENEWAL. BUT AS MOST SAUDI CASES ARE DROPBOX ELIGIBLE ALREADY, WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY NEED FOR ADDITIONAL NIV RESOURCES. IN MARKED CONTRAST TO LAST YEAR'S NARRATIVE, WE HAVE FEW CURRENT WORKLOAD CONCERNS ON THE IMPACT OF U.S. CITIZENS PARTICIPATING IN THE ANNUAL HAJJ PILGRIMAGE. NUMBERS OF U.S. PARTICIPANTS DECREASED IN 2000 (6200 IN 1999, 4500 in 2000) AND THE EXCELLENT ORGANIZATION OF THE SAUDI HAJJ MINISTRY INCREASES IN SOPHISTICATION EVERY YEAR, MAKING ROUTINE W/W INQUIRIES AND LOST DOCUMENT CASES MUCH EASIER TO DEAL WITH. ALTHOUGH ACS WORK FOR HAJJ SEASON IS UNPREDICTABLE, OUR CURRENT STAFFING IS ADEQUATE TO SEE US THROUGH ALL BUT CATASTROPHIC OCCURENCES. E) WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR ACS WORK ARE MOST DEMANDING? CHILD CUSTODY CASES, SPOUSAL ABUSE, AND OTHER FAMILY DISPUTES BETWEEN U.S. CITIZENS AND SAUDI NATIONALS ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES FACING THE JEDDAH CONSULAR SECTION. THESE CASES, ROOTED AS THEY ARE IN SAUDI ISLAMIC LAW AND CUSTOM, AND OFTEN DIRECTLY IN CONFLICT WITH U.S. LAW, ARE INVARIABLY CONTENTIOUS AND EMOTIONAL. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THE PROBLEM IS UNRESOLVABLE IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER FOR THE U.S. CITIZEN. THE SAUDI BUREAUCRACY IS OFTEN UNRESPONSIVE IN THE INITIAL STAGE OF ACS CASES, SUCH AS ARREST NOTIFICATION OR DEATH OF A U.S. CITIZEN VISITING THE KINGDOM. CONTRACTUAL DISPUTES BETWEEN U.S. CITIZENS AND SAUDI SPONSORS ARE FREQUENT. WHILE REDRESS THROUGH SAUDI LABOR COURTS IS POSSIBLE, THE PROCESS IS TIME-CONSUMING AND OFTEN THE U.S. EMPLOYEE IS AT A DISADVANTAGE. U.S. EMPLOYEES ARE DISTRESSED TO DISCOVER THAT THE CONSULATE IS UNABLE TO INTERVENE EFFECTIVELY ON THEIR BEHALF IN THESE DISPUTES. F) WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR NIV AND IV WORK ARE MOST DEMANDING? NIVS: APPROXIMATELY 35% OF NIV APPLICANTS ARE THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS (TCNS). MOST TCN APPLICANTS ARE

INTERVIEWED. OUTSIDE OF EMPLOYMENT, THERE IS NO LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENCE STATUS FOR NON-SAUDIS, AND BECAUSE THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT'S STATED POLICY IS TO REPLACE FOREIGN WORKERS WITH SAUDI NATIONALS, IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH THE NON-IMMIGRANT BONA FIDES OF TCN APPLICANTS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF DOMESTIC SERVANTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE RECENTLY ARRIVED IN THE KINGDOM WHEN THEIR SAUDI SPONSORS MAKE APPLICATIONS FOR THEM. SAUDI SPONSORS, BOTH DIPLOMATIC AND PRIVATE, ARE NOT ADVERSE TO APPLYING PRESSURE WHEN DOMESTIC EMPLOYEES ARE DENIED. IV:

POST DOES NOT PROCESS IV APPLICATIONS.

DV: AS THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN THE DV PROGRAM AMONG TCNS, THERE ARE SERIOUS PRESSURES ON RESOURCES: PRINTING EXPENSES FOR DV INFORMATION SHEETS, SUPERVISING LOCAL SECURITY GUARDS IN HANDING OUT INFORMATION SHEETS, AND TIME SPENT BY CONSULAR PERSONNEL RESPONDING TO INQUIRIES. G) WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR NIV AND IV APPLICANTS ARE NONHOST COUNTRY (TCN) RESIDENTS? NIV: 35 PERCENT —

FROM WHICH COUNTRIES ARE THEY?

