Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh - OIG - US ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED membership in political organizations. The Americans said they were held in empty houses and reported abuses such as sleep deprivation, shoving, and punching. All asserted they were forced to sign “confessions” and were strongly warned not to report any of the events to the U.S. government. Arrests usually fall under the purview of the Ministry of Public Security. The Ministry of Public Security sees the 1994 Agreed Minute on Consular Relations as an agreement between the Department of State and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As such, they opine it does not apply to their (police) agents. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not in a position to force the Ministry of Public Security to comply with the Minute. Recently the mission learned that the legal office in the Bureau of Consular Affairs considers the Agreed Minute “to be a ‘political’ agreement rather than a binding international obligation; we consider the international legal source of U.S./Vietnam consular obligations to be the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.” Visa Clearance Issues American regulatory requirements to obtain specific clearance before issuing visas to current or former mid- or high-ranking Vietnamese officials cause delays and upset for Vietnamese leaders. Although the mission fully supports and implements regulatory measures to protect the United States and her interests, it finds these clearance prerequisites outdated. Because the requirements deter, hinder, and frustrate official Vietnamese travelers, they often undermine U.S. governmentsponsored programs. Repatriation of Deportable Convicts Numerous Vietnamese citizens convicted of crimes in America entered the United States 20 or more years ago. As noncitizens, American law stipulates their deportation to Vietnam on completion of their sentences. The government of Vietnam refuses to accept such people because it believes they betrayed Vietnam by leaving the country, and their criminal behavior stems from exposure to American society. Though negotiations have been ongoing for 10 years, the government of Vietnam refuses to allow such individuals to return. The government of Vietnam has informed the embassy that it will readmit Vietnamese citizen convicts who entered the United States after normalization of relations. No test situations have yet occurred. OIG Report No. ISP-I-05-28A, Inspection of Embassy Hanoi and CG Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, September 2005 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 31 .
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED CONSULAR FUNCTIONAL TOPICS American Citizens Services Nearly 180,000 American citizens visit Vietnam annually. About 500 American citizens who live in the Hanoi consular district registered with the American citizens services (ACS) unit in Hanoi. About 600 American citizens, including minor children, resident in Ho Chi Minh City’s consular district enrolled with ACS there. The consular chiefs estimate that upwards of 1,600 additional Americans live in Vietnam. In FY 2004, ACS Hanoi adjudicated about 150 citizenship/ passport requests and performed about 200 notarial services. During the same period, ACS Ho Chi Minh City processed about 1,600 citizenship/passport requests and executed about 2250 notarials. Americans in Vietnam may encounter problems ranging from minor difficulty to serious crises. To help resolve such matters, both ACS units maintain working relationships with Vietnamese authorities. The mission’s well-organized warden system meets requirements to orchestrate effective emergency safety and/or evacuation plans for Americans. Visas Embassy Hanoi’s consular section provides nonimmigrant visa services (NIV) only. Besides NIV requests, Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City evaluates all immigrant and related visa applications made in Vietnam. Careful judgment of visa candidates in compliance with all pertinent laws and regulations protects U.S. borders by identifying and excluding terrorists, curbing illegal immigration, and sustaining bona fide travel to the United States. Nonimmigrant Visas Hanoi adjudicated nearly 5,500 NIV requests in FY 2004 and about 42,000 people applied for NIVs at Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City during the same time. Estimates for FY 2005 project a slight overall increase. Roughly 55 percent of Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City’s first time visitor visa applicants do not qualify for visas. OIG found the NIV units uphold U.S. laws and regulations while providing courteous, efficient service. A bank, which collects machine-readable visa fees off-site, schedules NIV interviews. Both sections return issued NIVs on the afternoon following the interview. 32 . OIG Report No. ISP-I-05-28A, Inspection of Embassy Hanoi and CG Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, September 2005 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
Page 1 and 2: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED United S
Page 3 and 4: Community Liaison Offices . . . . .
Page 5 and 6: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED • The
Page 7 and 8: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED That so
Page 9 and 10: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED EMBASSY
Page 11 and 12: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED tioned w
Page 13 and 14: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED The Bila
Page 15 and 16: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED The Amba
Page 17 and 18: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 14 . OIG
Page 19 and 20: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Strong r
Page 21 and 22: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED The cons
Page 23 and 24: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED evenly.
Page 25 and 26: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Recommen
Page 27 and 28: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Contacts
Page 29 and 30: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED requests
Page 31 and 32: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED run a wi
Page 33: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED points o
Page 37 and 38: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Fraud Pr
Page 41 and 42: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ADMINIST
Page 45 and 46: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED handled
Page 47 and 48: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED GENERAL
Page 49 and 50: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED INFORMAT
Page 51 and 52: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED City as
Page 53 and 54: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Technica
Page 55 and 56: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED and qual
Page 57 and 58: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED $30,000
Page 61 and 62: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED requirem
Page 67 and 68: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Informal
Page 73 and 74: SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Manageme
Page 77: FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE, OR MISMANAGEME

Embassy Hanoi and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh - OIG - US ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?