YEMEN, PAKISTAN, INDONESIA, INDIA, SUDAN, THE PHILIPPINES, JORDAN, SYRIA, EGYPT, LEBANON, ERITREA, SOMALIA H) WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF THE AMENDMENT TO INA 245 (I) REGARDING OUT-OF-STATUS APPLICANTS FOR IVS? NA I) ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS: JEDDAH IS A LOW FRAUD POST. IN THE PAST THERE HAVE BEEN ISOLATED CASES OF MISUSE OF SAUDI PASSPORTS BY EITHER PHOTOSUBBING OR USE BY IMPOSTERS TO GAIN U.S. VISAS. WHEN DISCOVERED, SAUDI AUTHORITIES QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY HANDLED THESE ATTEMPTS. SAUDI AUTHORITIES ARE PROCEEDING WITH PLANS TO INTRODUCE A MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORT (MRP), BUT THE TIMEFRAME IS UNDETERMINED. FREQUENCY OF TRAINING CONDUCTED FOR CONSULAR OFFICERS, FSNS AND KEY CONTACTS:

LOCAL PASSPORT AND IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS HAVE AGAIN INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD WELCOME INS DOCUMENT TRAINING. WE BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE ESPECIALLY USEFUL GIVEN THE SECURITY FEATURES OF THE NEW LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT DOCUMENTS, AND THE NEW U.S. PASSPORT.

J) BEST PRACTICES: IN AUGUST 2000 JEDDAH DISCONTINUED THE ISSUANCE OF OLD-STYLE HAND-PRODUCED PASSPORTS, INSTEAD FORWARDING ALL APPLICATIONS TO RIYADH FOR ISSUANCE OF MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS (MRPS). TURNAROUND TIME HAS INCREASED FROM NEXT DAY TO ONE WEEK DUE TO THE POUCH SCHEDULE FOR REURN OF PASSPORTS, BUT THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. CUSTOMERS ACCEPT THE NEED FOR A MORE SECURE DOCUMENT, AND MANY HAVE BEEN ENTHUSIASTIC IN WELCOMING THE CHANGE. WE HAVE ISSUED ONLY FOUR EMERGENCY PASSPORTS SINCE AUGUST. K) CLARIFICATIONS TO THE CWSS SPREADSHEET: DETAIL OUT HOURS: HOURS REFLECT PREVIOUS CONSULAR CHIEF'S SERVING AS ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER FOR EXTENSIVE PERIODS. BALTIMOREXX

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APPROVED: APPRV:RLBALTIMORE DRAFTED: DRFTD:MAORDONEZ CLEARED: CLEAR:ADM:RACUFF; RCO:KSACKETT; CONS: LMEALEY; VZCZCJII952 RR RUEHC RUEHRH RUEHZM DE RUEHJI #1185/01 3441343 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 101343Z DEC 01 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2916 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 2518 RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE BT UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 JEDDAH 001185 RIYADH ALSO FOR DHAHRAN DEPT FOR CA/EX, NEA/EX, NEA/ARP, OIG/ISP, M/FSI/SPAS, CA/VO, CA/FPP, CA/OCS RIYADH FOR RCO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CMGT, SA SUBJECT: FY 2001 CONSULAR PACKAGE NARRATIVE -- JEDDAH REF: STATE 199677 A) Consular Section rh-jpf: Micmel Ordonez Telephone: 1 y ^ Fax: I /E-mail| B a c k-up Consular Officer (ACS Chief) : Loren Mealev, ETD 9/2003. Telephone! ~\ext. 4192. E-mail: " ^ ^ B) Do you have the resources (staff, equipment, space) to do consular work at your post that meets the Mission Program Plan objectives? (If you believe you do not have the necessary resources, please specify what it is your post needs in order to adequately meet its 9/11 Personal Privacy

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believe you need more staff, and type of personnel you need, would perform and the level or ideally function.)

Staff and equipment and space are generally adequate for our current workload during most of the year. In the summer peak period (May - mid August) we have traditionally taken on two additional full-time temporary employees and increased the MRV cashier to full time to meet visa demands. A full time PIT secretary to screen and answer calls and assist in clerical duties would help the consular section function more efficiently, especially during the rush period. The changes caused by the events of September 11 (see paragraph M) have led to a decrease in the number of interviews by exception for Saudi applicants, a higher rejection rate, and the concomitant need for higher average time per Saudi case. An additional TOY, Arabic-speaking Foreign Service visa officer will likely be needed during the summer rush period (May - mid-August) if Saudi visa applications return close to normal levels by summer 2002. C) Do you anticipate a workload change over the next three years (FY02, FY03, FY04). If so, please discuss the underlying factors and recommend personnel changes. (Please specify the number and type of personnel you need, the duties such personnel would perform and the level or grade at which they would ideally function.) Despite the June 2001 introduction of Visa Express, under which Saudi and later all TCN cases became drop-box eligible, the additional paper screening and interviewing of TCN applications mandated by the new system created a higher workload. After the September 11 terror attacks in the U. S., and the subsequent discovery that the majority of hijackers' visas were issued in Saudi Arabia, we have experienced a much higher rate of 221 (g) requests for additional information and personal interviews, creating an increase in workload per Saudi case. Assuming the return of the number of visa applications to pre-September 11 levels, the summer peak period (May - mid-August) will likely require a consular-coned TDY visa officer to handle the overall work increase. New JOs, and TDY officers with Arabic language skills would be most useful, as they could help meet our increased demand for interviews conducted in Arabic. Although Arabic speaking FSNs can assist with the interviews, summer peak period has them working full time to process the summer NIV rush. We have few current workload concerns on the impact of UNCLAS

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U. S. citizens participating in the annual Hajj pilgrimage because the organization of the Saudi Hajj Ministry is excellent, making routine w/w inquiries and lost document cases easier to deal with. Although ACS work for Hajj season is unpredictable, our current staffing is adequate to see us through all but catastrophic occurrences. D) How would you rate your consular section's satisfaction with the automated consular systems (excellent, good, average, poor)? Are there any unresolved software or hardware issues? How do you rate the training of post personnel both within the consular section and in Admin/IM on the use and support of consular systems (excellent, good, average, poor)? What types of assistance would you need from the next training and refresher teams coming from the Consular Systems Division to assist consular systems users? Our level of satisfaction with automated consular systems is good. All subsequent upgrades have been installed without difficulties, and the CA Support Desk has been helpful on those few occasions when we have called with minor technical problems. There is a problem with CROBA printing, and there have been occasional problems with response time from CLASS, which affects both NIV and ACS work. However, with the new flat screen hardware, window adjudication of NIVs is now normal practice. Also, the consular FSN who serves as backup systems manager received needed training in Bangkok in 2000, and now effectively deals with technical aspects of consular systems. E) What aspects of your ACS work are most demanding? Child custody cases, spousal abuse, and other family disputes between U. S. citizens and Saudi nationals are the most difficult issues facing the Jeddah consular section. These cases, which are impacted by Saudi Islamic law (Sharia) and custom, and often in conflict with U. S. law and court rulings, are usually contentious and emotional. Saudi Arabia is not a signatory to the Hague Convention on Child Abduction. More often than not, the problem cannot be resolved in a manner satisfactory for the U. S. citizen parent. The SAG does not intervene in family disputes, but expects immediate family members to intervene with a solution. In most cases, the U. S. citizen has few members of the extended family with them in Saudi Arabia, making this form of counseling and family support unsatisfactory to them. In some cases involving a U. S. citizen and a non-Saudi, the SAG will require the family to settle the problem or depart the Kingdom. The Saudi bureaucracy is sometimes unresponsive in the

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initial stage of ACS cases, such as timely arrest notification, or in the death of a U. S. citizen visiting the Kingdom. Contractual disputes between U. S. citizens and Saudi sponsors are frequent. While redress through Saudi labor courts is possible, the process is time-consuming and often the U. S. employee is at a pronounced disadvantage relative to a Saudi sponsor. U. S. expatriate employees are distressed to discover that, although the Consulate can use its good offices, it has no legal authority to intervene on their behalf in these private business or contractual disputes. In addition, the U. S. employee must be present in the country to follow through in the labor court process. During this time, the employer may withhold salary payments, while in-country expenses remain. F) What aspects of your NIV work are most demanding? (Discussion should address any backlogs and their underlying causes.) Approximately 45% of NIV applicants are third country nationals (TCNS). Most TCN applicants are interviewed. Outside of employment, there is no lawful permanent residence status for non-Saudis, and because the Saudi Government's stated policy is to replace foreign workers with Saudi nationals, it is often difficult to establish the non-immigrant bona fides of TCN applicants. This is especially true of domestic servants, many of whom are recently arrived in the Kingdom when their Saudi sponsors make applications for them. Saudi sponsors, both diplomatic and private, are not averse to trying to apply pressure when domestic employees are denied. G) What aspects of your IV work are the most demanding? (Discussion should address any backlogs and their underlying causes. ) Post does not finalize IV applications. We accept "applications, perform document checks, and provide information to applicants in the Jeddah District. We then forward the applications to Riyadh for final processing. H) If applicable, please describe how the DV program has affected the consular section. There is a great deal of interest in the DV program among the six million TCNs who have no chance of establishing permanent residence in Saudi Arabia. We incur printing UNCLAS

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expenses for DV information sheets, supervise local security guards in distributing the information sheets, and utilize staff time responding to numerous inquiries. I) What percentage of your NIV and IV applicants are nonhost country (TCN) residents? NIV: 45 percent. -- From which countries are they? Yemen, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Sudan, the Philippines, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Eritrea, Somalia. --Do they speak a different language than Post's designated language. If so, how do you interact with them? Many TCN applicants speak at least some Arabic, the lingua franca of Saudi Arabia, regardless of their mother tongue. Other TCNs can speak some English. Our consulate has staff who can speak Hindi, Urdu, Malay (Bahasa Indonesia), French, Spanish, and Thai. It is rare that we can find no common language with which to ask the basic interview questions. J) Are you satisfied with the level of fraud prevention training for officers and FSNs? If not, what do you believe you need to support your efforts in this area? Please also comment on any anti-fraud efforts in place at your post (liaison work, applications of databases and other electronic systems to defeat fraud, etc.) Jeddah is a low fraud post. In the past there have been some cases of misuse of Saudi passports by either photosubbing or use by imposters to gain U. S. visas. When discovered, Saudi authorities quickly and efficiently handled these attempts. Saudi Arabia began the introduction of a machine-readable passport (MRP) early in FY 2002. Local passport and immigration officials have indicated that they would welcome INS or FPP document training. We believe this would be especially useful given the security features of the new legal permanent resident documents, and the new U. S. passport. Liaison is also maintained with Western consulates (particularly the British) that maintain active anti-fraud programs. K) Management Practices. Describe and comment on management practices instituted at Post in order to better UNCLAS

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serve the public, maximize the use of resources, and attain greater efficiency. If necessary, clarify or add additional information to that already provided in your answers to questions 1-22 on the best practices schedule of the statistical portion of the consular package. Please advise if in the past year Post discontinued any best practices it had implemented earlier. If so, please give reasons for the termination. In June 2001, Saudi Arabia instituted "Visa Express" nationwide, a system in which 10 travel agencies collect passports and fees and submit them along with the RDS to the consulate. In the aftermath of September 11, post has tightened up its waiver of personal interviews for applicants of all nationalities, including Saudis, and now considers each applicant on a case-by-case basis. L) Please describe country conditions that affect your ability to provide consular services (infrastructure, fraud, political setting, etc.). The security situation in Saudi Arabia, although calm, has been tense since the beginning of the Intifada in the Palestinian Authority areas last year. Tension increased after September 11, and there has been a decrease in the number of people traveling to the United States in the wake of local media reports exaggerating the risk of danger to Muslims and Arabs in the United States. The security situation was one factor that led to the expansion of the Visa Express system to include all applicants, in an effort to minimize traffic in consular waiting rooms. M) Please describe any changes that may have occurred in country following the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and how they have affected your workload. Such discussions should not be limited to the end of the Fiscal Year but should describe changes through the drafting date of the consular narrative. (Please keep in mind that the narrative portion of the consular package should remain an unclassified document.) The tragic events of September 11 affected the whole world, but the impact has been extensive in Jeddah, the site of the Consulate General where 11 of the 19 alleged hijackers applied for and received visas. As 15 of the 19 hijackers are alleged to have been Saudi passport holders, this has affected our workload in three main ways. First, the number of applications for NIVs, including Saudis, has decreased since September 11. The true extent UNCLAS

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of the decrease will only become apparent in several months time, because the post-September 11, 2001 slowdown occurred at the confluence of three currents: one, the normal summer rush (May - mid-August) had just ended; two, the reciprocity schedule was changed in October, 1999 to allow two-year rather than one-year multiple entry visas for Saudi nationals. (Note - as many Saudis previously applied every year for a visa, those customers were now required to apply only every other year and this effect on applications was expected to begin in October 2001); and three, the general slowdown in world travel post-September 11 was exacerbated by local media reports which highlighted incidents of harassment on Arabs and Muslims in the United States and the Western world. Fewer Saudis are going to the United States for vacation this fall and winter and are instead traveling to Egypt, Lebanon, and the UAE. Second, investigations into the events of September 11, 2001 have consumed great amounts of time by consular staff in obtaining information for criminal and congressional investigations. Media inquiries, rumor control, and preparation of press releases have also been time consuming, as rumors swept Saudi Arabia about visa policies, and elements of the local press proved willing to print articles without verification with the Embassy. Third, individual time-per-applicant has greatly increased as fewer visas are issued without interview. Sometimes applications are returned two or more times to be filled in completely and to provide photographs which meet required standards. Interviews take more time as do discussions about documentary requirements for 221 (g) refusals, the meaning of 214 (b), and avenues of recourse and appeal for those refused. A large percentage of our customers requires further processing under new policies enacted November 14, 2001. Each step of this new procedural maze requires a notification to be given to, and explained to, current and potential customers. Therefore, although the numbers are down, the workload has remained fairly constant. It is not certain what the next summer rush will bring in terms of applicant numbers, but the dramatic increase in the average amount of time spent per Saudi applicant will likely become a long-term effect on visa operations in Jeddah. BALTIMORE BT #1185 UNCLAS

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#76 UNCLASSIFIED Miguel Ordonez 02/05/2003 04:03:23 PM From DB/lnbox: Miguel Ordonez Cable Text:

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JEDDAH 0 0 2 9 0

DISSEMINATION: CG /I CHARGE : PROG APPROVED: APPRV: GABERCROMBIE-W DRAFTED : DRFTD : MAORDONEZ CLEARED: CLEAR : ADM : RACUFF RCOrKSACKETT CONS: LMEALEY CONS: RLYONS SO:LDAR VZCZCJII378 RR RUEHC RUEHRH RUEHZM DE RUEHJI #0290/01 0361223 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 051223Z FEE 03 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC /SEC STATE WASHDC 6871 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 3358 RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE BT UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 JEDDAH 000290 RIYADH ALSO FOR DHAHRAN DEPT FOR CA/EX, NEA/EX, NEA/ARP, OIG/ISP, M/FSI/SPAS, CA/VO, CA/FPP, CA/OCS RIYADH FOR RCO SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS:CMGT SA SUBJECT: FY 2002 CONSULAR PACKAGE NARRATIVE -- JEDDAH REF:

STATE 259738

1. (U) In answering reftel, all alphabetically designated paragraphs are unclassified, except for "0" which is SBU. A) Consular Section Chief: Miguel Ordonez. KTD R/2004. Telephone : / ...\. | I,.....E-OTa-iT-T -.....•-•......"---------.........................1 Deputy (lonsuji^:---- -^"'""'•'' 9/11 Personal Privacy Section Chief (ACS Chief): Loren Mgaley>--ETp:-::9:/2004 . . Telephone I ....... -..............."'" [.......E-inai 1 : B) Do you have the resources (staff, equipment, space) to do consular work at your post that meets the Mission n Program Plan objectives? (If you believe you do not have the necessary resources, please specify what it is your post needs in order to adequately meet its responsibilities. If you believe you need more staff,

UNCLASSIFIED 1

UNCLASSIFIED please specify the number and type of personnel you need, the duties such personnel would perform and the level or grade at which they would ideally function. In responding to this question, please keep in mind recent changes in consular roles and NIV processing.) Response: Staff, equipment and space are generally adequate for our current workload during most of the year. In the summer peak period (May through mid-August) we have traditionally taken on two additional full-time temporary employees and increased the MRV cashier to full time to meet visa demands. Since September 11, 2001 major changes have included the termination of the Visa Express program and the consequent elimination of remote data entry. Virtually all applicants are now interviewed, and there is a higher overall refusal rate, with a concomitant need for higher average time per case. An additional NIV FSN began work in September 2002 and an additional Arabic-speaking Foreign Service visa officer arrived in late October 2002 to supplement the Visa Section's workforce. This has been sufficient under the present circumstances, although it may need supplementation during the traditional summer rush. This Consulate's management has made clear that consular-qualified staff from other sections (serving in JORP assignments) will be temporarily detailed during peak workload times to meet Consular Section needs. With current and projected staffing, consular section needs should be met through early 2005. C) Give detailed assessment of how post's workload is expected to change in post-specific ways over the next two years, with a discussion of underlying factors, and recommended personnel and physical plant requirements. (Please specify the number and type of personnel you need, the duties such personnel would perform and the level or grade at which they would ideally function. Discuss how changes in consular roles will affect the types of personnel required. Discuss physical plant needs such as waiting room and working space, number of interview windows, and flow of public into consular section.) Response: The September 11 terror attacks in the U. S., and the subsequent discovery that the majority of hijackers visas were issued in Saudi Arabia, has led to the complete transformation of visa operations in Jeddah. All applicants of all nationalities between the ages of 12-70 are now interviewed. We also currently have a high rate of 221 (g) requests for additional information, because previous passport documentation is requested in order to verify travel patterns on applicants subject to Condor security advisory opinions. The new version of NIV software will require about twice as much data entry time per applicant, and.future biometric scanning will also slow down the process. Congress also recently enacted legislation mandating a Department of Homeland Security presence in Saudi Arabia to review all applications before adjudication. All these changes have or will have major impacts on the NIV workflow, with the net effect that it takes more staff to process fewer visas. Therefore new JOs and TDY officers with Arabic language skills (Arabic 2/2), would be most useful for NIV work in Jeddah, as they could help meet the need for interviews conducted in Arabic. Although Arabic speaking FSNs can assist with interviews, summer peak

UNCLASSIFIED 2

UNCLASSIFIED period requires them to work full time to process the NIV rush. On the ACS side, increased Congressional, Departmental, and media attention to child custody issues has led to a large increase in the amount time the ACS Officer spends on this aspect of her job. Also an increasing terrorism threat has led to numerous warden messages (along with regular and special wardens meetings, outreach, and phone calls) in the past two years, which we anticipate will continue into the foreseeable future. Numerous visits post-September 11, such as Codels, GAO, DIG, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and CA also have required large amounts of time to prepare and manage. Blueprints for reconfiguring the Consular work area are currently with OBO and await finalization pending a final determination of the Department of Homeland Security presence in Saudi Arabia. D) How would you rate your consular section's satisfaction with the automated consular systems (excellent, good, average, poor)? Are there any unresolved software or hardware issues? How do you rate the training of post personnel both within the consular section and in Admin/IM on the use and support of consular systems (excellent, good, average, poor)? What types of assistance would you need from the next training and refresher teams coming from the Consular Systems Division to assist consular systems users? Response: Our level of satisfaction with automated consular systems is good. We had several complete systems failures due to defective Fujitsu drives in the Compaq Deskpro ENs installed in August 2002, but have since received replacement units and hard drives. There is a problem with CROBA printing, and there have been occasional problems with response time from CLASS, which affects both NIV and ACS work. There is also a problem accessing the PIERS system on some computers. A dedicated consular FSN and the Consulate's IM section now effectively deal with all technical aspects of consular systems. Training has been good, but more systems training would be welcome, as the last Orkand visit (August 2002) took place at an inopportune time and training was not completed on the new software. E) What aspects of your ACS work are most demanding? Response: Child custody cases, spousal abuse, and other family disputes between U. S. citizens and Saudi nationals are the most difficult issues facing the Jeddah consular section. These cases, which are impacted by Saudi Islamic law (Sharia) and custom, are often contentious and emotional. Saudi Arabia is not a signatory to the Hague Convention on Child Abduction. More often than not, the problem cannot be resolved in a manner satisfactory for the U. S. citizen parent. The SAG and CA are currently working on formal understandings to help ameliorate problems of separation and access to children, but progress remains slow. The Saudi Government is sometimes unresponsive in the initial stage of ACS cases, such as timely arrest notification, or in the death of a U. S. citizen visiting the Kingdom.

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Contract disputes between U. S. citizens and Saudi sponsors are common. While redress through Saudi labor courts is possible, the process is time-consuming and the U. S. employee is usually at a disadvantage relative to the Saudi sponsor. U. S. expatriate employees are often distressed to discover that, although the Consulate utilizes its good offices, it has no legal authority to intervene on their behalf in private business disputes. In addition, the U. S. employee must be present in the country to follow through in the labor court process. During this time, the employer may withhold salary payments, while in-country expenses remain. F) What aspects of your NIV work are most demanding? (Discussion should address any backlogs and their underlying causes, including recent changes to NIV regulations, personnel role and system access changes, new management practices, etc.) Response: Virtually all applicants are now interviewed (since July 20, 2002) and many are subject to lengthy clearance processes. Many applicants call frequently to check on the status of their applications. Tracking the large backlog of applications that were submitted between April and August 2002 and which have not been cleared has also been a cause of frustration for many applicants, particularly students. Nearly half of NIV applicants are third country nationals (TCNS). Outside of employment, there is no lawful permanent residence status for non-Saudis, and because the Saudi Government's stated policy is to replace foreign workers with Saudi nationals, it is often difficult to establish the non-immigrant bona fides of TCN applicants. This is especially true of domestic servants, many of whom are recently arrived in the Kingdom when their Saudi sponsors make applications for them. G) What aspects of your IV work are the most demanding? (Discussion should address any backlogs and their causes.) Response: Post does not finalize IV petitions. We accept petitions, perform document checks, and provide information to applicants in the Jeddah District. We then forward the petitions to Riyadh for final processing. H) If applicable, please describe how the DV program has affected the consular section. Response: There is a great deal of interest in the DV program among the six million plus TCNs who have no chance of establishing permanent residence in Saudi Arabia. We incur printing expenses for DV information sheets, instruct local security guards in distributing the information sheets, and utilize staff time responding to inquiries. I) What percentage of your NIV and IV applicants are nonhost country (TCN) residents? Response: NIV: 46 percent. -- From what countries are they?

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UNCLASSIFIED 81 countries, with the largest numbers from Pakistan, the Philippines, India, Egypt, Sudan, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Morocco, Indonesia, Yemen, and Ethiopia. --Do they speak a different language than Posts designated language? If so, how do you interact with them? Many TCN applicants speak at least some Arabic, the lingua franca of Saudi Arabia, regardless of their mother tongue. Other TCNs can speak some English. Our consular section has staff who can speak Hindi, Urdu, Malay (Bahasa Indonesia), French, Spanish, Farsi, Turkmen, Uzbek and Thai. It is rare that we can find no common language with which to ask the basic interview questions. J) Discuss how the changes in passport application procedures during FY 02 affected post's workload and staffing if at all. Response: There was minimal change in our workload and none in staffing as Jeddah had been sending passport applications to Riyadh and now sends them to New Hampshire. Turnaround time has remained about the same with the new procedures. K) Are you satisfied with the level of fraud prevention training for officers and FSNs? If not, what do you believe you need to support your efforts in this area? Please also comment on any anti-fraud efforts in place at your post (liaison work, applications of databases and other electronic systems to defeat fraud, etc.) Response: Jeddah is a low fraud post. In the past there were cases of misuse of Saudi passports by either photosubbing or use by imposters to gain U. S. visas. Saudi Arabia began the introduction of a machine-readable passport (MRP) early in FY 2002 and has tightened up its issuance of passports to those who reported losing their passports, requiring a waiting period. Local passport and immigration officials have indicated that they would welcome INS or FPP document training. We believe this would be especially useful given the security features of the new legal permanent resident documents, and the new U. S. passport. Liaison is also maintained with Western consulates (particularly the British) that maintain active anti-fraud programs. L) Management Practices. Describe and comment on management practices instituted at Post in order to address post-9/11 security concerns and increased workload. If necessary, clarify or add additional information to that already provided in your answers to questions 1-22 on the "management practices" schedule of the statistical portion of the consular package. Please advise if in the past year Post discontinued any "management practices" it had implemented earlier. If so, please give reasons for the termination. Response: In June 2001, Saudi Arabia instituted Visa Express nationwide, a system in which 10 travel agencies collected passports and fees and submitted them to the Consulate. This program, which incorporated RDS, interview by exception, and a modified Travel Agency Program, was terminated after consultations between the

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UNCLASSIFIED Embassy and CA on July 20, 2002 because the program drew intense press criticism in the United States. In the aftermath of September 11, post has tightened up its waiver of personal interviews for applicants of all nationalities, including Saudis, and now interviews virtually all applicants, male and female, Saudi and nonSaudi aged 12-70. All NIV issuances (as well as refusals) are reviewed to ensure conformity with the ever-changing regulations. M) Describe country conditions that affect your ability

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to provide consular services (infrastructure, fraud, political setting, etc.). Response: The security situation in Saudi Arabia became more tense in FY 2002 and early FY 2003, with the first reported attempted car bombing in Jeddah along with reports of harassment and assaults on Westerners. (Note voluntary departure was authorized for Saudi Arabia on January 30, 2003 noting the heightened risk from terrorist groups.) Bilateral tensions surfaced after September 11, 2001 and there has been a decrease in the number of people travelling to the United States, with local media reports exaggerating problems Saudis and Muslims experience in travelling to and studying in the United States. N) Please describe continued changes that may have occurred in the host country following the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and how they have affected your workload or your ability to provide consular services. (In responding to this question, address outside factors such as tighter immigration controls, reduced access to airports or hospitals, rather than in-house factors such as changes in personnel roles. Please also keep in mind that the narrative portion of the consular package should remain an unclassified document.) Response: The tragic events of September 11 have caused extensive impact in Jeddah, the site of the Consulate General where 11 of the 19 September 11 hijackers applied for and received visas. The number of applications for NIVs, including Saudis, has decreased since September 11, 2001, as many Saudis and others prefer travel to Malaysia, Egypt, or Lebanon instead of Disney World or Europe. However, workload per applicant has greatly increased with the Visas Condor process and repeated inquiries by applicants trying to determine when their visa might be ready, or comparing timelines for visa issuance with friends who applied at the same time. O) Describe any other issue not raised in the preceding questions that you believe to be significant to the consular section's effectiveness in handling its responsibilities. (SBU - this paragraph only) Response: Scrutiny has been intense on consular operations in Saudi Arabia since September 11, 2001 from both Congress and the U. S. media. This scrutiny has been on both visa issuance (NIV) and child custody (ACS). In addition, Jeddah remains a critical threat post for trans-national terrorism, which

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UNCLASSIFIED requires a lot of "care and feeding" of the Amcit population during the many times of tension in the region, when Amcits need reassurance. Saudi Arabia has received a large number of consular-related and other high level visitors (including Secretary of Treasury and Vice President) despite limited staff. This combination has sorely taxed the human resources of the consular section several times during the year. The provision by CA of additional staffing resources to Jeddah's Consular Section during FY 2002 and FY 2003 is greatly appreciated and allows us to do the high-quality work expected of us in these trying times. ABERCROMBIE-WINSTANLEY BT #0290 NNNN End Cable Text Miguel Ordonez 02/05/2003 04:03:29 PM From DB/lnbox: Miguel Ordonez

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